Coronavirus Update: Canada expecting one million COVID-19 vaccine doses weekly starting in April, general says

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

Top headlines:

1. Major-General Dany Fortin says Canada should start getting a million doses of COVID-19 vaccines delivered weekly in April, meaning the “ramp-up” phase of Canada’s vaccine rollout is still more than two months away
2. The chairwoman of a London, Ont., hospital board has resigned following a lawsuit launched by a doctor who was terminated amid controversy over his trips to the U.S.
3. Quebec will wait up to 90 days before giving a second COVID-19 vaccine – far longer than the recommended 21 and 28 days for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines

In the last seven days, 53,753 cases were reported, up 2 percent from the previous seven days. There were 960 deaths announced, down 1 per cent over the same period. At least 4,675 people are being treated in hospitals and 593,398 others are considered recovered.

About 74 per cent of the 616,508 doses of vaccine distributed to provinces have been administered. That’s 1.2 doses for every 100 people in Canada.

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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 • Lockdown rules and reopening • Canada’s vaccine distribution plan • Developing/approved vaccines • Pfizer’s vaccine, explained • Essential resources

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Coronavirus in Canada

• Quebec will wait up to 90 days to administer the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine – far beyond the manufacturers’ recommendations of 21- and 28-day intervals for Pfizer and Moderna’s shot. The province said the move will allow as many vulnerable people as possible to be vaccinated.
• British Columbia is seeking legal counsel on limiting non-essential travel into the province, Premier John Horgan said today, citing concern about cross-border spread of COVID-19. And, doses of COVID-19 vaccine are expected to reach close to 60 First Nations in British Columbia by the end of next week.
• Meanwhile, supply of the vaccine is insufficient to meet demand in B.C. and in Alberta.
• Ontario says the police cannot randomly stop residents to check compliance with stay-at-home orders – however, the government has not made public the memo on enforcement it sent to police services. Meanwhile, residential evictions will be paused during the state of emergency orders, the province said today. And, new reno projects are on hold, while crews can finish existing work.

Front-line workers who received the COVID-19 vaccine are experiencing a surprising side effect: hope.

• “It lightens my heart to know that when patients are coughing on me, despite having the [personal protective equipment] on, I’m not going to bring it home to my son,” said Sheron Grayer, a registered practical nurse.
• A sore arm is the most common physical side effect of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines now being distributed across Canada. Redness and swelling were reported less frequently.

COVID-19 and travel: The government may use border data on incoming travellers to prevent vacationers from claiming a benefit for people who must quarantine or isolate due to COVID-19.

Coronavirus around the world

• Two members of a World Health Organization team destined for Wuhan, China, are being held back in Singapore after tests showed they had coronavirus antibodies.
• A study in Britain has found people who have had COVID-19 are highly likely to have immunity to it for at least five months.
• African countries are still far behind on vaccine goals and could be forced to live with the pandemic for another two years – despite receiving a new batch of vaccines this week.
• New data shows China’s massive buying spree of natural resources appears to be ending, and demand for imports may be returning to “normal” levels.
• Lebanon authorities are enforcing an 11-day nationwide shutdown and 24-hour curfew, hoping to blunt the spread of coronavirus infections.

Coronavirus and business

In Canada, unlike the United States, film and television production (which is deemed an essential service) has been a minor miracle of success during the pandemic.

• Every day last month brought news of another COVID-19 outbreak at an American production site.
• But in Canada, the show still went on; television writers hunkered down in Zoom rooms, while producers reached out to one another virtually.

Also: Retailers across Canada have changed their return policies amid COVID-19, making it trickier to get an exchange or refund, depending on the store.

Globe opinion

• Paul McQuillan: No one can argue against the sentiment that the heart-led essence of true yoga and many of its benefits come from community and connection – not bandwidth and bright lighting.
• David Parkinson: The economy’s well-being after the pandemic is dependent on government supports getting to small businesses (that have been hit unusually hard by this crisis).
• Gary Mason: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can thank the pandemic for the West’s unusual warmth toward the Liberal party.

More reporting

• The federal government promised up to $500,000 over two years to Canada’s only Second World War museum in Europe to help it weather the pandemic
• From IRL to URL: How design festivals are adapting for the pandemic era
• Basketball: Three additional NBA games are called off after positive COVID-19 tests
• Tennis: It’s unclear if Andy Murray will participate in the Australian Open after a positive COVID-19 test
• It is important to view employers as important components of a more effective and resilient vaccine delivery system
• Emergency funds have proven to be essential in the pandemic. But there has got to be a better name for them
• Canadians polled say they engaged in riskier behaviour over the holidays than in the early days of the pandemic, according to a new survey

Information centre

• When will a COVID-19 vaccine be available in Canada? How well do they 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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