Coronavirus Update: Rise in new cases overshadows provincial vaccine ramp-up

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

Top headlines:

1. Theresa Tam says health officials are observing a rise in new infections as many provinces are ramping up their vaccine efforts
2. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has privately apologized to Indigenous MPP Sol Mamakwa for accusing him of COVID-19 vaccine queue-jumping
3. One year ago, the federal government staged the largest, most elaborate repatriation of stranded Canadians outside of a full-scale war

In the last 7 days, 21,525 cases were reported, up 7 per cent from the previous 7 days. There were 224 deaths announced, down 9 per cent over the same period. At least 1,842 people are being treated in hospitals and 855,025 others are considered recovered.

About 76 per cent of the 3,981,770 doses of vaccine distributed to provinces have been administered. That’s 8.0 doses for every 100 people in Canada. Canada’s inoculation rate is 36th among 84 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 • Vaccine distribution plan • Four vaccines approved in Canada • Essential resources

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Coronavirus in Canada

• Ontario Premier Doug Ford is being urged to publicly apologize to First Nations people after he accused Indigenous MPP Sol Mamakwa of COVID-19 vaccine queue-jumping. The Premier has apologized privately. And, the province’s COVID-19 booking system is set to go live on Monday morning for residents 80 and older.
• Pent-up demand for travel and leisure suggests that Canadians who saved money while under public-health restrictions are likely to spend in that sector when it’s safe to do so – a trend that one chief economist says would likely overload the industry in B.C. And, Premier John Horgan says he will support requirements that ensure international travellers produce a type of COVID-19 vaccine passport.
• Alberta Premier Jason Kenney is promising that people in his province would have the ability to pick between any of the vaccines available when it’s their time to get it.
• The curfew imposed across Quebec in a bid to quell the spread of COVID-19 is coming under renewed scrutiny as public-health experts question whether residents will still be willing to comply with the measure as the days grow longer.

One year ago, the great repatriation of 2020 was a remarkable achievement that fulfilled a duty to help Canadians who needed rescuing in extreme circumstances, says Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau.

• When countries began locking down, imposing road closings and checkpoints, there were calls to foreign governments to negotiate landing rights and safe ground passage for desperate passengers.
• “I think that it was one of our finer moments,” said Garneau, who was transport minister last year.

‘Patchwork’ vaccine rollout: The National Advisory Committee on Immunization has made prioritization recommendations, but the list of groups asking to be moved up in the queue behind front-line health workers and older Canadians continues to grow.

Lagging vaccine rollout: In Canada, manufacturers fear the slower vaccination rollout could could cost them business.

Coronavirus around the world

• Ireland temporarily suspended AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine “out of an abundance of caution.”
• The U.S. has not yet authorized the AstraZeneca vaccine, but is nonetheless insisting that all shots the company produces in the country be kept off the export market.
• Women in Britain pushed ahead with vigils to remember homicide victim Sarah Everard, despite COVID-19 restrictions.
• A protest against the government in the Netherlands and its tough coronavirus lockdown was quelled by police on the eve of three days of voting in the general election.

Coronavirus and business

As COVID-19 restrictions lift and vaccine campaigns progress, pent-up demand for trips is expected to lead to “revenge travel.”

• According to industry experts, we’re set to see an unprecedented amount of travel as soon as we’re allowed to do more than fantasize about it.

Also today: Without a need to dress up, many Canadians are forgoing their usual trips to the dry cleaners, leaving those businesses that were deemed “essential” quite confused.

And: A supply chain phenomenon known as the “bullwhip effect” seems to be taking hold in many industries as the economy springs back to life, threatening their ability to make the most of what should be economic good times ahead.

Globe opinion

• Ian Brown: As a countless number of Canadians are living in lockdown, COVID-19 inoculations finally appear in significant numbers and for the first time, vax envy is rampant.
• Naomi Buck: In its wake, the pandemic has prompted a giant social experiment among Canadian families: What happens when parents start working from home, children stop going to school and everyone has to co-exist under one roof?
• Elizabeth Renzetti: Merely to find a vaccine registration website or phone line that isn’t crashing is just as hard as scoring Beyoncé tickets. You should not need an advanced degree in aerospace engineering in order to get a life-saving jab for an octogenarian.
• Opinion: We asked a cross-section of notable Canadians to look ahead and answer the following question: “How will I live differently once the world returns to normal?”
• David Moscrop: Botched or unevenly administered lockdown strategies, doubts and despair about vaccine procurement, and confusion about vaccination programs have certainly damaged Canadians’ faith in voices of authority. Canada now faces a “crisis of leadership and expert credibility.”
• Michaeleen Doucleff: “For the past four years, I’ve been learning about how cultures around the world raise kind, helpful children. Here are the four rules that helped our family the most during the pandemic.”
• Linda Besner: Our success in adapting to isolation has a price: Over time, the feeling of missing other people starts to mutate into a more profound alienation.
• Cathal Kelly: Everyone understands that while what major sports leagues are doing is reasonable from a business perspective, it is neither healthy nor safe to jet a bunch of guys around the continent so they can perform the essential service of skating. We’ve just agreed never to talk about it.
• Marcus Gee: After a year of struggle, hopeful signs abound. We are getting supplies of three separate approved vaccines and a fourth, from Johnson & Johnson, is on order. Ottawa now says we will soon be getting a million doses a week of the Pfizer version.
• Amy Rosen: Though the pandemic has been incredibly difficult and we’ll all be thrilled when it’s over, I think amid the sadness there have been moments of culinary joy.

More reporting

• Prolonged lockdowns and restrictions during the pandemic have reduced physical activity levels even further. Here’s how to get moving
• Canadian households piled on a record amount of mortgage debt for the second quarter in a row, Statistics Canada says
• A year-long personal pandemic photography project
• Canadian fans may have to rethink what a successful Olympic Games will look like as athletes struggle with preparations – and prioritize their safety
• “Quarantreats,”or small everyday buys, are sustaining Canadians bored at home

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.

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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