COVID-19: Dropping First Nations infections brings hope Omicron wave has passed

B.C. health officials announced at Thursday’s COVID-19 briefing that they are changing its approach to vaccination in the extended healthcare system. Legislative bureau chief Keith Baldrey has more.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - One person is in custody Thursday after crashing a stolen yacht in Newport Beach.Authorities say they were originally called to the 1200 block of W. Pacific Coast Highway for a vandalism call around 10:30 a.m.

WASHINGTON - Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has given the smaller nation’s embassy in Washington an unexpected role: recruitment center for Americans who want to join the fight.Diplomats working out of the embassy, in a townhouse in the Georgetown section of the city, are fielding thousands of offers from volunteers seeking to fight for Ukraine, even as they work on the far more pressing matter of securing weapons to defend against an increasingly brutal Russian onslaught."They really feel that this war is unfair, unprovoked," said Ukraine’s military attaché, Maj. Gen. Borys Kremenetskyi.

(Credit: Banana Republic) SAN FRANCISCO - Banana Republic is championing inclusivity, featuring a baby boy with Down syndrome in its newly launched baby collection."The BR Baby collection recently launched by Banana Republic was designed with a promise to be more sustainable, more welcoming, and more inclusive. This simple idea – that we all deserve to belong, and on our own terms – is core to who we are as a company and how we make decisions," a spokesperson with the clothing company and retailer confirmed to FOX Television Stations Group.

Some of B.C.’s top public health researchers are urging people to keep their guard up even as the province pulls back its pandemic rules and restrictions. As Andrea Macpherson reports, even though by most metrics B.C.

Premier Jason Kenney says despite a balanced budget, he doesn’t want municipalities to think they can give the province a shopping list. This comes as the premier addressed Alberta’s mayors on the final day of the Alberta Municipalities’ Spring Leaders Caucus.

Today we are reporting 20,989 new community cases, 856 people in hospital with the virus, and seven additional COVID-19 related deaths.

Sesame Street's Luis (R) and Muppet Rosita chat during the introduction of the "You Can Ask!" program June 25, 2003 in New York City. "You Can Ask!" is a program that aims to help identify and deal with stress in children ages 3 to 8, and was funded NEW YORK - Emilio Delgado — best known for his role as Luis on "Sesame Street" — has died, his representatives have confirmed.

CHICAGO - Jussie Smollett maintained his innocence during his sentencing hearing Thursday after a judge sentenced the former "Empire" actor to 150 days in jail for lying to police about a racist and homophobic attack that he orchestrated himself.Cook County Judge James Linn sentenced Smollett to 30 months of felony probation, including 150 days in the county jail. Linn denied a request to suspend Smollett’s sentence and ordered he be placed in custody immediately.Smollett was also ordered to pay $120,106 in restitution to the city of Chicago.Smollett loudly declared innocence after the sentence.

Pearson airport expects Friday to be the busiest day for travel it has seen since the COVID-19 pandemic began. As Sean O’Shea reports, officials expect approximately 85,000 passengers will depart or arrive at Pearson on March 11.

FILE IMAGE - Russian Army TOS-1A "Solntsepyok (Blazing Sun)" multiple rocket launcher and thermobaric weapon mounted on a T-72 tank. (Photo by Leonid Faerberg/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) NEW YORK - Russia has used a weapon in Ukraine capable of vaporizing human bodies and the UK Ministry of Defence says Russia has confirmed its use.Thermobaric weapons consist of a fuel container and two separate explosive charges, with the first detonating to disperse the fuel particles and the second igniting the dispersed fuel and oxygen in the air.It creates a blast wave of extreme pressure and heat that creates a partial vacuum in an enclosed space.

Alberta-born Cree model becomes face of Nike campaign: ‘Breaking some glass ceilings’ “I got the call at 6 a.m. I was still in bed.

COVID-19 public health measures across Ontario in the weeks ahead, including the nixing of an indoor face coverings mandate.Fred Eisenberger told Global News city staff are reviewing Wednesday’s announcement from the province’s chief medical officer of health — setting a March 21 date for removing mandatory masking requirements.“I fully trust that our provincial and local medical officers of health’s advice regarding masking is data-driven and will account for varying situations and local conditions,” Eisenberger said.

Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from Indian Wells and the Miami Open, the first two Masters Series events of the year due to US Covid-19 regulations, the world number two men's tennis player confirmed on Wednesday. The unvaccinated Serbian player was listed in the draw of the Masters 1000 tournament in the Californian desert.

A Global News follow-up on an Ontario boy with cerebral palsy who underwent surgery to help him walk. As Caryn Lieberman reports, he has now taken on a special role at Holland Bloorview Rehab Hospital.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce announced Thursday that he will return for the 2022 season, his 12th in the National Football League. "I'm definitely not retiring from playing for the Philadelphia Eagles, I'm having way too much fun doing that. I'm looking forward to another year, Philadelphia.

PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia teenager has made a miraculous recovery after he was hit in the head by a stray bullet that came within ‘centimeters’ of striking his brain stem. Last October, 16-year-old Ivan was near Jean’s Pizzeria and Grill at Rowland and Ryan avenues with some friends after dismissal from Abraham Lincoln High School.According to the Philadelphia Police Department, a fight broke out and 21-year-old Aaron Scott opened fire. One of the bullets struck and killed 66-year-old Jeffery Carter who happened to be driving through the intersection. Ivan was struck in the head by the indiscriminate gunfire as he was trying to run away.

European and international airlines and airport bodies have called for an end to pandemic measures for European domestic flights as most countries begin to relax requirements to present proof of vaccination and wear masks.

Katerina Litvin and her 9-year-old son are among a group of people living in a makeshift bomb shelter in Ukraine as Russian shelling continues. "Every night we hear aircraft coming to our city dropping bombs," Litvin told FOX 29.

The Ford Government continues to face demands that it show evidence to back up its decision to drop masking rules on March 21. Matthew Bingley reports.

masking among staff and students, even after provincial mandates are lifted on March 21.In a media briefing hosted by the Middlesex-London Health Unit on Thursday, medical officer of health Dr. Alex Summers said the health unit has been in contact with all school boards in the region, including the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) and the London District Catholic School Board (LDCSB).“The impact of that masking is critical to limit transmission in those settings.

Freddie Freeman of the Atlanta Braves celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Houston Astros during the seventh inning in Game Six of the World Series at Minute Maid Park on November 02, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Image It's been three months since Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Max Scherzer found new homes amid an unprecedented free agent spending spree.Three long months of nothing, at least for fans used to filling their winters with updates off the hot stove.That's about to change, and fast.

PERKASIE, Pa. - Federal investigators said an ill-fated plane was performing maneuvers when it entered a tailspin and crashed into a Bucks County neighborhood last month killing both aboard.The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Thursday shared its preliminary report on the Feb. 24 crash of a Beech 35-C33 in Hilltown, Pennsylvania.

Grimes and Elon Musk attend "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & the Catholic Imagination", the 2018 Costume Institute Benefit at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images)Elon Musk and Grimes secretly welcomed a second child – a baby girl.According to a Vanity Fair profile published on Thursday, the Canadian singer invited the interviewer to her home to discuss her upcoming album "Book 1." It was during their meeting when the interviewer, a parent to two kids, heard the unmistakable sounds of a baby.

Provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, announced Thursday a number of changes to current COVID-19 restrictions.

Jennifer Garner attends 2019 Baby2Baby Gala Presented By Paul Mitchell at 3LABS on November 09, 2019 in Culver City, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) LOS ANGELES - Jennifer Garner is in the spotlight for sharing a simple way to give back to those in need. On Wednesday, the actress posted a video on social media explaining an easy way to show a "random act of kindness" using Ziploc bags. In the post, Garner fills up a bag with essential items, including socks, handwipes and money. She is shown giving out the bags to people experiencing homelessness in the community. From small acts of kindness to awe-inspiring events, there were a lot of feel-good moments in 2021.The 49-year-old said she was inspired by her friend to create the bags. "Random act of kindness: gather these essentials in a quart sized ziploc bag and keep them in your car to give away when you see someone in need.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - One person is in custody Thursday after leading Newport Beach Police on a boat chase that ended with the suspect crashing into a marina.Authorities say they were originally called to the 1200 block of W. Pacific Coast Highway for a vandalism call around 10:30 a.m.

