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Right here’s your replace with all the things it’s worthwhile to know on the COVID-19 state of affairs in B.C. and world wide for Sept. 23-25, 2022.

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We’ll present summaries of what’s occurring proper right here so you will get the newest information at a look. This web page shall be up to date often daily this week, with developments added as they occur, so you’ll want to examine again typically.

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You may as well get the newest COVID-19 information delivered to your inbox weeknights at 7 p.m. by subscribing to our publication right here.

Listed below are the newest weekly B.C. figures given on Sept. 22 for the week of Sept. 11-17:

• Hospitalized circumstances: 305
• Intensive care: 22
• New circumstances: 637 over seven days ending Sept. 17
• Complete variety of confirmed circumstances: 384,266
• Complete deaths over seven days ending Sept. 17: 22 (whole 4,253)

Learn the full report right here | Subsequent replace: Sept. 29

Headlines at a look

• One other 22 deaths had been tallied within the newest weekly report from the B.C. CDC Thursday, with 305 in hospital
• Trudeau OKs finish of COVID vaccine border rule, necessary ArriveCan use
• UBC prof co-leads research that implies long-COVID is an autoimmune illness
• Canada to drop COVID vaccine requirement to enter nation: Supply
• Canada pledged tens of millions for anti-COVID Merck drug. Docs say we don’t know if it really works
• Biden’s declare that ‘pandemic is over’ complicates his COVID technique
• HK to chop necessary lodge quarantine guidelines
• Federal tribunal reverses EI denial for employee fired for not taking COVID vaccine
• The director-general of the World Well being Group mentioned the finish of the pandemic ‘is in sight’

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LATEST NEWS

22 deaths, 305 in hospital: Weekly information from BCCDC

British Columbia noticed 22 extra individuals who just lately examined constructive for COVID-19 die over the week of Sept. 11-17 in preliminary information launched by the B.C. Centre for Illness Management on Thursday.

The variety of individuals in hospital with COVID dipped barely to 305 as of Thursday, with 22 of these in intensive care.

Together with up to date mortality information from a number of latest weeks, a complete of 4,253 individuals have died of COVID-19 for the reason that starting of the pandemic.

One other 637 circumstances of COVID-19 had been confirmed this week, however restricted testing means this understates the prevalence of the virus within the inhabitants.

For a primer on tips on how to interpret information within the BCCDC weekly reviews, click on right here.

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— Joseph Ruttle

Trudeau OKs finish of COVID vaccine border rule, necessary ArriveCan use

The final of Canada’s COVID-19 border restrictions will disappear on the finish of this month with the expiry of a cupboard order affecting necessary vaccinations, testing and quarantine of worldwide travellers.

That expiry additionally spells the tip of insisting travellers use the ArriveCan app to enter their vaccine standing and take a look at outcomes, although the app will reside on as an elective instrument for customs and immigration.

It doesn’t but take care of whether or not passengers should put on masks on home and worldwide trains and planes as a result of that rule is contained in a separate order issued by the minister of transport.

Two senior authorities sources conscious of the choice confirmed the cupboard order sustaining COVID-19 border measures won’t be renewed when it expires on Sept. 30.

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—The Canadian Press

UBC prof co-leads research that implies long-COVID is an autoimmune illness

Researchers, together with a professor of drugs at UBC, have found lengthy COVID sufferers can present indicators of autoimmune illness a 12 months after catching COVID-19.

Eighty per cent of COVID-19 sufferers nonetheless had antibodies current six months after catching the illness, focusing on their very own wholesome cells and tissues. After a 12 months, 41 per cent nonetheless had the autoimmune illness, in response to blood samples.

The outcomes had been revealed within the European Respiratory Journal on Sept. 21, a serious peer-reviewed publication.

“The purpose of this paper, or the fascinating factor about this paper, is that within the COVID survivors we studied the variety of these autoantibodies is increased than these in individuals who weren’t so affected,” Dr. Chris Carlsten mentioned.

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Learn the total story right here.

—Gordon McIntyre

Canada to drop COVID vaccine requirement to enter nation: Supply

Canada’s federal authorities will probably drop its COVID-19 vaccine requirement for individuals getting into Canada on the finish of the month, a authorities supply mentioned on Tuesday.

