Canada - Coronavirus COVID-19 #3

[Sundog]

What if the vaccine is more or less useless in fighting the omicron, and whatever comes next? The vaccine was 10% less effective with the delta variant, and the vaccine is 40% less effective with the omicron. Is that 40% of 100% or 40% of 90%?

Either way, is the vaccine making a significant difference regarding stopping the virus? In the olden days, pre-2020, vaccine meant never getting the illness. Now it means percentage of effectiveness against illness. The language alone is confusing.

(snipped for focus)

The flu vaccine doesn't mean never getting the illness, but it does reduce the chances of getting seriously ill. They aren't able to always predict the actual strain that will be circulating when they develop the vaccine ahead of flu season.

 

[tarabull]

Toronto Kids Vaccine Day: More than 1,500 children receive COVID shot at Scotiabank Arena

 

[tarabull]

Canada temporarily dropping 3rd-country COVID-19 testing for South Africa travellers - National | Globalnews.ca

 

[Ms Aligned]

" - The UK has recorded its first death with the Omicron coronavirus variant, the prime minister said."
" - He expressed worry at how fast the variant is spreading, and told people to get booster shots."

"Johnson did not give any details about the person, including whether or not they had been vaccinated."

"Experts are concerned over the high number of mutations that the variant has, which makes these scenarios more likely and thus make the variant more dangerous."

One person in the UK has died with the Omicron variant, Boris Johnson says

 

[JDG]

^^^Dying FROM is different from dying WITH a virus.

How old was the person and what was their health status is vital as well.

if the governments were more transparent it would give everyone a better sense of COVID and the variants.

When information came out earlier, the deaths were mostly in the elderly elderly ie over 80s, not n good health.

An occasional case did not fit this bill but most did.

 

[musicaljoke]

^^^Dying FROM is different from dying WITH a virus.

How old was the person and what was their health status is vital as well.

if the governments were more transparent it would give everyone a better sense of COVID and the variants.

When information came out earlier, the deaths were mostly in the elderly elderly ie over 80s, not n good health.

An occasional case did not fit this bill but most did.

Although the press simplifies reports on covid, the detailed data you seek might be available. Health Canada and the provincial public health ministries are recording a ton of information on many aspects of covid.

https://www.publichealthontario.ca/...infectious-disease/covid-19-data-surveillance

 

[musicaljoke]

Toronto Kids Vaccine Day: More than 1,500 children receive COVID shot at Scotiabank Arena

That's lovely, but seriously, this is Toronto, with a population of 3,000,000! They should be reporting a kid's clinic of 15,000.

I'm grumpy because our small community does way better and doesn't get any press for it. Boo-hoo.

 

[JDG]

Although the press simplifies reports on covid, the detailed data you seek might be available. Health Canada and the provincial public health ministries are recording a ton of information on many aspects of covid.

https://www.publichealthontario.ca/...infectious-disease/covid-19-data-surveillance

The Omicron death happened in the UK and there are no details, sadly.

Yes, Public Health is finally being more forthcoming with better stats. over here.

 

[deugirtni]

'There is a myth out there that it's mild,' head of Ontario's science table says of Omicron
The head of Ontario's Science Advisory Table is urging people to stop their "wishful thinking" when it comes to the Omicron coronavirus variant, adding that any suggestion that the COVID-19 variant causes milder illness is a "myth."

"This is historical. This is unprecedented. This week Omicron will become the dominant variant in the province... People cannot imagine the sheer scale of what we are talking about here. It is really challenging," Dr. Peter Jüni, the head of the province's Science Advisory Table.
'There is a myth out there that it's mild,' head of Ontario's science table says of Omicron

 

[deugirtni]

Return to work plans put on hold for tens of thousands of civil servants amid concerns over Omicron variant
Tens of thousands of civil servants are once again being told to work remotely amid concerns about the Omicron variant.

Both the Ontario Public Service and the City of Toronto were planning for a broader return to the office in the New Year but on Monday both announced separately that those plans are being put on hold due to the rapid rise in COVID-19 case counts.

The news means that approximately 30,000 OPS employees, who began a gradual return to their office at the beginning of November, will be back working remotely full-time by the end of the week.
Return to work plans put on hold for tens of thousands of civil servants amid concerns over Omicron variant

 

[deugirtni]

Nearly one out of five Ontario schools now have an active case of COVID-19, 20 are closed
A total of 20 Ontario schools are now closed due to COVID-19 outbreaks or for operational reasons related to the pandemic, surpassing the previous high set late last month.

The Ministry of Education says that there are currently 944 schools with at least one active case of COVID-19, accounting for nearly 20 per cent of the province’s public schools.

