Coronavirus Update: AstraZeneca vaccine benefits outweigh risks, Health Canada says

Good evening, here are the coronavirus updates you need to know tonight.

Top headlines:

1. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine may cause very rare blood clots but the shot is still extremely safe, Health Canada says
2. You’ve got the shot, now what? Here’s what you can and can’t do after your first COVID-19 vaccine dose
3. Some Toronto vaccine clinics are being forced to limit or close operations due to vaccine supply shortages

In the last 7 days, 59,110 cases were reported, up 29 per cent from the previous 7 days. There were 272 deaths announced, up 27 per cent over the same period. At least 3,643 people are being treated in hospitals and 983,512 others are considered recovered.

Canada’s inoculation rate is 20th among 84 countries with a population of one million or more people.

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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 • Vaccine distribution plan • Four vaccines approved in Canada • Essential resources

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Coronavirus in Canada

• In Quebec, the first case of a rare blood clot was reported in a woman who is now recovering. She had received the version of the AstraZeneca vaccine that is made in India and sold under the name Covishield, Health Canada said. Meanwhile, the province reported 1,559 new COVID-19 infections as hospitalizations increase.
• In Ontario, Premier Doug Ford’s announcement last week that all adults in COVID-19 hot spots would be eligible for a vaccine has created confusion in the province. Meanwhile, two health networks in Toronto were forced to close or limit their clinics due to limited COVID-19 vaccine supply.
• New Brunswick’s premier is urging truck drivers to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible.
• Hospitals in British Columbia are at capacity and are struggling to meet the needs of record-breaking numbers of COVID-19 patients in critical care. Premier John Horgan hinted more restrictions could be coming for the province on Thursday.
• Yukon has confirmed its first cases of the P.1 variant, the strain first associated with Brazil. All variant cases involve a family that travelled to Yukon earlier this month and is now self-isolating in Whitehorse.

In Ottawa, the national health agency said a new and extremely rare blood-clotting syndrome may be linked to the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, but that the benefits of the vaccine still far outweigh the risks.

• The conclusions come after the department’s drug-regulation experts completed a review of safety data, and are in line with those issued in Europe and the United Kingdom last week.
• Health Canada says there is no evidence showing certain people are more at risk than others, and the vaccine will remain authorized for all adults in Canada.

COVID-19 and work: Experts say that the approximately 60,000 migrant farmworkers in Canada – about one-fifth of the country’s agricultural workforce – are uniquely at risk for COVID-19. These workers live and work in crowded settings, face language barriers, and have precarious immigration statuses tied to their employment that prevent them from speaking out about unsafe conditions.

COVID-19 vaccines: What you can and can’t do after your first dose

Coronavirus around the world

• Denmark became the first country to stop using AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine altogether, following news of its possible link to very rare blood-clot cases, pushing back the country’s vaccine rollout to August from July.
• France will continue to use the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine despite U.S. suspension.

Coronavirus and business

Small-business groups are urging the federal government to keep up wage and rent subsidies for independent businesses in the upcoming budget.

• Without continued support from the government, small businesses could see a wave of bankruptcies in the summer and fall after the programs expire in June, says Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

Also today: The number of bank hacks, online merchandise fraud and phishing attempts have skyrocketed during the pandemic.

And: Air Canada will extend COVID-19 sun-destination flight suspension through May.

Globe opinion

• The Editorial Board: Canada is utterly reliant on a successful vaccination campaign to do what inconsistent, half-hearted and often belated countermeasures were never given the chance to do – bring the pandemic under control. But it’s not going well.
• Michael Smart: There is one simple pandemic recovery measure that is shovel-ready and would support consumer spending as the lockdowns and restrictions end.
• Jennifer Brennan, Karen Foster and Julia M. Wright: Declining public investment in post-secondary institutions means reduced research capacity, rising personal debt – especially among our young people – and a culture of overwork and precarity that is also undermining our health care sector.

More reporting

• Music: The Juno Awards are postponed until June 6 amid surging COVID-19 cases.
• Yesterday, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney condemned recent protests against public-health measures, dismissing protesters as “unhinged.”
• First person: Why can’t there be a vaccine for racism?

Information centre

• How well do vaccines work? Here’s what you need to know.
• Rob Carrick’s 10-point checklist of things you should have done by now to protect or improve your money situation. Tips for minimizing damage to your credit score; how to manage retirement anxiety during difficult times; and things to think about if you’re considering home delivery.
• Here are the expectations for self-isolation; tips for managing anxiety and protecting your mental health; and what to do if you think you have the virus. Wash your hands. How to break a bad habit (like touching your face). Is flying safe?
• The best foods to eat to maintain an immune system-friendly diet; and how to keep a healthy diet while working from home; four eating tips when working from home; and five mistakes that might cause you to gain unwanted weight. Here are the essentials to stock up on and how to shop safely for groceries; the best pantry staples and how to stop stress-eating.
• Find answers to your coronavirus and employment questions.

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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