Good evening, these are the top coronavirus headlines tonight:
Top headlines:
- ‘Masks should always be the first thing that we use and the last thing that we get rid of’: Experts say it’s time to bring back mask requirements in Canada amid concerns of a COVID-19 surge this summer
- Luggage piling up beside baggage belts is the latest sign that airports are struggling to bring back workers as the travel sector rebounds from its pandemic slump
An increasing number of health agencies have changed how they're reporting data on the coronavirus. A look at the current numbers in Canada for reported cases, deaths from COVID-19 and for hospitalizations can be found here.
COVID-19 updates from Canada and the world
- Indoor masks should be required in Canada, say some experts over concerns of a potential surge in COVID-19 cases this summer. While vaccines are effective for preventing severe illness, experts say they’re not great for stopping waves. New Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 appear to have the ability to evade immune protection gained from prior infection and vaccines, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
- Quebec is seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, the province’s public health director said, adding that the rise in cases was “expected,” though it came earlier than authorities thought. The number of new infections should continue to rise in the coming days or weeks before declining, Dr. Luc Boileau said.
- Pfizer and its partner BioNTech will begin testing vaccines on humans that protect against a wide variety of coronaviruses in the second half of the year.
- South Korea approved its first domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine, manufactured by SK bioscience Co Ltd., for general public use following positive clinical data, authorities said today.
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Pandemic recovery
- The summer job market for university and college students in Canada is rebounding this year after two years of downturns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Summer camps, tourist sites, recreation centres, hotels and restaurants were closed or didn’t operate at full capacity over the past two summers which meant university and college students had a hard time finding jobs.
- Summer travel chaos is escalating at airports from Canada to Europe as airlines scramble to bring back workers lost during COVID-19. Piles of luggage beside baggage belts are the latest sign that airports are facing shortages of ground handlers amid a surge in traffic at transit hubs.
- As the travel sector heats up again, those looking to stay local are also facing challenges while booking closer to home. Rising costs and tighter supply are hitting Canadians who are looking to rent cottages as easing coronavirus restrictions have allowed more people to enjoy summer holidays.
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Globe opinion
The Editorial Board: Canada’s COVID-19 death rate was much lower than in most other countries. What did we get right?
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Information centre
- Everything you need to know about Canada’s travel rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated people
- When will COVID-19 be endemic? The four factors that will shape the virus’s future
- Wastewater is filling the COVID-19 data gap
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