Countries in Europe are scrambling to ramp up vaccination drives, using a carrot-and-stick approach to persuade the reluctant to get their shots as the more transmissible delta variant drives a surge in infections.
Greece became the latest to enact new restrictions on Friday, requiring proof of vaccination or recent recovery from COVID-19 for access to indoor restaurants, cafés, bars and movie theatres. Children can enter with negative tests.
The measure, part of a package of government incentives, had little immediate effect as virtually all public life moves outdoors during Greece’s hot, dry summers. Sidewalk cafés and restaurants and open-air movie theatres remain accessible to all.
Outdoor clubs and music venues in Greece will also be accessible only to the fully vaccinated or recently recovered, with capacity capped at 85 per cent and no standing customers.
A sign at the entrance of a restaurant indicating that it is ‘COVID FREE’ in seen in Athens on Friday. (Petros Giannakouris/The Associated Press)
But just as the measure came into effect in Greece, the Russian capital repealed a similar one introduced last month.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced that the requirement for restaurants to only admit customers with proof of vaccination or a negative test ends Monday as the pace of contagion has slowed. The restrictions had badly hurt restaurant owners, already reeling from the pandemic’s impact, forcing many to close.
Some European countries have also introduced mandatory vaccinations for certain professions. Italy made vaccinations obligatory in April for health-care workers and pharmacists. France and Greece announced mandatory vaccines this week for health-care workers and care home staff, with France extending the requirement to those caring for an elderly or sick person at home.
France also announced mandatory COVID-19 passes for access to restaurants, bars, shopping malls and many tourist spots, as well as trains and planes, as of July 21. The passes are available to anyone fully vaccinated, recently recovered or who has a recent negative test.
The regulations have sparked protests, with thousands demonstrating on Wednesday in Greek and French cities. More demonstrations are planned in France on Saturday.
Anti-vaccine protesters march during a rally in Paris on Saturday. (Michel Euler/The Associated Press)
Greece has seen a surge in new infections driven by the delta variant, although the rate of new hospitalizations has been slower. Vaccines have been available to anyone 18 or over for several weeks and became available this week to those over 15. Incentives to get vaccinated have included a credit of 150 euros ($223 Cdn) to spend on entertainment and travel for anyone under 26 who gets a shot.
Cyprus has also seen an alarming increase in infections, prompting the government on Friday to announce new regulations,. They include proof of COVID-19 status for access to public transport, banks, state services and businesses and to visit care homes. Dance clubs will only be open to the vaccinated and recently recovered.
England plans to lift its remaining coronavirus restrictions on Monday. The Conservative government says it expects bars and nightclubs to check customers’ COVID-19 status, but it won’t be a legal requirement. Many businesses say they just won’t do it.
What’s happening across Canada
As of 2:20 p.m. ET on Saturday, Canada had reported 1,422,883 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 4,724 considered active. The country’s COVID-19 death toll stood at 26,492. More than 44.8 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far across the country, according to a CBC News tally.
Manitoba registered 62 new COVID-19 cases and posted no new related deaths for the second day in a row.
Ontario reported 176 new cases and three more deaths. The figures come a day after the province moved into Stage 3 of its reopening plan, which allows for indoor dining and drinking at restaurants, bars and nightclubs.
In Quebec, the province is holding a lottery for $2 million in cash and scholarships in an effort to encourage more people to get their COVID-19 vaccine.
People are seen outside a COVID-19 vaccination centre in Montreal on Saturday. (Jean-Claude Taliana/Radio-Canada)
Starting Sunday, Prince Edward Islandwill start letting in fully vaccinated Canadians from outside the Atlantic provinces.
New Brunswick saw no new cases. Nearly 58 per cent of the eligible population in the province have now received two vaccine doses.
Nova Scotia also did not record any new infections. Active cases in the province are now below five for the first time since last October.
In the North, Yukon reported five new cases on Friday afternoon, all of them in Whitehorse.
What’s happening around the world
As of Saturday, more than 189.7 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported, according to a tool from U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University, which has been collecting coronavirus data from nations around the world. The reported death toll stood at more than four million.
Workers transport the body of a COVID-19 victim into the morgue of a hospital in Pathum Thani province, Thailand, on Saturday. (Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP via Getty Images)
In Asia, Thailand has tightened coronavirus restrictions and warned of further measures as daily cases surpassed 10,000 and the death toll hit a record 141 despite an overnight curfew in Bangkok and several other provinces. The surge since April has overwhelmed hospitals, strained the economy and thrown tourism recovery plans in doubt.
In Africa, dozens of countries on the continent will receive 25 million COVID-19 vaccine doses donated by the United States, U.S. officials and the Gavi vaccine alliance said. African Union Special Envoy Strive Masiyiwa said the U.S. donation to 49 countries was appreciated, “especially at this moment when we are witnessing the third wave in a number of African countries.”
In the Americas, some 92 Cuban doctors and nurses who lent a hand to Mexico during the coronavirus pandemic in recent months have been flown home, Mexico’s foreign ministry said. It is not clear why the doctors left, as Mexican hospitals are under increased pressure amid another wave of coronavirus cases.
EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.
Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.
Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.
Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.
Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.
RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.
Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.
“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.
But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.
“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.
While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.
Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.
The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.
It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.
Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.
The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.
Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”
However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.
McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.
He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.
The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
