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Masks on transit, air travel issues, and a bravo to British Columbians

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Consistent with new case numbers over the past week, the number of new cases confirmed today (July 16) remained above 20.

Before today’s daily B.C. COVID-19 update, B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry revealed the results of research that has affirmed that the province has been effective in mitigating the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, the B.C. Coroners Service released their illicit drug report for June. As in May, the province recorded a record number of deaths—175 people died in June.

Dr. Henry said that about 80 percent were men between the ages of 19 and 49; two-thirds died in their own home, often alone; and, in most cases, those closest to them were unaware of their drug usage.

“This is a tragedy for all of us,” Dr. Henry said of the deaths and the ongoing crisis, which is the other public-health emergency occurring in the province in addition to the pandemic.

More coverage of this subject will appear in a forthcoming Georgia Straight article.

Dr. Henry announced today that there are 21 new COVID-19 cases (18 people who tested positive and three epi-linked cases).

A cumulative provincial total of 3,170 cases have been confirmed during the pandemic, including 1,028 cases in Vancouver Coastal Health; 1,667 in Fraser Health; 136 in Island Health; 223 in Interior Health; 65 in Northern Health; and 51 in people who live outside Canada.

There are 192 active cases, including 15 patients in hospital (and three of those in intensive care units).

Without any new healthcare outbreaks, there remain three active outbreaks—two in longterm care facilities and one in an acute care unit. Healthcare outbreaks have involved 655 cases, including 400 residents and 255 staff.

There aren’t any new community outbreaks.

Dr. Henry said that there are now 27 cases connected to the Kelowna exposure incidents that took place from June 25 to July 6. Of those cases, 18 cases are from the Interior Health region while nine are from Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health regions.

In addition, there are now four cases linked to the active community outbreak at the Krazy Cherry Farm in Oliver.

Once again, there’s good news that there aren’t any new deaths. The total fatalities remains at 189 deaths.

A total of 2,789 people have now recovered.

Dr. Danuta Skowronski
B.C. Centre for Disease Control

This morning, Dr. Henry presented the results of an antibody study conducted in the province, which began in January and February.

This research investigation was a joint effort by B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), UBC, and LifeLabs, and involved serology testing.

Unlike tests used to determine if people are currently infected with COVID-19, serology tests are used for people who have been infected in the past, have since recovered, and have developed antibodies (produced by the immune system in response to the virus).

Dr. Henry explained that it takes two to six weeks for people to develop antibodies after an infection.

“The reality is that they’re [antibody tests] not reliable at all early on and so you have to wait until at least a month after the bulk of infections to have a good understanding of what happened in your community,” she said.

She said the resulting report is the first of its kind released in Canada, and that this type of information is challenging to obtain.

The results, she explained, will help them understand the impact of the virus upon British Columbians by informing them how many people might have been infected in the past, particularly in March when hundreds of British Columbians were returning from abroad, tests weren’t readily available in all parts of the province, and criteria for COVID-19 testing was narrowed to high-risk groups.

She said they collected 1,000 samples from labs across Lower Mainland, which is the “highest-risk area in the province” and had the most cases, and conducted testing at two different time periods (March and May) to take “snapshots” of the virus.

Although this study doesn’t take into account longterm care facility residents, she said the results span across 10 age groups.

Dr. Henry said that the results show that less than one percent of people are estimated to have been infected in B.C. (She said that similar studies elsewhere have revealed an 11 percent rate in Spain and a 14 percent rate in New York City, during specific time frames.)

Accordingly, BCCDC’s Dr. Danuta Skowronski said that fewer than one in 100 residents in the Lower Mainland were infected during the first wave, and that these results reinforce previous surveillance findings. She said that, therefore, community infection rates elsewhere in the province would be even lower.

Thus, Dr. Henry said about eight times more people than those who tested positive likely had the virus in the province.

Dr. Skowronski said the results, which she didn’t anticipate to be so low, were a “pleasant, happy surprise” and that we “did better than we expected”.

“A big bravo to British Columbians,” she said. “They signify success in our containment of SARS-CoV-2 [the virus that causes COVID-19] in our communities whereas in other areas, as you know, there has been much more substantial transmission of the virus.”

While she applauded the efforts that everyone contributed to, she added that British Columbians need to continue with health precautions as the virus remains present.

