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Tag: British Columbia

Topic: pandemic responseView all posts for the topic: pandemic response

Scientists, clinicians across Canada preparing for future pandemic threats

Published May 6, 2024

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Published by: The Canadian Press
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By Nicole Ireland

Nearly $574 million will be doled out to researchers across the country for projects aimed at ramping up Canada’s preparedness for future health emergencies, including the next pandemic, the federal government announced on Monday.

One of the 19 projects is a national network of existing emergency departments and primary-care clinics, called Prepared, that will screen for any new viruses or pathogens that start to appear in patients.

“As a public health specialist and as a practising physician, I would very much anticipate there being another respiratory pandemic in the future. The challenge is we don’t know when it will be or what it will be,” said Dr. Andrew Pinto, Prepared project lead and a family physician at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.

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BC health advocates call on government to reinstate healthcare mask requirementsA white N95 mask with yellow head straps against an orange gradient background. White text reads, Vulnerability isn’t seasonal. #KeepMasksInHealthcare. Let’s get loud! www.DoNoHarmBC.ca
Topic: British ColumbiaView all posts for the topic: British Columbia

BC health advocates call on government to reinstate healthcare mask requirements

Published April 25, 2024

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Published by: DoNoHarm BC
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Protect Our Province BC, DoNoHarm BC, and Masks4EastVan highlight harms and human rights violations from loss of healthcare safety

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 (British Columbia) – Independent public health groups Protect Our Province BC, DoNoHarm BC, and Masks4EastVan are calling on the BC government to restore healthcare mask requirements. They are urging British Columbians to call for airborne pathogen protections in clinical settings by joining DoNoHarm BC’s campaign.

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Topic: British ColumbiaView all posts for the topic: British Columbia

B.C. COVID-19 hospitalizations up slightly as province launches latest vaccine campaign

Published April 11, 2024

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Published by: CTV News
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By Ian Holliday

The number of people in B.C. hospitals with COVID-19 rose slightly this week as the province began rolling out its latest vaccination campaign.

There were 141 test-positive COVID patients in hospitals across the province as of Thursday, according to the latest data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. That’s an increase of nine – or about 6.8 per cent – from last week’s total.

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Topic: British ColumbiaView all posts for the topic: British Columbia

Mask mandate in hospitals dropped as vaccine booster program ramps up

Published April 8, 2024

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Published by: Times Colonist
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By Cindy E. Harnett

As respiratory season winds down, a mask mandate in hospitals is being dropped but a COVID spring booster program is ramping up to strengthen waning protection for the most vulnerable.

“We are returning to the rules that were in place prior to respiratory illness season,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said Monday on the suspension of the mask mandate, likely to be a seasonal requirement.

The B.C. Health Ministry says given the decreased rates of viral respiratory infections in the community, additional infection prevention and control measures implemented last fall in health-care settings — such as masks — are no longer required at all times.

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Topic: lung diseaseView all posts for the topic: lung disease

Severe COVID leads to higher risk of pulmonary fibrosis: research

Published April 8, 2024

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Published by: CBC News
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For Vancouver resident Farrell Eckman, having a long conversation or attending a workout class without breaking into coughs is a major accomplishment.

The 50-year-old is one of many people who researchers say developed pulmonary fibrosis — a condition that thickens the tissue in lungs and can affect breathing — after experiencing a severe case of COVID-19.

In January 2022, Eckman was admitted to Vancouver General Hospital because she was having trouble breathing along with flu-like symptoms.

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Topic: long COVIDView all posts for the topic: long COVID

More awareness and investment needed to support people with long COVID: SFU report

Published April 4, 2024

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Published by: Simon Fraser University
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By Jeff Hodson

It’s an invisible and new condition. Many people don’t believe that long COVID is real or exists. And unfortunately, that permeates through the healthcare system. Even outside of the medical system, there is a broader societal awareness that is lacking.

— Kayli Jamieson
Continue readingMore awareness and investment needed to support people with long COVID: SFU report
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Topic: teleworkView all posts for the topic: telework

‘Telework’ Can Be a Life Changer

Published April 2, 2024

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Published by: The Tyee
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By Brishti Basu

If you are the family member of someone who’s highly immunocompromised, and you’re not able to protect yourself from infection in your workplace and your employer is insisting that you come back and work in an office where people have now shifted to the mindset that [COVID-19] is not that big a deal, if someone gets [sick] and you bring that home, that can be catastrophic.

