About 10% of people infected with COVID-19 would still experience symptoms after three months. This is called long COVID. For some, it’s much longer. They suffer from extreme fatigue, pain, problems with concentration, and they just can’t get back to a normal life. Report by Jacaudrey Charbonneau.
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Topic: vaccinesView all posts for the topic: vaccines
Older, immunocompromised people may get COVID-19 vaccine dose in spring, NACI says
Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization says some groups of people vulnerable to severe illness from COVID-19 should be eligible for another dose of vaccine in the spring.
The recommendation issued Friday says people aged 65 and older, residents of long-term care homes and seniors living in other congregate settings may get another shot of the vaccine targeted to the XBB.1.5 variant.
It also says children and adults aged six months and older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised due to an underlying condition may also get the booster.
Comments closedCalls are growing for the Ontario government to recall the legislature and deal with rising emergency room wait times.
“We’re extremely busy,” said Dr. Kashif Pirzada, an emergency room physician at one Greater Toronto Area hospital. “I walk in, there’s usually 10, 15 ambulances outside waiting to bring patients in.”
The situation is so bad that some hospitals like Markham Stouffville and Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay are advising patients to consider alternatives to the emergency room if their condition isn’t urgent.
Comments closedTopic: Nova ScotiaView all posts for the topic: Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia Health changes COVID-19 rapid test supplier over expiry dates
The Nova Scotia government has changed the brand of COVID-19 rapid tests it distributes due to the newer tests having a longer expiry date.
In a statement, Nova Scotia Health spokesperson Jennifer Lewandowski said the province has transitioned to the Flowflex COVID-19 rapid tests, as they have a longer expiry date than the previously used BTNX rapid tests.
Comments closedTopic: rapid testsView all posts for the topic: rapid tests
Health Canada ignored warning signs before Ottawa spent billions on BTNX rapid tests
Health Canada ignored critical warnings about a rapid-test supplier before approving its COVID-19 kits for distribution nationwide, Global News has found.
A year-long Global News investigation into federal procurement revealed that BTNX, a Toronto-area rapid-test supplier that buys the devices from China, deleted dozens of specimens, or samples, from a study it submitted to Health Canada in October 2020. Deleting the specimens increased the estimate of the rapid test’s ability to detect the virus.
Continue readingHealth Canada ignored warning signs before Ottawa spent billions on BTNX rapid tests
Comments closed Topic: AlbertaView all posts for the topic: Alberta
Latest COVID-19 variant wrestles its way to the top in Alberta
A new COVID-19 variant appears to be on its way to taking over in Alberta, with one expert predicting it likely already accounts for the lion’s share of the province’s cases.
JN.1 is an offshoot of BA.2.86, which has evolved, like many of its predecessors, to better evade our immune defences.
It is now the dominant strain in Canada. Data from the Public Health Agency of Canada shows it accounted for about 66 per cent of COVID-19 cases nationwide by the end of December.
Comments closedTopic: anti-vaxxersView all posts for the topic: anti-vaxxers
Non, les vaccins contre la COVID-19 n’ont pas fait 17 millions de morts
The COVID-19 vaccination campaign did not result in millions of deaths, as claimed by a former University of Ottawa professor during an interview on Monday’s Network X show with conspiracy activist Alex Jones.
Denis Rancourt, a former University of Ottawa professor, was invited this week to participate in Alex Jones’ Infowars. The appearance came three days after Tucker Carlson’s show referred to Rancourt’s claims that COVID-19 vaccines have killed at least 17 million people worldwide.
Comments closedTopic: British ColumbiaView all posts for the topic: British Columbia
Interior Health drops all COVID-19 rapid tests at facilities
Interior Health (IH) has completely withdrawn its COVID-19 rapid antigen tests (RAT) from its facilities.
This is according to an internal memo obtained by Global News.
“(The rapid tests) are not reliable for diagnosis of COVID-19,” the memo stated.
“As such COVID-19 RAT testing can no longer be used to direct clinical care or infection prevention and control measures, and must be discontinued immediately in Interior Health affiliated emergency rooms, hospitals, long-term care facilities (and) outpatient settings.”
Comments closedTopic: New BrunswickView all posts for the topic: New Brunswick
N.B. adds 17 more COVID-19 deaths, child under 4 among first flu deaths, warning about strep
COVID-19 has killed 17 more New Brunswickers, including six over the holidays, while influenza has claimed nine lives. These are the first flu deaths of the season and they include a child under four, the latest data from the province shows.