So far COVID-19 outbreaks have been declared at 308 of those schools, which is the highest that number has been throughout the entire pandemic.
Nearly one out of five Ontario schools now have an active case of COVID-19, 20 are closed

 

[otto]

'There is a myth out there that it's mild,' head of Ontario's science table says of Omicron
The head of Ontario's Science Advisory Table is urging people to stop their "wishful thinking" when it comes to the Omicron coronavirus variant, adding that any suggestion that the COVID-19 variant causes milder illness is a "myth."

"This is historical. This is unprecedented. This week Omicron will become the dominant variant in the province... People cannot imagine the sheer scale of what we are talking about here. It is really challenging," Dr. Peter Jüni, the head of the province's Science Advisory Table.
'There is a myth out there that it's mild,' head of Ontario's science table says of Omicron

That's a bit ominous! It's a bit like the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, where most people chose to believe that only sickly old people had real symptoms or died, and everyone else would experience minor cold symptoms.

 

[JDG]

Omicron is doubling every 2.2 days in Ontario.

source: Toronto Star

 

[JDG]

The LCBO (liquor stores) will be giving out free rapid testing kits.

Pick up something to make a Hot Toddy cause it’s also going to be cold.

 

[otto]

The LCBO (liquor stores) will be giving out free rapid testing kits.

Pick up something to make a Hot Toddy cause it’s also going to be cold.

If 20% of the population in Canada is unvaccinated, then those unvaccinated people are creating a risk of overwhelming the health care system. Rumour is that the variant is more contagious and that vaccinated healthy people experience mild symptoms from the omicron variant, but no one knows for sure. Many people have had life saving surgeries postponed to accommodate covid.

I think it was South Korea that decided that unvaccinated people would pay their own covid health care? Perhaps that's the way to go.

I'll find a link if needed, but I'm assuming that everyone saw the CBC headline.

 

[Kaley Smith]

I think the hospitalized numbers are evenly split with this latest variant.

After the holidays we’ll see fairly high numbers from large family get togethers. IMO, MOO

The number of vaccinated and unvaccinated in hospitals may be 50/50, but don't forget the huge percentage of vaccinated vs unvaccinated. If 50% of cases are being generated by 15% of the population (unvaccinated) and 50% in 85% of the population (vaccinated), which group is at higher risk?

 

[deugirtni]

For anyone interested, here is a link to the Premier of Ontario (Doug Ford) press conference today, regarding speeding up eligibility for booster shots, encouraging all to get the third dose, restricting capacity to 50% for large venues with a capacity to host 1000+ people, such as event halls, etc. And more.

 

[deugirtni]

Lots of stats in this article (for Ontario at least), but nothing about Omnicron.

Ontario is reporting 1,808 new COVID cases on Wednesday, the highest one-day total since May as counts continue to rise. The provincial case total now stands at 636,920.

For comparison, last Wednesday saw 1,009 new cases and the previous Wednesday saw 780. Over the last three days, there were 1,429 new cases reported Tuesday, 1,536 on Monday and 1,476 on Sunday. Wednesday’s count is largest increase since May 21 when 1,890 new cases were recorded.

However, as infections surge, patients with COVID in ICUs (intensive care units) have remained relatively stable and are down from the previous day.

Ontario reports more than 1,800 new COVID cases as daily counts continue to surge | Globalnews.ca

 

[deugirtni]

Premier Doug Ford announced third vaccine doses will be available for everyone 18 and older starting on Monday in an attempt to blunt the most contagious, though possibly less severe, COVID-19 variant so far.

The government is also instituting a 50 per cent indoor capacity limit in venues fitting 1,000 people or more, including meeting and event spaces; sports and fitness facilities; concert venues, theatres and cinemas; racing venues; studio audiences; museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions; casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments; and fairs, rural exhibitions, and festivals.
....
On Monday, Ontarians will be able to book booster appointments at least 84 days after their second dose through the provincial booking portal, clinics, pharmacies and primary care. Pop-up clinics will also roll out soon, and employees of some large companies will once again be able to get vaccinated through workplace clinics, Ford said. Bruce Power will be the first to start next week.

Starting Wednesday, people who have already booked their appointments can reschedule for an earlier date, Ford said.

Asked why the capacity limits won’t apply to restaurants or social gatherings, the premier promised he wouldn’t institute another lockdown, instead saying he trusted Ontarians to do the right thing and get vaccinated.

“Let me be very clear: we’re not going to lock down the system to try to get out of this,” he said, though he added that “everything is on the table” if cases increase further.

Ontario offering earlier boosters; cutting large venues' capacities

 

[deugirtni]

Throughout December to mid-January, up to two million rapid tests will be provided free of charge at pop-up sites in high-traffic locations such as malls, retail settings, holiday markets, public libraries and transit hubs. People without symptoms of COVID-19covid 19 or people who have not had recent exposure to someone with COVID-19covid 19 will be able to pick up a package of free tests from a pop-up site, while supplies last, or get a free test performed on-site.

Pop-up holiday schedule for rapid antigen tests