“The flipside of that is that we cannot rest on our laurels,” she said. “We cannot assume that we are in the all clear because it also means that there is still substantial residual susceptibility in the population.”

While Dr. Henry said that instead of doing further random serology testing of the general population, she said they are looking into how to do more targeted testing to determine who has been “most impacted by this virus over the last few months”—such as specific occupations, ethnic groups, socio-economic groups, or geographic groups—by using the results of online provincial survey results.

Dr. Henry clarified that researchers still don’t know yet if a person becomes immune to the coronavirus if they have antibodies or for how long if a person has antibodies, which is still being studied.

B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix
Province of British Columbia

As reported earlier today, four more flights to and from B.C. have been confirmed as being linked to COVID-19 cases.

Dr. Henry expanded upon what she has previously said about the lack of useful information provided to public health teams from airlines about passengers.

She said that flight manifest information (documents with lists of passenger) have long lacked information that is helpful in tracking down and contacting people who may have been exposed to the virus.

What would help, she explained, is if airlines took passengers’ names, telephone numbers, and an address.

“An address is really important because that helps us understand where we have to look for those people,” she said, “and if we can get that, that facilitates us being able to find people quickly and stop those chains of transmission, and that, in turn, makes air travel safer.”

She said that airlines could implement a system like food and beverage establishments are doing, by recording contact information of all guests.

Meanwhile, she was asked about whether or not wearing a mask should be enforced on transit.

“I absolutely think everybody on transit should be wearing a mask—everybody who can,” she began, before explaining that enforcing mask-wearing is a challenge as there have been “unfortunate events related to people making it an issue”.

She added that it can be difficult to distinguish who is and isn’t capable of wearing a mask for various reasons.

However, to dispel any misunderstandings or misinformation about masks, she clarified out that masks are safe to wear.

“They do not cause you to become hypoxic [a condition caused by deprivation of oxygen]; they do not increase your risk of keeping viruses or bacteria or other things in; they do not exacerbate asthma or other lung conditions,” she said.

She added that masks can take some time to become used to and comfortable wearing.

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Source:- Straight.com

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What’s the greatest holiday gift: lips, hair, skin? Give the gift of great skin this holiday season

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Give the gift of great skin this holiday season

Skinstitut Holiday Gift Kits take the stress out of gifting

Toronto, October 31, 2024 – Beauty gifts are at the top of holiday wish lists this year, and Laser Clinics Canada, a leader in advanced beauty treatments and skincare, is taking the pressure out of seasonal shopping. Today, Laser Clincs Canada announces the arrival of its 2024 Holiday Gift Kits, courtesy of Skinstitut, the exclusive skincare line of Laser Clinics Group.

In time for the busy shopping season, the limited-edition Holiday Gifts Kits are available in Laser Clinics locations in the GTA and Ottawa. Clinics are conveniently located in popular shopping centers, including Hillcrest Mall, Square One, CF Sherway Gardens, Scarborough Town Centre, Rideau Centre, Union Station and CF Markville. These limited-edition Kits are available on a first come, first served basis.

“These kits combine our best-selling products, bundled to address the most relevant skin concerns we’re seeing among our clients,” says Christina Ho, Senior Brand & LAM Manager at Laser Clinics Canada. “With several price points available, the kits offer excellent value and suit a variety of gift-giving needs, from those new to cosmeceuticals to those looking to level up their skincare routine. What’s more, these kits are priced with a savings of up to 33 per cent so gift givers can save during the holiday season.

There are two kits to select from, each designed to address key skin concerns and each with a unique theme — Brightening Basics and Hydration Heroes.

Brightening Basics is a mix of everyday essentials for glowing skin for all skin types. The bundle comes in a sleek pink, reusable case and includes three full-sized products: 200ml gentle cleanser, 50ml Moisture Defence (normal skin) and 30ml1% Hyaluronic Complex Serum. The Brightening Basics kit is available at $129, a saving of 33 per cent.

Hydration Heroes is a mix of hydration essentials and active heroes that cater to a wide variety of clients. A perfect stocking stuffer, this bundle includes four deluxe products: Moisture 15 15 ml Defence for normal skin, 10 ml 1% Hyaluronic Complex Serum, 10 ml Retinol Serum and 50 ml Expert Squalane Cleansing Oil. The kit retails at $59.

