As Canada heads towards a sixth wave of COVID-19 with rising cases and hospitalizations across the country, health experts are stressing the need to continue masking and boosting the population.
Latest modelling by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) released on Friday showed a 34-per cent increase in daily average case counts as of March 30, indicating a resurgence is underway.
The latest surge is being partially driven by the highly transmissible BA.2 subvariant of Omicron, which is now the dominant version of the virus in several provinces, as well as the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, including masking and proof of vaccination, in most settings, federal health officials say.
1:54 COVID-19: As Shanghai goes into lockdown, what will 6th wave look like in Canada?
COVID-19: As Shanghai goes into lockdown, what will 6th wave look like in Canada?
Experts are frustrated that the mask mandates, one of the key tools in tackling the virus, were taken off too quickly by provinces — and that decision needs to be reconsidered before the situation gets out of control.
“Masks need to go back on very quickly. Otherwise we’re going to have a lot more cases on our hands,” said Dr. Kashif Pirzada, an emergency physician in Toronto.
Mandate or no mandate, Tim Sly, an epidemiologist and professor emeritus in the School of Public Health at Ryerson University, said the messaging around giving people the freedom to take their mask off and “go back to normal “ was a mistake.
“I think we should be encouraging people to wear a mask in a crowded situation, subway or a sports arena or in a large classroom … or a shopping mall,” he said.
2:31 COVID-19: People should continue to wear masks despite relaxed mandates, says Tam
COVID-19: People should continue to wear masks despite relaxed mandates, says Tam
Dr. Donald Vinh, an infectious disease specialist and medical microbiologist at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) agrees, saying he is hopeful “common sense” will prevail in making future decisions.
“What five waves have previously told us is that masks work, vaccinations work, ventilation works. And if that works for the five previous waves, it’s going to work for the sixth wave, and that’s what we need to do,” he told Global News.
COVID-19 boosters
Canada’s vaccination rate is another issue. Even though more than 80 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated with the two-dose schedule, only 47 per cent have received a third dose.
With waning immunity and the more transmissible BA.2 variant taking hold, experts say two doses are just not enough for protection and boosters should be a priority to combat the current Omicron spike.
0:45 COVID-19: Canadians aged 50+ should get 4th dose to protect against severe disease, Tam says
COVID-19: Canadians aged 50+ should get 4th dose to protect against severe disease, Tam says
Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has previously recommended that moderately or severely immunocompromised Canadians may receive a second booster or fourth shot at least six months after their last dose.
“The first two and the third one, it was enormous in terms of the protection, but the difference between the third one and the fourth one is very small actually,” said Sly.
This is where the vaccines that specifically target variants, which are still in clinical trials, will be extremely helpful, said Omar Khan, a professor of biomedical engineering and immunology at the University of Toronto.
“The best strategy to pursue is potentially an updated vaccine,” he said. “Going forward, this is going to be tied really closely to a pathogen surveillance.”
‘Do it yourself’ pandemic
According to latest modelling, Canada is preparing for two key scenarios.
The first is the most likely scenario, in which COVID-19 continues to resurge in small, manageable waves. The second, less likely option, is that a new, severe and vaccine-evasive strain of the virus could emerge, which could substantially impact the healthcare systems.
While another lockdown or re-imposition of restrictions does not appear to be on the cards for now, doctors are urging Canadians to remain vigilant — and regardless of public health mandates, continue taking all necessary precautions.
“The governments don’t really have our back anymore,” said Pirzada, who added that hospital staff is grappling with underlying burnout and an increase in admissions.
“This is kind of a do-it-yourself pandemic,” he said.
“If you have any symptoms, stay away and protect other people, wear a mask in indoor spaces, use rapid tests and try to fix the ventilation in places where you’re working or going to school. That’ll go a long way.”
EDMONTON – Jake Allen made 31 saves for his second shutout of the season and 26th of his career as the New Jersey Devils closed out their Western Canadian road trip with a 3-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday.
Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist and Stefan Noesen and Timo Meier also scored for the Devils (8-5-2) who have won three of their last four on the heels on a four-game losing skid.
The Oilers (6-6-1) had their modest two-game winning streak snapped.
Calvin Pickard made 13 stops between the pipes for Edmonton.
TAKEAWAYS
Devils: In addition to his goal, Bratt picked up his 12th assist of the young season to give him nine points in his last eight games and now 15 points overall. Nico Hischier remains in the team lead, picking up an assist of his own to give him 16 points for the campaign. He has a point in all but four games this season.
Oilers: Forward Leon Draisaitl was held pointless after recording six points in his previous two games and nine points in his previous four. Draisaitl usually has strong showings against the Devils, coming into the contest with an eight-game point streak against New Jersey and 11 goals in 17 games.
KEY MOMENT
New Jersey took a 2-0 lead on the power play with 3:26 remaining in the second period as Hischier made a nice feed into the slot to Bratt, who wired his third of the season past Pickard.
KEY RETURN?
