Re: Coronavirus
 

I can understand people not wanting the vaccine at all ( although vaccine passports might change that) but booking it then not rocking up - what's that all about? They should be charged for not showing up.

Re: Coronavirus
 

It is all very odd. Because the lines are so long and the people have to wait outside...they give up and leave. Disabled people in their 80s having to wait outside for hours is a disgrace. On the other hand there are some mass max clinics that are almost empty. Makes no sense.

Re: Coronavirus
 

908 new cases today in BC, 2nd highest single day total since this began, highest single day total was 911 cases on November 27th which I imagine we will break soon.

seven-day moving average for new cases up to 699. Highest since December 7.

550,062 people — about 10.7 per cent of B.C.’s population have been given at least 1 dose with 87,223 having received both doses.

https://globalnews.ca/news/7722551/b...march-26-2021/

This as well is being reported by CTV regarding P.1 variant.

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/more-cases-of-...-u-s-1.5364043


No more updates in BC until Monday afternoon, I predict the weekend tally will be over 2,000 total cases over 3 days.

Due to upcoming religious holidays, churches will be allowed to have limited indoor services.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...2021-1.5964491

Re: Coronavirus
 

They are misinformed by the media. It's ridiculous. Everyone seems to think they know more about vaccines than the CDC and other national regulatory agencies. Even the much touted effiacy rate is not that relevant as all the vaccines are 100% effective against death/serious illness.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Hamilton moves to Grey - Lockdown as of Monday. :(
https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/6...onse-framework

Re: Coronavirus
 

Regina is apparently rife with variant cases, so I turned down an offer to go for fish and chips on last day before lockdown. When they expanded vaccine eligibility to include my age group the drive through promptly ran out of vaccine so it's been closed for a couple of days. Then they expanded appointment eligibility too so I booked one in April. If I get a chance to use the drive through first, I can cancel my appointment.

Re: Coronavirus
 

New Brunswick really can't make up its mind.

Initially it was suggested that over 45s with at least three medical conditions would be among the high priority groups for early vax. But when it was formalised they weren't there; only those with complications like Dialysis, just 'regular' chronic kidney disease didn't count.

Then they announced that after the over 80s and over 70s they'd do the 18-24s because they were out and about - I paraphrase. This brought a strong reaction from people pointing out over 60s were more at risk and the government backed down, putting the over 60s back in. So I was just waiting for the announcement that late 60s could make appointments followed by earlier 60s and hoping that maybe they could do us all together.

I just happened to look at the government website last night to see if any groups had been added since the last announcement and you could have knocked me down with a feather. There's a whole new category group of over 40 with at least three conditions and it's back as originally suggested, just the conditions. There is still a group with complicated treatments etc but finally official acceptance that co-morbidities put people at greater risk. Best bit it says appointments can now be made for April.

So I made an on-line appointment, printed some forms off to take and I'm all set for Tuesday 6th.

I rechecked the government website under covid news - and there's no announcement about new categories or appointments being open for the next group since one made on the 24th. There's nothing in today's newspaper and today's latest covid update on the CBC website says nothing either.

It seems I just got lucky soon after the vaccine part of the website was updated and before any announcements.

Just mildly irritated that my MIL (over 80) could have made an appointment a couple of weeks ago but she was waiting for me and we'd have made appointments at the pharmacy as with last year's flu shots. So she's waited for nothing because mine has to be done at a special vax centre.

But at least we're getting done.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Bizarre that NB would think of vaccinating youngsters first. There's definitely something to be said for a national approach to pandemic response.

Re: Coronavirus
 

This wont boost confidence in Astra Zeneca vaccine in Canada.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ast...JeEOvX-__B1gNk

Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) is expected to recommend today a pause in the use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine on those under the age of 55 because of safety concerns, sources told CBC News.

Re: Coronavirus
 

News conference shortly in NL about Covid & given that we've already reported zero new cases today, either there has been a cock up in reporting or, as is more likely, NL is going to stop giving out AZ as per the CBC story. Bad news as we need every bloody dose we can get & doesn't do much for confidence. One imagines though that with 30m people vaccinated in the UK and an increasing pool of AZ vaccines in that total, that real world incidence of any problems is going to become rapidly apparent. In other words, we're now beyond clinical trials of hundreds or thousands of subjects and into hundreds of thousands if not millions of doses given.

Mrs AX has had two major blood clots in the past 9 years (one of which damn near killed her) & is on blood thinning meds for life. While I'd be happy taking the AZ, I think I'd prefer for her to get Moderna/Pfizer.