Lecce defends end date for Ontario school mask mandate amid calls for more time That resolution for all students was passed by the board just days after the province announced it would only require students from grades 4 to 12 to wear masks.The province then extended the order to include grades 1 through 3 in August 2021.On Wednesday, the Ontario government announced masking would no longer be required in schools as of March 21.In a statement on Thursday, Upper Grand said it “consulted with several parties to determine next steps and receive clarity” on whether it could still mandate masks in school.“Those consultations concluded that once the province lifts its masking requirements, the school board does not have the independent authority to prescribe public health measures in response to an infectious disease, such as COVID-19,” the board said.“Further, boards of trustees do not have the authority to impose restrictions that the Ministry has directed must be revoked.”Changes to the masking protocol will be on the agenda during a board meeting that had already been scheduled for March 22. Guelph’s top doc to lift own mask mandate put in place months before provincewide policy The board of trustees will have to follow the direction of the government and bring forward a motion to officially rescind the board resolution from August 2022.“We know that the topic of masks can be a divisive one,” director of education Peter Sovran and chair of the board of trustees Linda Busuttil said in a joint statement.“We want to stress that students, staff and visitors are still welcome to wear masks in our schools, and this is their choice.

An ongoing swab testing study that's been under way for the last 2 years to monitor COVID-19 spread in the United Kingdom revealed that, although cases are declining, they remain at a high level, with signs of a potential increase in older age-groups.

Prince William is facing backlash for his comment that the Russian war on Ukraine is “very alien to see,” with many taking to social media to call out the royal for what they deemed a “racist” comment.

B.C. health officials announced Thursday that the province will remove its order requiring masks in all indoor public spaces as of 12:01 a.m. Friday, and that the proof of COVID-19 vaccination requirement will be potentially lifted on April 8.

While Medicare beneficiary hospitalizations for non–COVID-19 diagnoses fell sharply in March and April 2020 and stayed low through September 2021, death rates after hospitalization rose substantially—particularly for Black and Hispanic patients, finds a study yesterday in JAMA Network Open.University of Texas and Johns Hopkins researchers analyzed

mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing adult hospitalizations from the Alpha, Delta, and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants, but three doses are needed to reach the same efficacy against Omicron as two doses offer against the first two strains, suggests an observational test-negative study yesterday in BMJ.

Tatiana Perebeinis and her two children were killed in Irpin, Ukraine during shelling by Russian forces on March 6, 2022. Perebeinis was the chief accountant for Silicon Valley startup SE Ranking.

CAMDEN, N.J. - A New Jersey man is facing charges in a deadly crash that killed a Pennsylvania school principal and injured his young son last fall in Camden County. The Camden County Prosecutor's Office on Thursday charged 54-year-old Azuka Ossai with vehicular homicide and a fourth-degree count of assault by auto in the Nov. 13 crash that killed 51-year-old Sean Hughes. Hughes, who spent more than a decade as an educator in the Lower Merion School District, was the principal of Lower Merion High School.Hughes and his young son were on their way to a soccer game in Windslow Township when investigators believe Ossai sped through a stop sign at the intersection of Fleming Pike and Hays Road and slammed into Hughes' Ford SUV. Hughes suffered serious injuries and died later that morning, prosecutors said.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - The 99-day MLB lockout has come to a close of March 10, according to the Associated Press, as players voted to accept the league's latest labor deal offer, thus salvaging a 162-game regular season.Read More: MLB, players reach agreement, paving way to end months-long lockoutNews of the lockout's end came from a person who spoke with the AP on condition of anonymity as no announcement was authorized.Here's what you should know about the situation.Major League Baseball plunged into its first work stoppage in a quarter-century when the sport’s collective bargaining agreement expired, and owners immediately locked out players in a move that threatens spring training and opening day.Teams decided to force the long-anticipated confrontation during an offseason rather than risk players walking out during the summer, as they did in 1994. Players and owners had successfully reached four consecutive agreements without a work stoppage, but they have been accelerating toward a clash for more than two years."We believe that an offseason lockout is the best mechanism to protect the 2022 season," baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred wrote in a letter to fans.

