Coronavirus Update: Doug Ford announces Ontario will lift COVID-19 physical distancing measures for bars, restaurants starting Monday

Good evening, here are the COVID-19 updates you need to know tonight.

Top headlines:

1. Ontario to lift physical distancing restrictions for bars, restaurants starting Monday
2. Pfizer/BioNTech say their vaccine shows 90.7 per cent efficacy in kids
3. Amid surging infections in Britain, Boris Johnson faces pressure to mandate masks, introduce vaccine passports

In the past seven days, 19,073 cases were reported, down 11 per cent from the previous seven days. There were 261 deaths announced, down 8 per cent over the same period. At least 2,211 people are being treated in hospitals.

Canada’s inoculation rate is 13th among 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

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Coronavirus in Canada

• Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced that starting Monday, the province will lift physical distancing restrictions for restaurants, bars and gyms where its vaccine-certificate rules are in place. The province unveiled its long-term reopening plan, with an aim to lift remaining measures – including masks and vaccine certificates – by the end of March 2022. Also today, a member of provincial parliament has resigned from the Progressive Conservative caucus, and is disputing reports that she misrepresented COVID-19 vaccination status.
• As hospitalizations from COVID-19 continue to overwhelm Saskatchewan’s health-care system, the province’s health authority is considering formal recommendations to move to the next stage of triage. The first phase of triage – cancelling surgeries to open bed space – has been underway for months; the second stage would see doctors consulting with ethicists about who does and does not get life-saving care.
• In British Columbia, the fourth wave of the pandemic has hit long-term care homes, with almost 60 seniors dying of COVID-19 amid recent outbreaks. The province is now racing to administer third shots of COVID-19 vaccines to residents and staff in long-term care by the end of October.

In Ottawa, the federal government announced Thursday that it no longer advises against non-essential travel, but continues to caution travel on cruise ships.OK

• Today, Canada’s top doctor said “there are definitely still risks involved in travel,” and that Canadians should continue to proceed with caution on trips abroad.
• Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam said the government would provide additional information on the severity of COVID-19 in various countries in order to make travel decisions.

Also in Ottawa, Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin is challenging a Federal Court judge’s ruling that struck down his request for reinstatement as head of Canada’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution campaign.

Also today: Canada’s federal privacy watchdog said it is investigating following a series of complaints about the government’s COVID-19 vaccination requirement for public servants, but provided no details.

COVID-19 vaccines: In a clinical trial of 2,268 participants aged five to 11 years old, the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine showed 90.7-per-cent efficacy against COVID-19, the U.S. drug maker said on Friday.

Coronavirus around the world

• Russia’s COVID-19 infections and deaths rose again on Friday, hitting another pandemic record high and adding new strain to the country’s health care system. The government reported 37,141 new infections and 1,064 deaths in the past 24 hours.
• Amid rising COVID-19 infections, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is coming under increasing pressure to kickstart vaccinations and reconsider the government’s resistance to mask mandates and vaccine passports.

Globe opinion

• John Ibbitson: Trying to defend the rights of unvaccinated MPs only makes the Conservative Party look stupid
• Robyn Urback: Canada will face a new frontier of hesitancy when it’s time to vaccinate kids
• Globe editorial: Conservatives, just get your shots already

More reporting

• Doug Ford and the chief executive officer of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment say their private meeting in July was unrelated to their COVID-19 vaccine passport app partnership.
• Britain’s economy unexpectedly regained momentum in October despite consumer gloom and a surge in inflation.
• Hockey: Winnipeg Jets centre Mark Scheifele has been placed in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol after testing positive for coronavirus Wednesday morning. Scheifele is the second player from the Jets to test positive this week, after captain Blake Wheeler was put in league protocol Monday.

Information centre

• Everything you need to know about Canada’s travel restrictions for vaccinated and unvaccinated people
• Waiting for a second dose? We answer your COVID-19 vaccine questions
• What is and isn’t ‘paid sick leave’ in Canada? A short primer
• 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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