In other Covid news out here in the Far East, we're well over our UK Variant spike that necessitated a month long lock down and back into level 2. Schools, bars and restaurants back open & potentially back into the Atlantic travel bubble next month.

Re: Coronavirus
 

BC reported to be halting indoor dining, Premier, Health Officer and Health Minister will have a press conference later today according to sources.

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/covid-19-restr...ants-1.5366771

Re: Coronavirus
 

2,518 new cases over the weekend here in BC.

6 deaths over the weekend.

variant of concern still increasing, UK and Brazil variants of most concern.

BC suspending use of AZ vaccine for the time being for under 55.

Confirmed restaurants will have to close indoor dining, outdoor patio dining will be permitted.

Indoor religious gatherings for the holidays that was announced last week to be allowed will now not be allowed.

Whistler Blackcomb ski resort is also being forced to close.

Through April 19th for the time being.

Grade 4 to 12 will need to wear masks at all times while in school.


*typed from live news conference.

Re: Coronavirus
 

I feel bad for restaurant owners, but surely there cannot be that many people eating indoors at a restaurant these days? Everyone must realize that indoor transmission is where the majority of the spread occurs? I haven't been inside a restaurant for over 1 year now. Plenty of take out, but no eating indoors.

Re: Coronavirus
 

I've eaten out plenty, don't have a problem. Difficult to look at restaurants as an issue when so many other indoor places are open and functioning.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Wonder if Canada will be like Europe "we don't think you're AZ vaccine is safe - but we still want much more anyway" - clowns!

Re: Coronavirus
 

Really? From an item about 'eat out to help out' which is well worth a read in its own right...Now factor in that in other places you are moving in, out, and around with others likewise on the move. Close distances are fleeting and people are masked up reducing any covid output the unknowingly infected may have.

Compare that to sitting in one place for an hour or two and others nearby also remaining in one place for a similar time. You're eating, they're eating, so for the time you're all eating you're all maskless with any covid output someone may unknowingly have not being limited.

Re: Coronavirus
 

I phoned the pharmacy at 9.00am to make my MIL an appointment for her jab.
11.20 this morning :ohmy: :thumbup:

Re: Coronavirus
 

What other places in BC are open that allow you to sit down indoors and be mask less for an hour? I can't think of many besides religious indoor gatherings.

Re: Coronavirus
 

I hope these vaccines work. The idea of eating out with friends again makes me nervous.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Excellent...do you know what vaccine? AZ has come under much negative press over the last 24 hrs in Canada. Tens of millions of people in the UK and Europe have had the vaccine. Only a handful of people have developed a rare blood clot, and they don’t even know whether it was caused by the vaccine.

In Toronto I hear the medical staff are stood around the near empty mass max centres. They have even been knocking on doors and going to schools, offering to vax teachers. There are over 7K empty appointments for this week. The mass max centres use Pfizer and Moderna. I just don’t get it...why aren’t people getting vaccinated.

Re: Coronavirus
 

According to the records for my city only 1 case has been reported at a restaurant - caught by a member of staff going to an exercise class - so the restaurant was shut down (4 staff proved positive but with no symptoms) and no customers were infected. Far more likely to catch it at Walmart, in a Mall, in a store.. in an exercise place or at your place of work. There are a fair few cases at hospitals (i.e. staff), shelters, church/community support centres and care homes, schools etc., sadly.

Re: Coronavirus
 

The word shambles comes to mind.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Only 1 province is updated for today, so this will change by end of day.
https://covid19tracker.ca/vaccinationtracker.html
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...6328e0eb68.png

Re: Coronavirus
 

She's back. She was given AZ vaccine (she's 82) and an information sheet about why AZ is safe. (reference to the tiny number of blood clot cases among the millions of jabs in Europe and none in Canada)

Has return appointment in 14 weeks.

Re: Coronavirus
 

:thumbsup:

Re: Coronavirus
 

I disagree.
I cannot talk for other cities, but here in Kamloops pretty much every store has a maximum number of people allowed inside, AND everyone has to wear a mask and adhere to social distancing. We all know that wearing a mask and keeping 6' away from people is the best way to prevent spread. Going shopping I do not have a problem with whatsoever. Gyms and restaurants I am more wary of.

Inside a restaurant there is pretty good evidence that droplet transmission can occur at a distance greater than 2 m if there is direct air flow from an infected person. I haven't eaten out so I'm, not familiar with the rules, but I would imagine people must be masked up until they take a sip of their drink or eat their food. My Wife is a terribly slow eater so she would be unmasked for at least 45 minutes while these droplets are circulating indoors. Not worth the risk for me.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Dentist is one place I can think of where you might sit down and be out of a mask for an hour.

