COVID-19 update for March 31: London Drugs booked up for vaccines | Tam says 'crisis phase' will be over by fall | Age 55 to 65 in Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health can book vaccine | 840 new cases | State of emergency extended – Vancouver Sun
Here’s your daily update with everything you need to know on the novel coronavirus situation in B.C.
Author of the article:
Scott Brown, Tiffany Crawford, Cheryl Chan, David Carrigg
The ultrastructural morphology exhibited by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), first detected in Wuhan, China, is seen in an illustration released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. January 29, 2020. Photo by Handout . /via REUTERS
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Here’s your daily update with everything you need to know on the novel coronavirus situation in B.C. for March 31, 2021.
We’ll provide summaries of what’s going on in B.C. right here so you can get the latest news at a glance. This page will be updated regularly throughout the day, with developments added as they happen.
Check back here for more updates throughout the day. You can also get the latest COVID-19 news delivered to your inbox weeknights at 7 p.m. by subscribing to our newsletter here.
B.C.’S COVID-19 CASE NUMBERS
As of the latest figures given on March 29:
• Total number of confirmed cases: 99,035 (7,062 active) • New cases since March 29: 840 • Total deaths: 1,455 (0 new) • Hospitalized cases: 312 • Intensive care: 78 • Total vaccinations: 724,193 people have received one of the three approved vaccines, including 87,319 who have received a second dose. • Cases under public health monitoring: 11,164 • Recovered: 90,401 • Long-term care and assisted-living homes, and acute care facilities currently affected: 12
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Students in Grade 4 and up will be required to wear masks in classrooms, according to updated guidelines released Tuesday night by the B.C. Ministry of Education. Whether masks in schools are mandatory or simply recommended was a source of confusion following the tougher restrictions announced Monday by provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.
There’s also confusion among other businesses, such as brewpubs with patios and bowling alleys, which complain that vague public health guidelines leave them wondering whether they have to close.
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According to safety guidelines sent to schools Tuesday, “effective immediately all K-12 staff and all students in grades 4 to 12 will be required to wear non-medical masks in all indoor areas, including when they are at their work stations (desks), and on school buses — both within and outside of their learning group.” Masks for students in kindergarten to Grade 3 are encouraged but not mandatory.
There are exceptions for people who have health or disability challenges that prevent them from wearing a mask, and in cases where a service is being provided to someone, such as a person with hearing impairment who relies on lip reading or facial expressions to communicate. Students can remove masks temporarily to engage in an activity where the mask is prohibitive, such as eating or drinking, playing an instrument or engaging in physical activity.
“Schools reflect what’s happening in local communities, and we support public health’s decision to introduce additional mask measures to our K-12 guidelines across the province,” Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside said in a statement Wednesday morning. “Since the beginning of the pandemic, public health orders and guidelines have been amended to reflect changing knowledge and the risk of spread of COVID-19 in the community and different settings.”
Since Monday, the B.C. Teachers’ Federation has been fielding questions from confused teachers and parents who said they were unclear as to whether Henry’s announcement Monday meant masks were mandatory or recommended. On Tuesday night, the union posted the relevant section from the Education Ministry’s updated health and safety guidelines to clarify that masks are required for students in grades 4 to 12, a measure the BCTF has been calling for for months.
Ryan Reynolds couldn’t help himself when he got his shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Known for his wisecracks both on-screen (Deadpool) and off, the Vancouver actor cracked, “Finally got 5G,” in an Instagram post that showed him sporting a pink tuque and rolling up the short sleeve of his white T-shirt to get the jab.
The joke was seemingly aimed at anti-vaxxers or conspiracy theorists. Some people have claimed the COVID-19 pandemic is part of a plan to implant microchips into humans that can be activated by 5G networks (the fifth-generation technology standard for broadband cellular networks).
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– Postmedia
11:30 a.m. – Tam says ‘crisis phase’ will be over by fall
Canada’s top public health doctor says she expects the “crisis phase of the pandemic” will be over before the fall.
Dr. Theresa Tam says the next few weeks may be the most challenging yet, as the third resurgence of cases driven by unrelenting variants of concern means there is even less “room for errors” in our public health measures.
But she says with every week that passes, with every shipment of vaccines and with the onset of nicer weather that will allow us to do more outdoor activities safely, things are going to get easier.
By June, Tam says, every adult Canadian who wants a vaccine will get at least one dose.
And by the fall, she says, they will get their second.
– The Canadian Press
10:30 a.m. – Facebook Live with Dr. Theresa Tam – Your COVID-19 Vaccine Questions Answered
Facebook Canada is hosting Your COVID-19 Vaccine Questions Answered, a Facebook Live event with Canada’s top doctors to connect millions of Canadians with trusted COVID-19 vaccine information.
Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Njoo, Canada’s Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Evan Adams, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at Indigenous Services Canada Dr. Supriya Sharma, Chief Medical Advisor, Health Canada Samantha Yammine, PhD, neuroscientist, molecular biologist and popular science communicator known as Science Sam Danielle Nadin, CIHR Institute of Gender and Health
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Starting today people aged 55 to 65 living in the Lower Mainland can book a AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine, but there may be a wait, as already one major pharmacy says it is all booked up.
On Tuesday night, a day before the bookings opened for this category, London Drugs announced on Twitter that due to an “overwhelming response,” all vaccine appointments have been booked at the three London Drugs pharmacies selected by the B.C. government to offer the vaccine.
The company asked people not to call the pharmacies so they can prepare for the “fully booked” appointments.
The B.C. Pharmacy Association website has a list of pharmacies offering the vaccine, which will be updated regularly in the coming weeks.
Those going to get a vaccine will be required to bring their Personal Health Number, located on your CareCard or driver’s license.
The AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine is currently not available in pharmacies in the Northern, Interior, and Vancouver Island health authorities at this time.
Premier John Horgan shamed and blamed young people for spreading COVID-19, but his “do not blow this” finger-wagging appeal has faced swift backlash from those he was trying to bring on side.
He resisted calls to apologize on Tuesday, but said he acknowledges the sacrifices of young people and was trying to catch the attention of the few who are breaking the rules.
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His initial comments, critics say, were counter-intuitive and harmful to young people who are disproportionately working in higher-risk, front-line jobs hard hit by Monday’s tougher restrictions on restaurants and the closure of Whistler-Blackcomb ski resort.
On Monday, Horgan said people between 20 and 39 are “quite frankly, putting the rest of us in a challenging situation.”
“My appeal to you is, do not blow this for the rest of us,” he said. “Do not blow this for your parents and your neighbours and others who have been working really, really hard, making significant sacrifices so we can get good outcomes for everybody.”
Justin Kulik, the NDP’s youngest candidate in the last election, called on Horgan to apologize for his “hurtful” remarks.
Horgan did not apologize, instead writing on Twitter Tuesday that his top concern is protecting people from the virus and getting through the “last mile” safely.
“I’m trying to catch the attention of the few who refuse to follow the public health restrictions. To the vast majority of young people doing everything they can: thank you,” he wrote.
He acknowledged that young people, who often work in front-line jobs or living with roommates. have made “tremendous sacrifices” to fight COVID-19.
On Monday, B.C. announced it was suspending the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in people 55 and younger due to concerns over a “very rare” blood clot condition.
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For a primer that breaks down why B.C. is halting the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in younger people, but at the same time accelerating the vaccination of other age groups using this vaccine read Cheryl Chan’s breakdown here.
2 a.m. – As of today, Lower Mainland residents age 55 to 65 can book a vaccine
B.C. is now offering a COVID-19 vaccine to Lower Mainland residents age 55 to 65, according to Vancouver Coastal Health.
Starting today, eligible residents can call their local pharmacy to make an appointment to get their AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine.
About 150 pharmacies are participating in this partnership with Immunize B.C.
Drop-in service may also be an option.
The B.C. Pharmacy Association website has a list of pharmacies offering the vaccine, which will be updated regularly in the coming weeks.
12 a.m. – 840 new cases, no additional COVID-19 related deaths
B.C. reported 840 new cases, including 18 epidemiologically-linked cases, on Tuesday. There were no new deaths.
There are 7,062 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, including 312 people in hospital, 78 of whom are in intensive care.
There have been 320 new confirmed cases involving variants of concern.
12 a.m. – State of emergency extended to continue B.C.’s COVID-19 response
B.C. has extended the provincial state of emergency, allowing health and emergency management officials to continue to use measures under the Emergency Program Act to support the province’s COVID-19 pandemic response.
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The state of emergency is extended through the end of the day on April 13.
“While the finish line remains in sight, rising case counts and the spread of variants of concern mean we all must continue working together to keep each other safe,” said Premier John Horgan, in a statement.
The original declaration was made on March 18, 2020, the day after Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, declared a public health emergency.
B.C. VACCINE TRACKER
LOCAL RESOURCES for COVID-19 information
Here are a number of information and landing pages for COVID-19 from various health and government agencies.
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MONTREAL – Travel company Transat AT Inc. reported a loss in its latest quarter compared with a profit a year earlier as its revenue edged lower.
The parent company of Air Transat says it lost $39.9 million or $1.03 per diluted share in its quarter ended July 31.
The result compared with a profit of $57.3 million or $1.49 per diluted share a year earlier.
Revenue in what was the company’s third quarter totalled $736.2 million, down from $746.3 million in the same quarter last year.
