Coronavirus Update: Second dose can be four months after the first, experts say

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

Top headlines:

1. Second doses of the coronavirus vaccine can be given up to four months after the first, according to two sources
2. Canada is now “fully back on track and even ahead of schedule,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said of the vaccine rollout
3. Wage and rent subsidies will be extended until June 5, costing the government about $16-billion

In the last 7 days, 20,440 cases were reported, down 2 per cent from the previous 7 days. There were 298 deaths announced, down 20 per cent over the same period. At least 2,022 people are being treated in hospitals and 823,527 others are considered recovered.

About 80 per cent of the 2,607,000 doses of vaccine distributed to provinces have been administered. That’s 5.5 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

• Alberta is considering following British Columbia’s decision to extend the wait between first and second vaccine doses to four months. The change would allow the province to “get more people vaccinated more quickly,” the province said.
• Ontario will administer the AstraZeneca vaccine to people who are 60 to 64. Yesterday, the province said it will follow federal recommendations not the give the shot to those over 65.
• In Quebec, a new report shows life expectancy dropped by five months for men and eight months for women in 2020 as a result of the pandemic.
• British Columbia is sending six specialized teams to schools to help improve safety plans for individual schools.

In Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he is “optimistic“ that Canada can move up its September timeline to administer a COVID-19 vaccine to all who want one.

• The government’s September deadline did not consider the recently approved AstraZeneca vaccine, the Prime Minister said.
• Changes to the guidelines for the time between the first and second doses and the approval of new vaccines could result in “rapider timelines,” Trudeau said.
• The first 500,000 doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine arrived in Canada today.

Addressing vaccine hesitancy in the Black community: A series of overlapping phases of strategies are needed to address vaccine hesitancy among Black and other racialized groups.

COVID-19 second wave: In the second wave of the pandemic, 7,470 Canadians living in long-term care and retirement homes died of the coronavirus, compared to 7,022 residents in the first wave.

Coronavirus around the world

• Britain will launch the country’s biggest corporate tax hike in almost 50 years in a bid to slowly fill the fiscal hole left by the pandemic.
• Authorities in South Korea are investigating the deaths of two people – both with pre-existing medical conditions – who died within days of receiving AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine.
• Kenya, Rwanda and Lesotho were among the African countries that received long-awaited first deliveries of COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday, thanks to the COVAX initiative.
• Frustrated by the vaccine shortages, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland have struck deals or are at least considering purchasing Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine.

Coronavirus and business

The previously announced decision to extend federal wage and rent subsidies until June 5 will cost $16-billion, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said.

• The 12-week extension will maintain the subsidies at their current levels of a 75-per-cent subsidy for employee wages, and a maximum subsidy of 65 per cent for rent relief.
• Freeland acknowledged that extending the program will add to national debt, but said failing to act would have caused long-lasting damage to the Canadian economy.

Also today: The federal government is spending $518-million on efforts to boost Canada’s ability to produce vaccines.

Globe opinion

• The Globe editorial board: Right now, Canada’s pandemic response remains located somewhere between comparatively mediocre and completely FUBAR. The airport mess is just the latest chapter.
• Rosalie Wyonch: Health care workers are the front line of defence against the worst consequences of the pandemic and are reporting high levels of burnout and worsening mental health. Job reform is needed, not just for the pandemic, but for the future health of all Canadians.
• Gary Mason: Utter madness has returned to the housing market in Canada, as housing prices in many cities are skyrocketing. It seems now the idea of making housing affordable in major cities was always a cruel joke.
• Nick Williams: “During my porch visits, I look like a retiree at an outdoor movie. And I couldn’t care less. This is the best entertainment a young man could ask for.”

More reporting

• Mary Ward Raymont survived the Spanish flu – and died during a second pandemic, a century later
• Rising home prices: One new trend is the “Amazon room,” which has come along with the rise in online shopping
• As the pandemic continues, parents are finding new and better ways to use technology with children
• The infodemic: Quelling misinformation and disinformation is everybody’s responsibility

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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