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Topic: British ColumbiaView all posts for the topic: British Columbia

Number hospitalized with COVID-19 in B.C. hits new low for 2024 in latest update

Published March 28, 2024

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Published by: CTV News
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By Ian Holliday

The number of patients with COVID-19 in B.C. hospitals declined to its lowest level of 2024 in the latest data update from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

There were 133 test-positive patients in provincial hospitals as of Thursday, according to the BCCDC. The last published update to show a total lower than that was in August of last year, when the BCCDC reported just 76 patients hospitalized.

This week’s hospitalized population is less than half of what it was around this time last year. The final published update of March 2023 showed 294 patients in B.C. hospitals.

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Topic: vaccinesView all posts for the topic: vaccines

Do you need a spring COVID-19 vaccine? Research backs extra round for high-risk groups

Published March 28, 2024

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Published by: CBC News
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By Lauren Pelley

New guidelines suggest certain high-risk groups could benefit from having another dose of a COVID-19 vaccine this spring — and more frequent shots in general — while the broader population could be entering once-a-year territory, much like an annual flu shot.

Medical experts told CBC News that falling behind on the latest shots can come with health risks, particularly for individuals who are older or immunocompromised.

“Even when the risk of infection starts to increase, the vaccines still do a really good job at decreasing risk of severe disease,” said McMaster University researcher and immunologist Matthew Miller.

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Topic: British ColumbiaView all posts for the topic: British Columbia

Anti-COVID mandate protester found not guilty of criminal charges

Published March 27, 2024

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Published by: CBC News
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WARNING: This story contains offensive and racist language.

A Kelowna man charged with causing a disturbance after yelling at a security guard at a vaccine clinic has been found not guilty by a B.C. judge.

Bruce Orydzuk, 60, was captured on video repeatedly yelling at the guard, who was wearing a turban. The guard had asked him to leave the property of a COVID-19 vaccine clinic in July 2021.

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Topic: British ColumbiaView all posts for the topic: British Columbia

COVID-19 hospitalizations drop in weekly BCCDC update

Published March 21, 2024

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Published by: CTV News
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By Ian Holliday

The number of COVID-positive patients in B.C. hospitals declined this week, according to the latest data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

There were 148 test-positive patients in hospitals across the province as of Thursday, a decrease of 15 – or about nine per cent – from the 163 reported in hospital at this time last week.

The latest data continues the trend of relatively stable hospitalization levels seen throughout 2024 so far, with the first update of the year remaining the only one to show more than 200 COVID patients receiving hospital treatment.

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Measles is highly contagious, but vaccine-preventable: A primer on recent outbreaks, transmission, symptoms and complications, including ‘immune amnesia’Colourized transmission electron micrograph of a measles virus particle (red), with a yellow background. Photo: CDC and NIAID. Licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 2.0 DEED Attribution 2.0 Generic license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Topic: measlesView all posts for the topic: measles

Measles is highly contagious, but vaccine-preventable: A primer on recent outbreaks, transmission, symptoms and complications, including ‘immune amnesia’

Published March 21, 2024

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Published by: The Conversation
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By Mansour Haeryfar

Canada is seeing a resurgence of measles, with cases in the first quarter of 2024 already far surpassing the total for all of 2023. There were 12 cases last year, and more than three times that number so far in 2024, with 38 reported as of March 19.

Most of these cases (28) are in Québec, and eight are in Ontario, while Saskatchewan and British Columbia have each reported one case.

As an immunologist with a focus on host-microbe interactions and antiviral immunity, I have been following recent measles outbreaks.

Continue readingMeasles is highly contagious, but vaccine-preventable: A primer on recent outbreaks, transmission, symptoms and complications, including ‘immune amnesia’
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Advocacy group calls for stronger mask requirements in B.C.A young person with long black hair, a red headband and a black respirator holds two yellow signs reading: “1 in 33 in BC are currently infected” and “I’ve had long Covid for 20+ months. Please do not abandon us.” Photo: DoNoHarm BC.
Topic: British ColumbiaView all posts for the topic: British Columbia

Advocacy group calls for stronger mask requirements in B.C.

Published March 16, 2024

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Published by: CityNews
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By Aastha Pandey-Kanaan

Advocacy group launches province-wide campaign to strengthen mask protections in healthcare.

DoNoHarm BC, a grassroots group advocating for public health measures, is campaigning to keep mask protections in the healthcare industry year-long.

In a release, the organization says healthcare workers are not required to stay masked everywhere. Last April, they were able to stop masking in various settings, including in ERs, children’s hospitals, and cancer centres.

