Good evening, here are the COVID-19 updates you need to know tonight.
Top headlines:
- Unvaccinated people disproportionately risk safety of those who are vaccinated, according to a new Canadian study
- Soaring demand for men’s white shirts shows eagerness to get back to so-called normal
- Canadians line up for days in attempt to renew passports amid travel resurgence
In the last seven days, there were 386 deaths announced, up 3 per cent over the same period. At least 6,074 people are being treated in hospitals.
Canada’s inoculation rate is 13th among countries with a population of one million or more people.
Sources: Canada data is compiled from government websites, Johns Hopkins and COVID-19 Canada Open Data Working Group; international data is from Johns Hopkins University.
Coronavirus explainers: Coronavirus in maps and charts • Tracking vaccine doses • Lockdown rules and reopening
Photo of the day
People line up for nucleic acid tests in Chaoyang District on April 25, 2022 in Beijing, China. Local authorities have initiated mass testing in some areas and locked down some neighbourhoods where cases have been found.Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
Coronavirus in Canada
- Ontario is reporting an increase in hospitalizations and ICU patients.
- In Quebec, hospitalizations are starting to stabilize, with the province’s interim public health director saying last week there were indications that community transmission and hospitalizations were trending downward. The mask mandate in the province for public spaces will remain until mid-May.
- British Columbia is easing the path for internationally-educated nurses to get registered and licensed in the province as a nationwide shortage looms.
- Groups in Western Canada are reporting increased foot traffic in downtown areas, a welcome sight for businesses, as well as a factor that will hopefully decrease crime rates in the cities.
A new Canadian study found that people who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 contribute disproportionately to the risk of infection among those who have been vaccinated.
- “In particular, when you have a lot of mixing between vaccinated and unvaccinated people, the unvaccinated people actually get protected by the vaccinated people, who act as a buffer – but that comes at a cost to the vaccinated,” said Dr. David Fisman, who co-authored the study with PhD student Afia Amoako and infectious-disease epidemiologist and mathematical modeller Ashleigh Tuite.
Travel: Some Canadians are experiencing massive delays in getting their passports, waiting outside government offices for days in an attempt to renew the documents amid a resurgence in travel prompted by the lifting of many COVID-19 restrictions.
Coronavirus around the world
- In China, Beijing’s central district plans to hold mass COVID-19 testing this week, amid a spike in cases in the capital city, an announcement that prompted long lines at grocery stores as residents stocked up in fear of a Shanghai-style lockdown. Meanwhile, Shanghai authorities erected fences outside of COVID-hit residential buildings, sparking fresh public outcry.
Coronavirus and business
Walk into a men’s clothing store these days and what’s the one garment you’ll be hard pressed to find? A white collared shirt, the most sought-after item of the Great Reopening of 2022.
- With restrictions lifted, every wedding that’s been on hold and every celebration of life that’s been waiting to happen are crowding the calendar, along with graduation ceremonies and people returning to the office – resulting in the soaring demand of the white Oxford shirt.
- “Every Monday we have a merchant meeting with our regionals across the country, and every week it’s like, ‘When are the white shirts arriving?’” says Tiffany Braund, vice-president of merchandising for Tip Top.
Also today: After two years of working from home, the pandemic has shone a light on toxic workplace behaviours, such as presenteeism, face time, and a 24-7 work culture. Now as we return to the office, will we fall back into the same old toxic workplace habits?
Globe opinion
- André Picard: Reinfections are the latest COVID-19 curveball
- Nancy Qian: What the Shanghai lockdown tells us about China’s future
- Cathal Kelly: Canada’s vaccine rules mean Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck won’t face the Blue Jays, but that’s only part of the story
More reporting
Information centre
- Everything you need to know about Canada’s travel rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated people
- Where do I book a COVID-19 booster or a vaccine appointment for my kids? Latest rules by province
- Got a vaccine 'hangover'? Here's why
Sources: Canada data are compiled from government websites, Johns Hopkins University and COVID-19 Canada Open Data Working Group; international data are from Johns Hopkins.
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