Government issues four 'key measures' to follow as Covid restrictions ease

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Coronavirus infections appear to be rising in older adults in England, with cases remaining at a high level despite a broad decline since a peak in January, according to a government-commissioned study published Thursday.The REACT COVID-19 monitoring program, which looked at almost 95,000 home swab tests taken in February, showed that around 1 in 35 people in England was infected with the virus during the period and infections were rising among those aged 55 and older. COVID-19 can cause the brain to shrink, memory loss: U.K.

federal government to remove the pre-departure COVID-19 testing requirement for fully vaccinated international travellers, arguing that the measure is no longer necessary at this point in the pandemic.Representatives from several organizations held a press conference in Toronto Thursday morning, saying that removing the restriction is necessary to allow the tourism and business sectors to fully recover.“Businesses are becoming more confident that we are past the need to rely on restrictive measures like lockdowns to manage the virus,” said Lindsay Broadhead, the senior vice-president of communications and public affairs at the Toronto Region Board of Trade. Feds scrapping pre-arrival COVID PCR test requirement for fully vaccinated travellers “To realize the full opportunity, we must, where it is safe to do so, remove restrictions that are no longer needed.

CCL Container designed a new custom aluminum wine bottles that gives wine lovers an option to enjoy their beverage on the go. (Photo: CCL Container) WASHINGTON - While some enthusiasts are still getting used to the idea of wine in a can or corkless bottle, a new aluminum wine bottle has hit the market to offer yet another way to enjoy, and maybe preserve, their wine. CCL Container designed a custom 500-ml aluminum wine bottle featuring a lock-and-twist screw top, which they say allows the wine to be resealed and saved instead of wasted.The company manufactures recyclable aluminum aerosol cans, custom aluminum bottles, and other aluminum packaging, according to their website. CCL Container said their new aluminum bottle also helps to sustain the temperature of the wine by keeping it colder longer compared to wine in a glass or plastic container, claiming they are ideal for wine drinkers who want to bring their favorite beverage with them on a picnic, hike, or outdoor concert. RELATED: Price of wine could soon skyrocket due to climate change, bottle shortagesTo help promote their aluminum wine bottle launch, CCL Container partnered with Bigsby’s Folly, a Denver-based winery.

File: People walk through Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, December 2021. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) WASHINGTON - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is developing guidance that will ease the nationwide mask mandate for public transit next month, according to a U.S.

time may stand still for Geddy Lee and his bandmates, the rest of us will have to rush to our clocks to turn them an hour ahead on Sunday morning.It will mark the shortest day of the year as many Canadians will set their clocks ahead by an hour as most of the country moves to daylight time.The clocks will then fall back on Nov. 6 as we return to standard time.It is a rite of passage that began in Canada in 1908 in two small Ontario towns, Port Arthur and Fort William, which have since merged to form the city of Thunder Bay.

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COVID-19 cases and 260 recoveries in the past 24 hours. While active cases in the country stand at 937, the case positivity rate has reduced to 0.56 per cent. Delhi on Wednesday had reported 208 new Covid-19 cases.Delhi reports 212 fresh #COVID19 cases and 260 recoveries in the last 24 hours.Active cases 937Positivity rate 0.56% pic.twitter.com/V1zOJYNnHZ

COVID-19 pandemic while hospitalizations fell sharply Thursday.A total of 1,162 patients are in hospital with the virus, after 70 people were admitted and 130 left in the last day.The number of intensive care unit cases stood at 68, a decrease of one.The province’s daily tally included 1,267 new novel coronavirus infections. But since PCR testing is limited to certain groups — such as teachers and health-care workers — this isn’t representative of the situation.

COVID-19 case as the province continues to loosen restrictions.Dr. Luc Boileau, interim director of public health, said Thursday that within the “new context,” they are comfortable with easing more measures.Anyone who is in close contact with a person who has COVID-19 no longer has to isolate at home for five days — but only if they are not sick or do not test positive for the virus.“They still have to watch for symptoms and have to wear a mask for 10 days and remain prudent, especially with those at risk,” Boileau said.They should also avoid places where they have to remove their mask, such as restaurants.“They do not need to stay at home,” Boileau said.

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COVID on Thursday, with 244 in intensive care units.This is down by nine hospitalizations but an increase of three in ICUs since the previous day. Last Thursday, there were 834 hospitalizations with 267 in ICU.The province recently began distinguishing between those who were admitted to hospital directly because of COVID, and those who were admitted for other reasons but tested positive for the virus.Of the 742 people in hospital with COVID-19, 46 per cent of them were admitted because of the virus, while 54 per cent were admitted for other reasons but tested positive for COVID-19.Of the 244 people in ICUs with the virus, 79 per cent were admitted because of COVID, while 21 per cent were admitted for other reasons.

in the phase 2 study of Omicron-specific bivalent booster candidate, which combines the company’s current Covid-19 vaccine. 

