Coronavirus Update: Federal wage subsidy program for businesses sees wave of 30,000 applications

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

Top headlines:

1. About 30,000 businesses applied for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy for businesses, the PMO says
2. Cases surpass three million worldwide as some countries begin ending lockdowns
3. Quebec public schools and daycares to open in May; Ontario outlines ‘road map’ to economic reopen

Coronavirus explainers: Updates and essential resources • Coronavirus in maps and charts • The rules in each province

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Number of the day

3 million

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases surpassed three million worldwide. The United States accounts for nearly a third of those cases as some states begin to ease restrictive measures.

Coronavirus in Canada

48,221 cases have been reported, more than double the number from 16 days ago. There have also been 18,094 recoveries and 2,701 deaths. Health officials have administered 752,967 tests.

• Ontario announced a three-phase plan to gradually reopen the province, starting with some workplaces and outdoor areas, closely monitored by health officials. Additional details will not be provided until the province’s case count declines consistently. Physical distancing, hand hygiene and work-from-home measures need to continue, the province said.
• Quebec announced a staggered approach that will see schools and daycare reopening May 11, with hard-hit Montreal reopening one week later. Postsecondary institutions will remain closed. The goal is not herd immunity, Premier François Legualt said.
• In Alberta, a coronavirus outbreak has been confirmed at a second slaughterhouse.
• A fifth person in Saskatchewan died of COVID-19; the province has a total 365 cases, most of which are concentrated in the north.
• Nurses and other health-care staff in Manitoba will be banned from working in more than one care home starting on Friday.
• Modelling data suggests the first wave of cases is subsiding in Newfoundland and Labrador.

In Ottawa: About 30,000 businesses applied for the wage subsidy program after applications opened early this morning, the PMO said. The program covers 75 per cent of wages, retroactive from March 15 to June 6, with money to begin flowing by May 7.

Coronavirus around the world

At least 3,033,953 cases confirmed around the world; with 891,716 recoveries and 210,424 deaths reported.

• In Beijing, postlockdown life means strict control measures and increased surveillance as China tries to prevent a second wave of coronavirus.
• In his plague diary spanning nine weeks, The Globe’s Eric Reguly takes us inside Italy’s historic lockdown.
• Back to work after recovering from coronavirus, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the country still has weeks of lockdown and restrictions ahead.
• China’s Foreign Ministry has attacked Australia’s call for the WHO to support an independent investigation into the origins and spread of the coronavirus.
• Watch: U.S. lawmakers are poised for a battle over economic assistance to state and local governments hardest hit by the pandemic, which has caused a death toll approaching 55,000 in the country.

Coronavirus and business

CN suspended its financial guidance and will continue temporary layoffs.

• “Our network is very fluid, and we are continuing the temporary right-sizing of our resources to match the weaker demand caused by the global recession,” the company’s CEO said.

The company posted a first-quarter profit of $1.01-billion, up 31 per cent from the year-earlier quarter. Revenue of $3.5-billion was flat compared to the same period in 2019.

Year to date, CN’s revenue ton miles have fallen by 4.4 per cent and carloads are down by 9 per cent, in line with the North American industry’s slump. CN posted declines across a range of freight, including forest products, chemicals and coal. Grain shipments and crude oil shipment rose.

Question and answer

Question: How do I work toward a positive dietary goal while in lockdown?

Answer: Having greater control over their food environment (e.g., no restaurant eating, social receptions or other distractions) can help build a new diet routine. Here are four suggestions for working toward a healthy eating goal:

1. Start with a healthy breakfast: If you start the day with nutrition in mind, you’re likely to plan the rest of your meals and snacks in the same vein.
2. Get more protein from plants: Eating more plant protein – beans, lentils, soybeans, edamame, tofu, tempeh – means you are getting more fibre, antioxidants and protective plant phytochemicals.
3. Portion control: Pull out the food scale to weigh cooked fish, chicken and meat. Use measuring cups for cooked grains and pasta and teaspoons and tablespoons for cooking oil and seeds.
4. Practise mindful eating: Tune in to your hunger cues; eat until you feel satisfied, not full.

The Globe’s health columnist André Picard answered reader questions on social distancing and many additional topics.

An act of kindness

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Food is love

I was born with the adage “food is love” in my DNA. There are a long line of balabustas, the Yiddish expression of good homemakers, who made tasty meals and delectable baked goods for every day and every occasion in my family.

Now, in this global pandemic, the symbolism has never been more powerful. My work with vulnerable seniors has been curtailed for the immediate future. For now, I am the CEO of our family kitchen. I have always been senior management in this department but with this new world disorder, I have received an unspoken promotion.

Every day now, my agenda is clear. It seems important to make an inviting dinner every night. This is the centrepiece of our day.

Read: Getting creative in the kitchen makes my life seem normal

Have you witnessed or performed acts of kindness in your neighbourhood? Share your stories, photos and videos and they might be included in The Globe and Mail. Email audience@globeandmail.com

Distractions

🍷For the aspiring wine aficionado: Online resources to learn about wine

• 67 Pall Mall: A private members’ club for wine lovers that has been offering #67FromHome, free daily masterclasses through Zoom. Find it on 67 Pall Mall’s Facebook page.
• GuildSomm: An international non-profit organization for sommeliers and wine professionals that promotes education and collaboration providing a free webinar series. A yearly paid membership grants access: guildsomm.com.
• The Wine & Spirit Education Trust: The WSET offers comprehensive education about wines, spirits and sake, ranging from introductory courses to professional certifications offered by affiliated schools around the world. Find it: wsetglobal.com.

More Globe reporting and opinion

• What was the best moment of last night’s star-studded Stronger Together? The virtual choir of female physicians who sang the anthem Rise Again.
• A proposed class-action is the latest legal action to be brought against the owners of some of the worst-hit nursing and retirement facilities in the country.
• Foodora says operations in Canada aren’t sustainable and it is shutting down May 11.
• André Picard: “Embracing ‘natural immunity’ means you are fine with children spreading disease in the community and, by extension, having a significant number of adults infected so they, too, can develop ‘natural immunity.’”
• Paul W. Bennett: “Schools in Canada’s provincial K-12 systems will, in all likelihood, look significantly different whenever buildings reopen.”
• Daniel Schwanen and William B.P. Robson: “Let’s look to countries such as Denmark, Israel and Austria, which are ahead in containing the disease and getting back to work – just as we hope to do soon.”

Information centre

• Here’s what you should do if you are newly laid off; how to apply for CERB, EI, and other financial benefits; and other coronavirus and employment questions answered.
• How to minimize 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.
• How to get social distancing right; measures condo buildings are taking to encourage social distancing; and what you can do to help slow the spread of coronavirus.
• Here are the essentials to stock up on and how to shop safely for groceries; the best pantry staples; foods to eat to maintain an immune system-friendly diet; and how to keep a healthy diet while working from home.
• How to break a bad habit (like touching your face) and what to do if you think you have the virus.

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Have questions about the coronavirus? Email audience@globeandmail.com.