Oilers star forward and captain Connor McDavid took part in the optional morning skate for the Oilers, leading to hopes that he may be back sooner rather than later. McDavid has been expected to be out for two to three weeks with an ankle injury suffered during the first shift of last Monday’s loss in Columbus.
OILERS DEAL FOR D-MAN
The Oilers have acquired defenceman Ronnie Attard from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenceman Ben Gleason.
The 6-foot-3 Attard has spent the past three season in the Flyers organization seeing action in 29 career games. The 25-year-old right-shot defender and Western Michigan University grad was originally selected by Philadelphia in the third round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Attard will report to the Oilers’ AHL affiliate in Bakersfield.
UP NEXT
Devils: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.
Oilers: Host the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2024.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns, and Kareem Hunt pounded into the end zone from two yards out in overtime to give the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs a 30-24 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night.
DeAndre Hopkins had two touchdown receptions for the Chiefs (8-0), who drove through the rain for two fourth-quarter scores to take a 24-17 lead with 4:17 left. But then Kansas City watched as Baker Mayfield led the Bucs the other way in the final minute, hitting Ryan Miller in the end zone with 27 seconds to go in regulation time.
Tampa Bay (4-5) elected to kick the extra point and force overtime, rather than go for a two-point conversion and the win. And it cost the Buccaneers when Mayfield called tails and the coin flip was heads. Mahomes and the Chiefs took the ball, he was 5-for-5 passing on their drive in overtime, and Hunt finished his 106-yard rushing day with the deciding TD plunge.
Travis Kelce had 14 catches for 100 yards with girlfriend Taylor Swift watching from a suite, and Hopkins finished with eight catches for 86 yards as the Chiefs ran their winning streak to 14 dating to last season. They became the sixth Super Bowl champion to start 8-0 the following season.
Mayfield finished with 200 yards and two TDs passing for the Bucs, who have lost four of their last five.
It was a memorable first half for two players who had been waiting to play in Arrowhead Stadium.
The Bucs’ Rachaad White grew up about 10 minutes away in a tough part of Kansas City, but his family could never afford a ticket for him to see a game. He wound up on a circuitous path through Division II Nebraska-Kearney and a California junior college to Arizona State, where he eventually became of a third-round pick of Tampa Bay in the 2022 draft.
Two year later, White finally got into Arrowhead — and the end zone. He punctuated his seven-yard scoring run in the second quarter, which gave the Bucs a 7-3 lead, by nearly tossing the football into the second deck.
Then it was Hopkins’ turn in his first home game since arriving in Kansas City from a trade with the Titans.
The three-time All-Pro, who already had caught four passes, reeled in a third-down heave from Mahomes amid triple coverage for a 35-yard gain inside the Tampa Bay five-yard line. Three plays later, Mahomes found him in the back of the end zone, and Hopkins celebrated his first TD with the Chiefs with a dance from “Remember the Titans.”
Tampa Bay tried to seize control with consecutive scoring drives to start the second half. The first ended with a TD pass to Cade Otton, the latest tight end to shred the Chiefs, and Chase McLaughlin’s 47-yard field goal gave the Bucs a 17-10 lead.
The Chiefs answered in the fourth quarter. Mahomes marched them through the rain 70 yards for a tying touchdown pass, which he delivered to Samaje Perine while landing awkwardly and tweaking his left ankle, and then threw a laser to Hopkins on third-and-goal from the Buccaneers’ five-yard line to give Kansas City the lead.
Tampa Bay promptly went three-and-out, but its defence got the ball right back, and this time Mayfield calmly led his team down field. His capped the drive with a touchdown throw to Miller — his first career TD catch — with 27 seconds to go, and Tampa Bay elected to play for overtime.
UP NEXT
Buccaneers: Host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Darcy Kuemper made 16 saves for his first shutout of the season and 32nd overall, helping the Los Angeles Kings beat the Nashville Predators 3-0 on Monday night.
Adrian Kempe had a goal and an assist and Anze Kopitar and Kevin Fiala also scored. The Kings have won two of their last three.
Juuse Saros made 24 saves for the Predators. They are 1-2-1 in their last four.
Kopitar opened the scoring with 6:36 remaining in the opening period. Saros denied the Kings captain’s first shot, but Kopitar collected the rebound below the goal line and banked it off the netminder’s skate.
Fiala, a former Predator, made it 2-0 35 seconds into the third.
The Kings held Nashville to just three third-period shots on goal, the first coming with 3:55 remaining and Saros pulled for an extra attacker.
Elsewhere in the NHL on Monday:
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DEVILS 3 OILERS 0
EDMONTON, Alta. (AP) — Jake Allen made 31 saves for his second shutout of the season and 26th of his NHL career, helping the New Jersey Devils close their western Canadian road trip with a 3-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.
Jesper Bratt had a goal and an assist and Stefan Noesen and Timo Meier also scored. The Devils improved to 8-5-2. They have won three of their last four after a four-game skid.
Calvin Pickard made 13 saves for Edmonton. The Oilers had won two straight.
