Good evening, here are the coronavirus updates you need to know tonight.
Top headlines:
- The government is looking at all options to bar people who have travelled overseas from receiving the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit, which pays $500 a week to those unable to work because they must quarantine.
- BioNTech is warning there will be gaps in global supply until other vaccines are rolled out.
- Britain has quietly updated its vaccination playbook to allow for a mix-and-match vaccine regimen, confounding experts.
In Canada, there have been at least 599,057 cases reported. In the last week 43,785 new cases were announced, 1 per cent fewer than the previous week.
There have also been at least 504,972 recoveries and 15,865 deaths. Health officials have administered more than 16,286,436 tests.
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
Photo of the day
Coronavirus in Canada
- Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says he will not discipline one of his cabinet ministers and his chief of staff after they both took holiday trips abroad. He took the position as more United Conservative Party members admit to travelling over the holidays, despite advice to avoid unnecessary trips.
- Ontario is reporting 2,964 new COVID-19 cases today, while Quebec recorded 7,663 cases in total from Dec. 31 until Jan. 2.
In Ottawa, questions are beginning to surface around whether Canadians who have travelled abroad should be allowed to collect the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit during their mandatory two-week isolation period upon returning to the country.
- Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough says the benefit was never intended to encourage Canadians to travel outside the country.
Overwhelmed hospitals: Patients in multiple Canadian hot spots are flooding hospitals at an alarming rate and expected to arrive in even greater numbers in the weeks to come, doctors said.
Vaccine rollout in First Nations: Provinces and territories are prioritizing Indigenous populations, because of their high risk for COVID-19, particularly in remote communities where there is inadequate infrastructure and access to health care.
Coronavirus around the world
- The U.S. government is considering half doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine in order to speed vaccinations, a federal official said.
- More strict lockdown restrictions are expected in England as the country reels from a new coronavirus variant that has pushed infection rates to their highest recorded levels.
- India will not allow the export of the Oxford University-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine for several months, meaning poorer nations will probably have to wait a few months before receiving their first shots.
Coronavirus and business
It will be several years before the airline industry is expected to shake off the devastation caused by the pandemic.
- A full recovery to 2019 passenger levels will not happen until perhaps 2024, the International Air Transport Association says.
- The usual measures airlines use to predict demand for seats and flights – the economy, past sales, per-seat profits and more – have been replaced.
- Seat sales are now dictated by consumers’ fear of becoming sick or stranded, and by government travel restrictions, which can change daily.
Also today: Several Canadian companies, including the country’s top banks, say they are planning to thank their staff for a year of hard work with year-end bonuses.
And: In the early days of the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020, several insurance companies offered discounts and rebates. Are they still?
Also, amid the biggest economic crisis in generations, some small-business owners are finding ways to adapt.
Globe opinion
- Vivian Song: What if, even after the worst of the pandemic is behind us, face masks continue to be used as a tool in managing public health during the regular flu season?
- André Picard: History tells us that pandemics don’t have Hollywood endings. The denouement tends to be slow and messy and COVID-19 will certainly be no exception.
- Molly Hayes: Nine months into the COVID-19 pandemic, after being diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer, the loneliness of facing treatment and appointments alone is an entirely different beast.
- Cathal Kelly: There was a point when I associated fire with death. Now that a preview of the Apocalypse is here, cooking’s having a moment.
- Alexandra Gill: In B.C., the bar and restaurant industry, which has bent over backward to comply with previous edicts, is outraged over last-minute New Year’s Eve regulations.
More reporting
- RVing enjoyed a surge of popularity after COVID-19 hit. For one family, it has become a way of life
- The serving of a free meal is a religious practice woven into Sikh tradition. Amid the pandemic, many Sikh temples in Canada have raised their generosity
- New Year’s resolutions: Having a goal to work toward will help us overcome that miserable feeling that every day is the same
- BioNTech is warning there will be gaps in global supply until other vaccines are rolled out.
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.
What are we missing? Email us: audience@globeandmail.com. Do you know someone who needs this newsletter? Send them to our Newsletters page.