FILE - An Official Rawlings Major League Baseball sits with a bat, lock and chain to represent the lockout between Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) on Dec. 2, 2021. Players have voted to accept Major League Baseball's latest offer for a new labor deal, paving the way to end a 99-day lockout and salvage a 162-game regular season.The union’s executive board approved the agreement in a 26-12 vote, pending ratification by all players, a person familiar with the balloting said, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no announcement was authorized.MLB sent the players an offer Thursday and gave them until 3 p.m.

Ciera (Locklair) Breland (Family photo)JOHNS CREEK, Ga. - Family of a missing 31-year-old mother from Indiana last seen in Georgia said they have been going through a torrent of emotions the past couple of weeks.The former sister-in-law of Ciera (Locklair) Breland said that most of the family has accepted the worst after she was last seen by family members 21 days ago.If someone just looked at Ciera Breland, their first impression might be that she was very timid. It is an observation that some have made, but like Lauryn Locklair, they would be quickly proven wrong."Ciera is a firecracker.

Coronavirus infection rates have risen in every part of Greater Manchester for the third day in a row but one borough has the second lowest rate in the entire country.

COVID-19 testing.Christine Elliott made the remarks while speaking to reporters at Queen’s Park Thursday.“Unless we have a rapid surge in cases, it’s not anticipated that we will return to widespread PCR testing because we do have the rapid tests so conveniently available now,” Elliott said. Lecce defends end date for Ontario school mask mandate amid calls for more time But when there last was a rapid surge in cases at the beginning of the Omicron wave, that’s when PCR testing was restricted to higher-risk settings as the system came under immense strain.PCR tests are considered to be more reliable and accurate when compared with rapid tests.Eligibility has expanded slightly since then, but it remains restricted to certain individuals.

last Thursday. LHSC says five or fewer of its COVID-19 inpatients are in Children’s Hospital, while zero are in pediatric critical care. Last week, there were five or fewer COVID inpatients in Children’s Hospital with five or fewer in pediatric critical care.

The USFL is a new, independent American football league controlled by FOX Sports through NSFL HoldCo, LLC, a new business entity. (Source: USFL) We know you're already excited for the inaugural 2022 United States Football League season, kicking off April 16 in Birmingham, Alabama.

COVID-19 data.The province reported 13 COVID-19-related deaths in the seven days ending on March 5, down from the 44 deaths from the previous reporting period.The report said 85 per cent of the deaths were people aged 80 and older. Living with COVID-19 means being vigilant, Saskatchewan researcher says Hospitalizations also dropped, with 339 patients in hospital as of March 9 who have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a joint news conference with Poland’s President Andrzej Duda in Warsaw on Thursday. “(Russian President Vladimir Putin needs to know that the consequences for his actions, already, will be severe.

Lester B. Pearson International Airport, says it is anticipating Friday will be the “busiest travel day” at the airport since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.In a press release issued Wednesday, the airport said preparations are “well underway at Toronto Pearson for the traditionally busy March Break travel season.”The release said officials expect approximately 85,000 passengers will depart or arrive at Pearson on March 11.“This will mark the busiest travel day at the airport since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic two years ago,” the release said.

BETHESDA, Maryland - A new study finds schools with mandatory masking during the delta variant surge had far fewer cases of in-school transmission of COVID-19 when compared to schools with optional or partial masking policies. The study, published in Pediatrics and funded by the National Institutes of Health, compared more than 1.1 million students and over 157,000 staff attending in-person schooling across nine states: North Carolina, Wisconsin, Missouri, California, Washington, Georgia, Tennessee, Kansas and Texas.Researchers conducted the study when the delta variant was the dominant strain and found that mask requirements resulted in 72-percent fewer cases. Their study did not obtain data on school masking in preventing the spread of the omicron variant. The study included 61 school districts from kindergarten through grade 12 that provided data from July 26, 2021, through Dec.

Patty Hajdu says the number of COVID-19 infections in First Nations communities has begun to decline, bringing hope that the worst of the Omicron wave has passed.Hajdu says she understands why Indigenous leaders are sounding an alarm that progress could be lost in regions where provincial governments are rapidly moving to lift public health orders.“Indigenous leaders obviously are concerned,” Hajdu said during a news conference Thursday. High anxiety levels expected in Canadians wary of COVID restrictions lifting - experts Daily active case counts in Indigenous communities have declined 13.2 per cent from last week.