On an adjusted basis, Transat says it lost $1.10 per share in its latest quarter compared with an adjusted profit of $1.10 per share a year earlier.
Transat chief executive Annick Guérard says demand for leisure travel remains healthy, as evidenced by higher traffic, but consumers are increasingly price conscious given the current economic uncertainty.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
Dollarama Inc.’s food aisles may have expanded far beyond sweet treats or piles of gum by the checkout counter in recent years, but its chief executive maintains his company is “not in the grocery business,” even if it’s keeping an eye on the sector.
“It’s just one small part of our store,” Neil Rossy told analysts on a Wednesday call, where he was questioned about the company’s food merchandise and rivals playing in the same space.
“We will keep an eye on all retailers — like all retailers keep an eye on us — to make sure that we’re competitive and we understand what’s out there.”
Over the last decade and as consumers have more recently sought deals, Dollarama’s food merchandise has expanded to include bread and pantry staples like cereal, rice and pasta sold at prices on par or below supermarkets.
However, the competition in the discount segment of the market Dollarama operates in intensified recently when the country’s biggest grocery chain began piloting a new ultra-discount store.
The No Name stores being tested by Loblaw Cos. Ltd. in Windsor, St. Catharines and Brockville, Ont., are billed as 20 per cent cheaper than discount retail competitors including No Frills. The grocery giant is able to offer such cost savings by relying on a smaller store footprint, fewer chilled products and a hearty range of No Name merchandise.
Though Rossy brushed off notions that his company is a supermarket challenger, grocers aren’t off his radar.
“All retailers in Canada are realistic about the fact that everyone is everyone’s competition on any given item or category,” he said.
Rossy declined to reveal how much of the chain’s sales would overlap with Loblaw or the food category, arguing the vast variety of items Dollarama sells is its strength rather than its grocery products alone.
“What makes Dollarama Dollarama is a very wide assortment of different departments that somewhat represent the old five-and-dime local convenience store,” he said.
The breadth of Dollarama’s offerings helped carry the company to a second-quarter profit of $285.9 million, up from $245.8 million in the same quarter last year as its sales rose 7.4 per cent.
The retailer said Wednesday the profit amounted to $1.02 per diluted share for the 13-week period ended July 28, up from 86 cents per diluted share a year earlier.
The period the quarter covers includes the start of summer, when Rossy said the weather was “terrible.”
“The weather got slightly better towards the end of the summer and our sales certainly increased, but not enough to make up for the season’s horrible start,” he said.
Sales totalled $1.56 billion for the quarter, up from $1.46 billion in the same quarter last year.
Comparable store sales, a key metric for retailers, increased 4.7 per cent, while the average transaction was down2.2 per cent and traffic was up seven per cent, RBC analyst Irene Nattel pointed out.
She told investors in a note that the numbers reflect “solid demand as cautious consumers focus on core consumables and everyday essentials.”
Analysts have attributed such behaviour to interest rates that have been slow to drop and high prices of key consumer goods, which are weighing on household budgets.
To cope, many Canadians have spent more time seeking deals, trading down to more affordable brands and forgoing small luxuries they would treat themselves to in better economic times.
“When people feel squeezed, they tend to shy away from discretionary, focus on the basics,” Rossy said. “When people are feeling good about their wallet, they tend to be more lax about the basics and more willing to spend on discretionary.”
The current economic situation has drawn in not just the average Canadian looking to save a buck or two, but also wealthier consumers.
“When the entire economy is feeling slightly squeezed, we get more consumers who might not have to or want to shop at a Dollarama generally or who enjoy shopping at a Dollarama but have the luxury of not having to worry about the price in some other store that they happen to be standing in that has those goods,” Rossy said.
“Well, when times are tougher, they’ll consider the extra five minutes to go to the store next door.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
TORONTO – The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has ordered TD Bank Group to pay US$28 million for repeatedly sharing inaccurate, negative information about its customers to consumer reporting companies.
The agency says TD has to pay US$7.76 million in total to tens of thousands of victims of its illegal actions, along with a US$20 million civil penalty.
It says TD shared information that contained systemic errors about credit card and bank deposit accounts to consumer reporting companies, which can include credit reports as well as screening reports for tenants and employees and other background checks.
CFPB director Rohit Chopra says in a statement that TD threatened the consumer reports of customers with fraudulent information then “barely lifted a finger to fix it,” and that regulators will need to “focus major attention” on TD Bank to change its course.
TD says in a statement it self-identified these issues and proactively worked to improve its practices, and that it is committed to delivering on its responsibilities to its customers.
The bank also faces scrutiny in the U.S. over its anti-money laundering program where it expects to pay more than US$3 billion in monetary penalties to resolve.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