The supply, who was not licensed to talk on the report, mentioned Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was “probably” to drop the vaccination requirement on Sept 30. The Globe and Mail newspaper reported the information earlier on Tuesday.

Canada will even drop random coronavirus testing on the identical day, and make it elective to make use of its ArriveCAN app, the place travellers have been required to add their proof of vaccination, the supply mentioned.

Canadian airports confronted chaos over the summer time, with quite a few cancellations and delays that some blamed on the nation’s strict COVID-19 restrictions.

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Canada’s Well being Ministry had no quick remark.

—Reuters

Canada pledged tens of millions for anti-COVID Merck drug. Docs say we don’t know if it really works

As Canada ordered big portions of a brand new anti-COVID drug final December and struck a deal to have it made in Ontario, loads of proof was on the market on a key level — whether or not molnupiravir truly labored.

Together with a extremely publicized research by producer Merck, firms in India had extra quietly carried out 12 separate trials of the tablet on a a lot bigger group of sufferers — nearly 14,000 individuals who obtained both the drug or a placebo.

However a 12 months after most of these Indian research had been accomplished, only a tiny portion of the outcomes have been divulged publicly and none revealed in a peer-reviewed journal, says a new British paper on the Indian analysis.

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The restricted data launched on 4 trials paints at greatest a combined image of the anti-viral, suggests the report by British lecturers. The remaining is simply unknown.

Learn the total story right here.

—Tom Blackwell, The Nationwide Submit

Biden’s declare that ‘pandemic is over’ complicates his COVID technique

President Joe Biden’s shock declaration that the coronavirus pandemic is “over” has thrown a wrench into the White Home’s efforts to safe further funding to struggle the virus and persuade Individuals to get a brand new booster shot, whereas fuelling extra Republican criticism about why the administration continues.

Biden’s feedback, which aired Sunday on “60 Minutes,” replicate rising public sentiment that the specter of the virus has receded at the same time as lots of of Individuals proceed to die of COVID every day. Forty-six p.c of Individuals have returned to their pre-pandemic lives, in response to an Axios-Ipsos ballot launched final week, the very best share of respondents to reply that manner for the reason that pollsters started asking the query in January 2021.

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“We nonetheless have an issue with covid,” Biden mentioned. “We’re nonetheless doing plenty of work on it . . . however the pandemic is over.”

Biden’s remarks caught some senior officers off guard because the White Home mounts a fall vaccination marketing campaign, lobbies Congress for billions of {dollars} to buy extra coronavirus vaccines and coverings, and weighs whether or not to increase its ongoing public well being emergency when it expires subsequent month. The president’s feedback additionally triggered a sell-off on Wall Road, as vaccine producers Moderna, Novavax, BioNTech and Pfizer collectively misplaced greater than $9 billion in worth on Monday.

— Washington Submit

H.Ok. to chop lodge quarantine as China exhibits help

Hong Kong needs to chill out COVID guidelines like necessary lodge quarantine which have made journey troublesome for almost three years, Chief Govt John Lee mentioned Tuesday, as mainland officers signalled their approval.

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The variety of infections within the Asian monetary hub has fallen to about 6,000 a day, creating room to rethink the measures which have crimped the town’s competitiveness, Lee advised reporters at a weekly briefing. Lodge quarantine shall be changed with seven days of house well being monitoring, the South China Morning Submit reported, although it mentioned the change gained’t be introduced till all the main points have been decided.

The plans seem to have been blessed by leaders in mainland China, regardless of their adherence to a zero tolerance method to the virus. China helps Hong Kong’s efforts to have shut, intensive contact with the remainder of the world and sees no downside with adjusting its guidelines, Huang Liuquan, deputy director of China’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Workplace, mentioned at a separate briefing in Beijing.

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— Bloomberg

Federal tribunal reverses EI denial for employee fired for not taking COVID vaccine

Members of a federal tribunal dominated in favour of a Toronto-area supply driver denied Employment Insurance coverage (EI) advantages after dropping his job for refusing his employer’s COVID-19 vaccine coverage.

