Coronavirus Update: Manitoba bypasses federal government to procure prospective made-in-Canada vaccine

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

Top headlines:

1. While evading the federal government’s procurement procedures, Manitoba is preparing to buy two million doses of a prospective vaccine from Canadian company Providence Therapeutics
2. Ontario is moving March Break to April in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19
3. The single biggest shipment of vaccines from Pfizer and BioNTech is scheduled to arrive in Canada next week, Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin says

In the last 7 days, 23,433 cases were reported, down 15 per cent from the previous 7 days. There were 575 deaths announced, down 32 per cent over the same period. At least 2,664 people are being treated in hospitals and 758,332 others are considered recovered.

About 91 per cent of the 1,299,625 doses of vaccine distributed to provinces have been administered. That’s 3.1 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

• In Ontario, Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced the province would delay March Break until the week of April 12, in a bid to curb the coronavirus’ spread. Meanwhile, an “aggressive” vaccination campaign and keeping a stay-at-home order in effect are key to avoiding a third coronavirus wave, new modelling data says. And, a new report from the province’s fiscal watchdog said Ontario is on track for years of post-pandemic deficits unless there is substantial policy change.
• Manitoba said it has signed a deal with Providence Therapeutics to buy two million doses of its prospective COVID-19 vaccine. Premier Brian Pallister said the province can’t rely on a single source (the federal government) to ensure supply, citing delays in Pfizer shipments.
• Election officials in Newfoundland and Labrador are postponing voting for the Saturday election in nearly half the province’s ridings because of staff shortages. The delay puts the province in uncharted legal territory.
• In Alberta, Premier Jason Kenney said yesterday the two MLAs who joined a small coalition against public-health restrictions will remain in caucus. The Premier added there are no plans right now to look at regional rules for COVID-19 restrictions.

Vaccine deliveries to Canada are set to more than quadruple next week with the biggest shipment yet from Pfizer.

• Pfizer has confirmed it will ship 400,000 doses of its vaccine to Canada starting Monday, said the head of Canada’s vaccine rollout campaign.
• Over the next four weeks, Canada should get almost 1.8 million doses from Pfizer, and another 168,000 from Moderna.

COVID-19 vaccines: Pharmacy chains in Canada say they are ready to help with the country’s vaccination campaign, and could ramp up in as little as 48 to 72 hours if necessary.

COVID-19 vaccines: Almost two in three Canadians trust that COVID-19 vaccines are safe, according to a new poll.

Coronavirus around the world

• Some small, rural U.S. states are doing very well with mass vaccination rollouts, while other wealthy states are trailing behind.
• BBC World News has been barred from airing in China, a week after Britain’s media regulator revoked Chinese state television’s broadcast licence.
• The nephew of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been removed from Instagram for repeatedly sharing debunked claims about COVID-19 vaccines.

Coronavirus and business

The Business Council of Canada, the country’s most influential business lobby, is calling for a national “all-hands-on-deck” effort to vaccinate and rapidly test Canadians as the way to revive the economy.

• Executives at the Business Council said business leaders across the country are “ready and eager” to offer their expertise to help the vaccination effort.
• The business leaders said a commitment to “widespread and frequent rapid testing and screening” will be necessary to get the economy working at full steam.
• They argue the federal government needs to “co-ordinate purchases on a massive scale” while working hand-in-hand with the provinces and health officials across the country.

Also today: Manufacturer Bombardier announced it will cut 1,600 positions and end the production of the Learjet, citing a decline in demand during the pandemic.

And: Cineplex is reporting an 80.3-per-cent audience decline year over year, as many of its theatres across the country were forced to close because of COVID-19, yet the company’s CEO is still optimistic about the future.

Globe opinion

• Doug Saunders: If Canada really wants to help itself, it would be better off spending a few billion dollars more by building up the COVAX vaccine pool for poor countries – rather than selfishly drawing from it.
• Konrad Yakabuski: Governments around the world have so far spent about US$14-trillion to help their citizens weather the economic consequences of COVID-19. What if we just cancelled pandemic debt?

More reporting

• The World Health Organization recommends use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine despite a setback in trial
• Raptors won’t return to Toronto this season – instead they will play the remainder of home games in Tampa
• The pandemic is exacerbating issues at the core of the Moose Hide Campaign to end violence against women and children
• How the newly single are handling this pandemic Valentine’s Day
• Here are five pandemic-fueled trends that could alter the Canadian labour market
• Candy, supermarket flowers and takeout on the couch are expected to replace artisanal chocolates, rose bouquets and fancy dinners this Valentine’s Day
• The CDC said wearing a surgical mask snugly on the face or wearing two masks — a cloth mask over a surgical mask — is likely to significantly reduce a person’s exposure to the coronavirus

Information centre

• How well do vaccines 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.

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