“B.C. currently requires masks in hospitals and long-term care for staff, contractors, visitors, and volunteers – but not for patients,” DoNoHarm BC said in a news release.

“While policy-makers have only guaranteed this measure for a “few months” over the winter, DoNoHarm BC notes the last time BC discarded healthcare masking, multiple medical facilities suffered COVID outbreaks.”

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“Vulnerability isn’t seasonal”: DoNoHarm BC launches campaign to keep masks in BC healthcareTwo adults in N95 masks against a light blue background, one with long dark hair, assisting an elder with white hair using a walker. Black text reads, Vulnerability Isn’t Seasonal. #KeepMasksInHealthcare. Have your say by April 1, 2024. www.DoNoHarmBC.ca
Topic: British ColumbiaView all posts for the topic: British Columbia

“Vulnerability isn’t seasonal”: DoNoHarm BC launches campaign to keep masks in BC healthcare

Published March 14, 2024

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Published by: DoNoHarm BC
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Vulnerable British Columbians call for continued protections from COVID-19, measles, and other airborne diseases

March 14, 2024 (British Columbia) – DoNoHarm BC, a grassroots group advocating for evidence-based public health measures, is leading a province-wide campaign to keep mask protections in BC medical settings. The campaign, “Vulnerability Isn’t Seasonal”, also calls to strengthen infection control with patient masking; wider use of N95 masks; and coverage in private practices like GP’s offices.

BC currently requires masks in hospitals and long-term care for staff, contractors, visitors and volunteers – but not for patients. While policy-makers have only guaranteed this measure for a “few months” over the winter, DoNoHarm BC notes that the last time BC discarded healthcare masking, multiple medical facilities suffered COVID outbreaks. At the time, removal of healthcare masking contradicted guidance from the World Health Organization, and prompted BC’s Human Rights Commissioner to state that the move “does not uphold a human rights centered approach to public health.”

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Topic: British ColumbiaView all posts for the topic: British Columbia

Long COVID Patients Say WorkSafeBC Is Making Life Worse

Published March 11, 2024

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Published by: The Tyee
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By Brishti Basu

Maryanne Andrew has been getting sicker and sicker since she caught COVID-19 in January 2022 while working in a Campbell River school.

And instead of helping, she says, WorkSafeBC’s attempts to require her to go back to work have made her symptoms worse.

Andrew is among more than two million Canadians still suffering from long-term COVID symptoms as of last summer, according to a Statistics Canada survey, which also found about half of the patients reported not seeing any improvements in their condition over time.

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Topic: measlesView all posts for the topic: measles

Four provinces confirm measles cases, including rare case in fully vaccinated man

Published March 5, 2024

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Published by: CTV News / The Canadian Press
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By Camille Bains, Nicole Ireland

Seventeen cases of measles have been confirmed in Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia — more than half of those in the Montreal area, while one Ontario case has been linked to a high school.

Quebec public health director Dr. Luc Boileau confirmed 10 cases on Monday, almost all of them involving children and making Montreal the country’s epicentre. He said only three of the cases were linked to travel outside of the country, indicating community spread in and around the city.

Public Health Ontario confirmed five cases of measles and said all but one involved travel.

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Topic: British ColumbiaView all posts for the topic: British Columbia

1st case of measles reported in B.C. over the weekend: Health Ministry

Published March 4, 2024

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Published by: CTV News
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By Alyse Kotyk

One case of measles was reported in B.C. over the weekend, the provincial Ministry of Health confirmed in a statement Monday morning.

This weekend’s confirmed case is the first the province has recorded since 2019. As of Feb. 29, nine other cases of the disease have been confirmed across Canada.

B.C.’s Health Ministry announced the case in a statement warning locals to confirm their immunization records, especially before going on spring break trips.

“With measles outbreaks being reported internationally and spring break on the horizon, the provincial health officer, BC Centre for Disease Control and public health officials are reminding people in British Columbia to check their vaccination records before travelling to ensure they are protected,” the statement said.

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Topic: vaccinesView all posts for the topic: vaccines

Fall COVID-19 vaccine cut illness risk by half overall

Published February 22, 2024

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Published by: Globe and Mail
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By Kelly Grant

The fall COVID-19 vaccine cut the risk of COVID-19 illness by about half overall, and by 67 per cent for those with a previous infection, according to new research from the Canadian network that has long tracked the performance of the annual flu shot.

This is the first time the Canadian Sentinel Practitioner Surveillance Network, which is comprised of hundreds of primary care providers in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, produced mid-season estimates of the effectiveness of immunization against COVID-19.

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