Coronavirus Update: Early doses of Pfizer vaccine could arrive in Canada this month

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

Top headlines:

1. Canada could get early doses of Pfizer’s vaccine this month
2. Systemic issues to blame for failures in care homes during COVID-19
3. Doug Ford clarifies Ontario’s priority list for COVID-19 vaccine

In Canada, there have been at least 423,057 cases reported. In the last week 44,918 new cases were announced, 11% more than the previous week. There have also been at least 338,741 recoveries and 12,777 deaths. Health officials have administered more than 13,695,231 tests.

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Worldwide, there have been at least 67,073,728 cases confirmed and 1,536,056 deaths reported.

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 • Mask-wearing rules • Back to school guide • Essential resources

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Coronavirus in Canada

• Ontario Premier Doug Ford clarified the priority groups who would receive the first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. General Rick Hiller said the province will receive 2.4 million doses during the first three months of 2021. The province reported a record 1,925 new cases of COVID-19 today.
• In Quebec, more than 75 experts signed an open letter calling for all non-essential businesses to be closed for two weeks. Meanwhile, Montreal started dismantling encampments of homeless people. The province reported new infections surpassed 1,500 for the third straight day.
• Manitoba will spend $3-million in grants to make arts performances and fitness classes free so people will stay at home. The province reported 325 new COVID-19 cases and 12 additional deaths.
• One of the largest school divisions in Saskatchewan is moving to remote learning as administrations struggle to find enough healthy staff. The province reported 247 new cases today.
• New Brunswick will ease restrictions in Moncton and Fredericton, returning the areas to a less restrictive “yellow” level of precautions, as cases fall. Prince Edward Island, however, entered a two-week “circuit-breaker” lockdown today.

In Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the government has an agreement with Pfizer to begin delivering doses of its vaccine this month.

• Canada has been contracted to receive up to 249,000 of Pfizer’s vaccine in December, Trudeau said, pending Health Canada approval. Shipments will continue into 2021, with millions of doses on the way.

Care homes: Systemic breakdowns in Canada’s long-term care homes are to blame for the failure to protect seniors during the first wave of COVID-19, according to a new report from an independent panel. Nearly 6,000 residents in nursing and retirement facilities died during the first wave.

Coronavirus around the world

• Provincial governments across China are placing orders for experimental, domestically made coronavirus vaccines, though health officials have yet to say how well they work or how they may reach the country’s 1.4 billion people.
• Melbourne, Australia welcomed its first international passenger flight in five months on Monday, an arrival that will test the state of Victoria’s revamped hotel quarantine system.

Coronavirus and business

Small and medium-sized businesses are having trouble accessing Ottawa’s new rent relief program – despite it being designed to correct problems with the government’s previous program, according to a business group.

• Businesses that have opened since March can’t receive the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy because they don’t have past revenues to prove they’ve seen a decline during the pandemic.

Also today: The pandemic is putting pressure on personal finances and the spirit of the festive season.

And: Sophisticated investors are desperate to buy Canada’s apartment buildings whose values are soaring despite the pandemic.

Globe opinion

• André Picard: “There isn’t near enough vaccine to go around so why don’t we do ourselves a favour and ignore [anti-vaxxers], at least for now?”
• Editorial: “Given how most provinces did a poor job of preventing the second wave of the virus, the slightest indication that they are not properly prepared to distribute vaccines is highly troubling.”

More reporting

• The Toronto Raptors say three members of the organization have tested positive for COVID-19. The Raptors did not disclose who received the positive tests.
• Nunavut has started rapid testing residents in a Winnipeg isolation hub.
• Inside Wuhan, ‘city of victory’: How China rewrote the story of COVID-19 to boost public faith in its system.
• A Montreal airport is set to offer rapid COVID-19 tests for some destinations.
• Next year’s Paris Airshow has been cancelled as the aerospace industry continues to weather the coronavirus crisis, a spokesman for the French organizers said on Monday.
• Authorities in British Columbia declared a COVID-19 outbreak at a mink farm after eight people tested positive.
• My sister won’t let me visit our mother because of COVID-19 concerns. What can I do?
• Developers are building more small condos, despite people clamouring for more space during the pandemic.
• This Quebec car-sharing company is having its moment during the pandemic.

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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