Final summer time, Timothy Conlon was dismissed from his job after turning down a request by his employer to get the COVID shot — a call Conlon mentioned was resulting from considerations over his present blood strain and reviews of blood clots in some sufferers, learn a press launch from the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) who represented Conlon and others who discovered themselves in comparable conditions.

Upon dropping his job, Conlon utilized for EI however was denied, because the Canada Employment Insurance coverage Fee (CEIC) dominated he was dismissed resulting from misconduct.

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“The Claimant disagrees as a result of he was dismissed from his job two days after he was advised concerning the coverage,” wrote tribunal member Solange Losier in her resolution launched Friday.

Learn the total story right here.

—Bryan Passifiume, Nationwide Submit

COVID-19 circumstances and deaths down in Ontario from week earlier than

Public Well being Ontario says COVID-19 circumstances and deaths are down in the latest week of knowledge obtainable, however outbreaks in nursing properties are on the rise.

The company says there have been 6,968 circumstances of COVID-19 recorded in the course of the week of Sept. 4 to 10, in comparison with 8,175 the earlier week.

There have been 54 deaths within the newest week of knowledge, and 70 deaths the week earlier than.

The company says there have been 47 long-term care properties in outbreak in comparison with 30 the week prior.

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Public Well being Ontario says there was a notable improve in hospitalizations for infants underneath one 12 months previous, from 17 kids that week in comparison with eight the week prior.

—The Canadian Press

Finish of COVID pandemic is ‘in sight’: WHO chief

The world has by no means been in a greater place to finish the COVID-19 pandemic, the pinnacle of the World Well being Group mentioned on Wednesday, his most optimistic outlook but on the years-long well being disaster which has killed over six million individuals.

“We aren’t there but. However the finish is in sight,” WHO Director-Basic Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus advised reporters at a digital press convention.

That was probably the most upbeat evaluation from the UN company because it declared a world emergency in January 2020 and began describing COVID-19 as a pandemic three months later.

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The virus, which emerged in China in late 2019, has killed almost 6.5 million individuals and contaminated 606 million, roiling international economies and overwhelming healthcare techniques.

Learn the total story right here.

— Reuters

What are B.C.’s present public well being measures?

MASKS: Masks usually are not required in public indoor settings although particular person companies and occasion organizers can select to require them.Masks are additionally inspired however not required on board public transit and B.C. Ferries, although they’re nonetheless required in federally regulated journey house.

GATHERINGS AND EVENTS: There are at present no restrictions on gatherings and occasions equivalent to private gatherings, weddings, funerals, worship providers, train and health actions, and swimming swimming pools.There are additionally no restrictions or capability limits on eating places, pubs, bars and nightclubs; and no restrictions on sport actions.

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CARE HOMES: There are not any capability restrictions on guests to long-term care and seniors’ assisted residing amenities, nonetheless, guests should present proof of vaccination earlier than visiting.

Exemptions can be found for kids underneath the age of 12, these with a medical exemption, and guests attending for compassionate visits associated to end-of-life. Guests to seniors’ properties are additionally required to take a fast antigen take a look at earlier than visiting the power or be examined on arrival. Exemptions to testing can be found for these attending for compassionate visits or end-of-life care.

How do I get vaccinated in B.C.?

Everybody who resides in B.C. and eligible for a vaccine can obtain one by following these steps:

• Get registered on-line at gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated to e book an appointment in your group.
• Or, when you choose, you will get registered after which go to a drop-in clinic in your well being authority.
• The system will provide you with a warning when it’s time to go on your second dose.
• The identical system will even provide you with a warning when it’s time on your booster dose.

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The place can I get a COVID-19 take a look at?

TESTING CENTRES: B.C.’s COVID-19 take a look at assortment centres are at present solely testing these with signs who’re hospitalized, pregnant, thought of excessive threat or reside/work with those that are excessive threat. You will discover a testing centre utilizing the B.C. Centre for Illness Management’s testing centre map.

You probably have delicate signs, you do not want a take a look at and will keep house till your fever is gone. These with out signs don’t want a take a look at.

TAKE-HOME RAPID ANTIGEN TESTS: Eligible British Columbians over the age of 18 with a private well being quantity can go to a pharmacy to obtain a free take-home take a look at package containing 5 COVID-19 fast antigen assessments.

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