In addition to the 2024 Holiday Gifts Kits, gift givers can easily add a Laser Clinic Canada gift card to the mix. Offering flexibility, recipients can choose from a wide range of treatments offered by Laser Clinics Canada, or they can expand their collection of exclusive Skinstitut products.

 

Brightening Basics 2024 Holiday Gift Kit by Skinstitut, available exclusively at Laser Clincs Canada clinics and online at skinstitut.ca.

Hydration Heroes 2024 Holiday Gift Kit by Skinstitut – available exclusively at Laser Clincs Canada clinics and online at skinstitut.ca.

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Here is how to prepare your online accounts for when you die

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LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?

It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.

Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:

Apple

The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.

For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.

You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.

Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.

Google

Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.

When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.

You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.

There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.

Facebook and Instagram

Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.

When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.

The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.

You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.

TikTok

The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.

Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.

X

It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.

Passwords

Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?

Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.

But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.

___

Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.

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Pediatric group says doctors should regularly screen kids for reading difficulties

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The Canadian Paediatric Society says doctors should regularly screen children for reading difficulties and dyslexia, calling low literacy a “serious public health concern” that can increase the risk of other problems including anxiety, low self-esteem and behavioural issues, with lifelong consequences.

New guidance issued Wednesday says family doctors, nurses, pediatricians and other medical professionals who care for school-aged kids are in a unique position to help struggling readers access educational and specialty supports, noting that identifying problems early couldhelp kids sooner — when it’s more effective — as well as reveal other possible learning or developmental issues.

The 10 recommendations include regular screening for kids aged four to seven, especially if they belong to groups at higher risk of low literacy, including newcomers to Canada, racialized Canadians and Indigenous Peoples. The society says this can be done in a two-to-three-minute office-based assessment.

Other tips encourage doctors to look for conditions often seen among poor readers such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; to advocate for early literacy training for pediatric and family medicine residents; to liaise with schools on behalf of families seeking help; and to push provincial and territorial education ministries to integrate evidence-based phonics instruction into curriculums, starting in kindergarten.

Dr. Scott McLeod, one of the authors and chair of the society’s mental health and developmental disabilities committee, said a key goal is to catch kids who may be falling through the cracks and to better connect families to resources, including quicker targeted help from schools.

“Collaboration in this area is so key because we need to move away from the silos of: everything educational must exist within the educational portfolio,” McLeod said in an interview from Calgary, where he is a developmental pediatrician at Alberta Children’s Hospital.

“Reading, yes, it’s education, but it’s also health because we know that literacy impacts health. So I think that a statement like this opens the window to say: Yes, parents can come to their health-care provider to get advice, get recommendations, hopefully start a collaboration with school teachers.”

McLeod noted that pediatricians already look for signs of low literacy in young children by way of a commonly used tool known as the Rourke Baby Record, which offers a checklist of key topics, such as nutrition and developmental benchmarks, to cover in a well-child appointment.

But he said questions about reading could be “a standing item” in checkups and he hoped the society’s statement to medical professionals who care for children “enhances their confidence in being a strong advocate for the child” while spurring partnerships with others involved in a child’s life such as teachers and psychologists.

The guidance said pediatricians also play a key role in detecting and monitoring conditions that often coexist with difficulty reading such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, but McLeod noted that getting such specific diagnoses typically involves a referral to a specialist, during which time a child continues to struggle.

He also acknowledged that some schools can be slow to act without a specific diagnosis from a specialist, and even then a child may end up on a wait list for school interventions.

“Evidence-based reading instruction shouldn’t have to wait for some of that access to specialized assessments to occur,” he said.

“My hope is that (by) having an existing statement or document written by the Canadian Paediatric Society … we’re able to skip a few steps or have some of the early interventions present,” he said.

McLeod added that obtaining specific assessments from medical specialists is “definitely beneficial and advantageous” to know where a child is at, “but having that sort of clear, thorough assessment shouldn’t be a barrier to intervention starting.”

McLeod said the society was partly spurred to act by 2022’s “Right to Read Inquiry Report” from the Ontario Human Rights Commission, which made 157 recommendations to address inequities related to reading instruction in that province.

He called the new guidelines “a big reminder” to pediatric providers, family doctors, school teachers and psychologists of the importance of literacy.

“Early identification of reading difficulty can truly change the trajectory of a child’s life.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.

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