Re: Coronavirus
 

The dentists are hyper cautious themselves though.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Big White area restaurant* near Kelowna, 20 somethings having a party inside, not allowed and probably not wise at this time either considering case count.

https://globalnews.ca/news/7729920/r...4P2gSse-qp4maU

*restaurant not affiliated with the resort itself.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Some good news on the vaccine front in BC, those 55 to 65 will be able to get Astra Zeneca vaccine at participating pharmacies.


Beginning March 31, 2021, those aged 55 to 65 may call their local pharmacy and book an appointment to receive their vaccine. Drop-in service may be an option at the more than 150 participating pharmacies. People must bring their personal health number, which is found on their BC Services Card or CareCard.

https://archive.news.gov.bc.ca/relea...061-000595.htm

Re: Coronavirus
 

But we can all read these reports about just how bad things could be yet restaurants, pubs, coffee shops have all been open and under restricted seating/spacing for months now. Are we suggesting that these new cases are all coming from these places? I highly doubt it. Are we suggesting stores are ok because people are wearing masks? Yes could be the answer if EVERYONE wore a medical grade mask correctly at all times yet we see poorly constructed cloth coverings and even those mini face shields that cover bugger all. We have plane loads of passengers coming in with often poorly controlled quarantine and if they have been on a long haul flight how much time was spent with mask down taking drink/snack? I believe we touched on this a while back but 10% of your flight time with mask round chin sipping water and eating peanuts is of course only 6 minutes for an hours flight, its nearly an hour on a 9 hour transatlantic! I would rather take my chances in a nicely spaced restaurant than in a tightly packed aircraft. Currently they are saying there is over 2000 cases of the UK variant in BC, how did that get here? I have seen numerous reports on local news about outbreaks and these have been, schools, hospitals, care homes, exposure on numerous flights but nothing from Restaurants.

Re: Coronavirus
 

Not sure, but in theory it would only take one person carrying the UK variant, to seed another 2000+ cases. It's hard to identify exactly where spread is ocurring, but indoor venues are inherently far more risky than outdoor venues (so the science says) hence the need to reduce spread in those venues.

Re: Coronavirus
 

But indoor venues with masks? These should be good no? But it seems not because we shouldn't be seeing outbreaks in carefully controlled places like care homes, hospitals. We should be seeing them in less controlled venues like restaurants yet this doesn't seem to be the case. I don't believe there was any specific data backing up their latest restrictions yesterday. I think that people would feel better if they had said here are the figures and 75% of these cases are from restaurants/coffee shops so we will close them. But no such data appears to exist, to my knowledge.

Re: Coronavirus
 

It's not really possible to identify where the infection comes from, not least because Coronavirus carriers can be asymptomatic. So what researchers do is study the persistence and flow or droplets in a confined space. That's how they are able to establish that say cafe is X amount more risky than a deck (for example).

Re: Coronavirus
 

Are hospitals carefully controlled?

The times I have gone over the last year lots of admin and support staff without masks on, when I had my CT done at the Kelowna hospital in October, the nurse who checked me in and did the IV wasn't wearing a mask. My wife had to go to the hospital for a psychiatrist consult in the ER a few weeks ago, not all staff wore masks, a good amount were not wearing masks.

Re: Coronavirus
 

What???? :eek: My husband was in the ER here in Toronto 3 weeks ago. Everyone wore masks. Patients had to removed their own masks and wear hospital provided masks

Re: Coronavirus
 

Well guess what Kelowna general has just declared another outbreak today!! So i wonder but having said that when i had CT scan in March all were wearing masks, i certainly didn't notice any workers not wearing one but many employees eating lunch in the corridor seating areas obviously without one. Not sure about admin or inside office areas.
My point was really that you "should" feel relatively safe in a medical facility compared to a restaurant.

Re: Coronavirus
 

WTF are you serious ? Were they wearing shields ?

Re: Coronavirus
 

Goal post moving much?
You said "Difficult to look at restaurants as an issue when so many other indoor places are open and functioning" and I contrasted the massive differences involved and now you're talking about where cases are coming from and packed aeroplanes. :confused:
Maybe you need to pay more attention. How about the research that has shown that people with positive tests were 2 to 3 times as likely to have eaten out shortly before their positive tests than others?

Of course you can't say "I got covid at 9.15 pm sitting in Burger King last Tuesday" anymore than someone can say "I got it at 10.15am in Walmart last week" but for something that is known to be more likely to pass in close proximity to a source for an extended period some places are more likely than others.

Re: Coronavirus
 

You really need to extend your news sources if you've heard nothing about care homes without adequate PPE and other matters like p/t staff working in different care homes enabling spread.