The Saskatchewan government has now dropped all restrictions, but what does living with COVID-19 really mean?

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Patti LuPone got a very Broadway reception with her return to the stage.

More details are being added.

An expert has issued a warning over the pandemic amid the spread of 'Stealth Omicron'.

Mainland China reported 402 locally transmitted Covid-19 infections with confirmed symptoms, official data showed, nearly doubling from the daily count on Tuesday.

Kate Garraway treated her daughter Darcey to a special night out at the theatre after a “tough week” amid her husband Derek’s health battle.Kate and her daughter Darcey celebrated her 16th birthday at the theatre and shared a selfie to mark the occasion. The 54 year old took her to London’s Dominion Theatre to see the stage production of 80s classic, Dirty Dancing.

Young people everywhere have borne the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their education has been disrupted. Many have lost jobs. Their mental health has suffered and too many have experienced gender-based violence.

COVID-related expenditures, according to a new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).The report, Disappearing Act: The state of provincial deficits in Canada, that CCPA senior economist David Macdonald released Thursday, finds that the provinces overall are in better fiscal shape than after the last recession.Nine out of 10 provinces are paying less interest now, as a proportion of GDP, compared to after the Great Recession in 2009-10, the report showed.As a result, paying less interest is saving the provinces a combined $6 billion in 2021-22 alone, the report showed. Canada’s Q4 GDP beats estimates, showing Omicron resilience “The important thing to take away from this is that these deficits are no longer being caused by COVID-19.

Ottawa argued in court Wednesday that GiveSendGo may be in breach of a freezing order on funds raised for the convoy on the website.Monique Jilesen, a lawyer representing the proposed class and who obtained an injunction that froze convoy funds, said the order is meant to secure funds so the legal issue of how they should be used can be dealt with in court.Parties in the case have agreed to move some donated funds and cryptocurrency into escrow, which could be redistributed to affected Ottawa residents and business owners should the class action succeed.Jacob Wells, co-founder of American crowdfunding site GiveSendGo, told an Ontario Superior Court judge that the platform’s terms of service give it discretion to return funds to donors. ‘Freedom convoy’ forums find new focus: disinformation about Russia-Ukraine war Police cleared the convoy protest last month.

Covid-19 has ended in the country and also predicted that the chances of country being hit by another wave is also highly unlikely unless a new variant comes up which behaves differently.

Officials in B.C. are expected to make a significant announcement Thursday.

The rules around visiting loved ones in long-term care have changed many times throughout the pandemic. The provincial government made the most recent change in February and announced every resident would be allowed two approved visitors.

DARBY TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Nearly a month after the Briarcliffe Fire Company was suspended for the alleged use of racial slurs on a recent virtual meeting, community members gathered to discuss the future of the department. The Darby Township Board of Commissioners on Wednesday held a special meeting that included many vocal community members who said they no longer trust the department. There was a call to remove the department's certification, but the board decided that they will not make any final decision until the District Attorney's Office is done with its investigation.Briarcliffe Fire Company was suspended after a Jan. 27 virtual meeting between township fire companies and commissioners about a potential consolidation. According to a letter from the Goodwill Fire Company obtained by FOX 29, following the end of the meeting, a group of people remained on the call. The letter says there was then a group of people that could be heard discussing the meeting using foul language, and identifies those involved in the conversation as members of the Briarcliffe Fire Company. A Delaware County fire company has been suspended for 30 days after members of the company allegedly uttered racist and derogatory comments following a virtual meeting late last month.The conversation, which lasted an hour and 45 minutes, allegedly included racial slurs when discussing members of other fire companies and township residents.One of the Briarcliffe Fire Company members was also accused of making a joke about, Fanta Bility, a young girl who was killed in a shooting in Sharon Hill last fall."It’s outright racism,", NAACP Local Chapter President Sheila Carter said.

Covid-19 update: Registering a consistent drop in Covid-19 cases in the country, India on Thursday reported 4,184 fresh Covid-19 cases in last 24 hours, taking the total Covid-19 cases to 42.98 million, as per the updated Union Health Ministry data. Additionally, the Covid-19 death cases dropped further, with 104 cases recorded in the last 24 hours. This took the total death toll in the country to 515,459, the Health Ministry data revealed.  

Global’s Keith Baldrey on why B.C. is in a good position for more COVID-19 restrictions to be lifted.

Covid-19 treatment methods primarily focus solely on preventing the virus from replicating. However, scientists have claimed that the new treatment inhibits replication but also protects or repairs tissue, which is important because COVID-19 can cause symptoms that affect patients long after the viral infection has been cleared.