Dr. Yves Léger, the province’s acting chief medical officer of health, held a rare meeting with reporters Tuesday because of the rise in respiratory illnesses.
Comments closedTopic: Nova ScotiaView all posts for the topic: Nova Scotia
Sydney doctor calls for higher public flu vaccination rates to ease ER waits
Emergency room wait times are up at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital in Sydney, N.S., mostly due to seasonal flu and respiratory illnesses and a resurgence of COVID, according to an emergency department doctor.
“The emergency department is crazy busy,” said Dr. Margaret Fraser, a family physician who does shifts at the regional ER. “We’re seeing very long wait times for patients — 12, 14, 18 hours — and high volumes of patients with respiratory illness, unfortunately.”
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Topic: JN.1View all posts for the topic: JN.1
JN.1 is Canada’s new dominant COVID-19 subvariant. Here’s what to know
A new COVID-19 subvariant, known as JN.1, has emerged and is now the prevailing strain across Canada, prompting health experts to caution that it may be more infectious and could even have extra symptoms.
Currently, the subvariant makes up the highest proportion of all COVID-19 variants, accounting for more than half (51.9 per cent) of all infections in Canada, according to the latest data from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).
JN.1 was first detected in Canada on Oct. 9, and since then has rapidly increased.
Comments closedTopic: British ColumbiaView all posts for the topic: British Columbia
219 in hospital with COVID-19 in B.C.’s 1st update of 2024
Nearly four years after B.C. confirmed its first case of the novel coronavirus that would come to be known as COVID-19, the province begins 2024 with 219 people in hospital with the disease.
That’s a notable jump since the last update provided by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control on Dec. 21, when there were 153 test-positive patients in hospital across the province.
In its latest update, the BCCDC says this roughly 43-per-cent increase in the hospitalized population “is being monitored.”
Comments closedTopic: respiratory syncytial virusView all posts for the topic: respiratory syncytial virus
Health Canada approves RSV vaccine for maternal immunization
Health Canada has approved a new vaccine geared toward protecting two groups most severely affected by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV): newborns, who would receive antibodies through maternal immunization, and Canadians over 60.
Pfizer Canada’s bivalent vaccine, called Abrysvo, aims to prevent lower respiratory tract disease caused by the virus.
It is the first RSV vaccine in Canada approved for use in pregnancy to provide protection for infants from birth to six months of age, and the second approved for seniors aged 60 and over.
Comments closedTopic: OntarioView all posts for the topic: Ontario
More than 260 Ontario long-term care residents died after getting COVID-19 in last four months
Respiratory virus outbreaks in Ontario’s long-term care homes remains dominated by COVID-19, with nearly 16,000 cases of the virus reported in the last four months.
According to a newly released report by Public Health Ontario, there have been 850 confirmed outbreaks in long-term care homes since Aug. 27, 2023.
This is compared to 32 influenza outbreaks and 32 Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) outbreaks.
Comments closedTopic: AlbertaView all posts for the topic: Alberta
Albertans can now book appointments for the updated Novavax vaccine
A limited supply of the updated Novavax vaccine is rolling out in Alberta this week with appointment booking starting Wednesday and shots going into arms as of Friday.
Alberta Health said it has approximately 5,000 doses of the Novavax XBB.1.5 vaccine in stock.
The latest version of the protein-based vaccine was approved by Health Canada in early December.
Comments closedTopic: labour rightsView all posts for the topic: labour rights
Camp operator penalized $206,000 after B.C. worker found dead of COVID-19
An industrial camp operator has been fined over $200,000 for failing to implement COVID-19 safety measures after a worker died of the virus in their Dawson Creek, B.C., room.
The WorkSafeBC fine, handed down in September 2023 but released to the public last week, penalizes Horizon North Camp & Catering & Dexterra Group Inc. $206,346.90 for failing to implement a number of procedures.
Those include failing to enforce physical distancing, temperature checks, reporting symptoms, isolating workers and seeking medical attention.
Comments closedTopic: OntarioView all posts for the topic: Ontario
More COVID infections now than during some pandemic points, wastewater data shows
As COVID wastewater data hits significant highs in the Middlesex-London area, more cases of the virus and other respiratory infections can be expected in the new year, says the region’s top doctor.
The start of 2024 will be the midst of respiratory virus season, with continued COVID activity and an increase in influenza infections and other cold and cough viruses, said medical officer of health Dr. Alex Summers.
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