Several Toronto cafes were nearly full on Tuesday morning as Ontario lifted proof-of-vaccination and capacity rules, along with most other COVID-19 public health measures. Mask mandates remain in place but businesses like gyms, cinemas and restaurants no longer need to check patrons’ vaccination status and remaining capacity limits lifted for venues such as nightclubs, sporting arenas…
Category: Community News
Vaccines won’t cure the divisions and grief, but forgiveness just might
Niall McKenna is a writer in Edmonton. It was the kind of invite I never thought I’d see from a friend. A message on a group chat last September for only the unvaccinated among us to hang out – potentially sidestepping what was, at the time, Alberta’s recently introduced vaccine-mandate program. I was livid. And…
Why are so many Canadian kids unvaccinated against COVID-19, despite ample vaccine supply and appointments?
Since November, Canadian children aged 5 to 11 have been eligible for their shots, but on average, just more than half have received them. Regional breakdowns tell a more complex story of income, race and other inequities Since the approval of the first COVID-19 vaccine for kids 5 to 11 last November, Frederic Buyana has gotten into…
Doug Ford says ‘we aren’t far away’ from dropping Ontario’s mask mandate
Ontario isn’t far away from dropping the provincial mask mandate, but it won’t do so until the top doctor approves it, Premier Doug Ford says. Ford was asked about the mask mandate during a press conference on Monday about creating a minimum wage for gig workers in Ontario. “We aren’t far away, so let’s all continue working together,”…
What you need to know about the new COVID-19 measures at the border
TORONTO — Eased COVID-19 restrictions at the border took effect on Monday, with fully vaccinated travellers no longer needing an expensive pre-arrival PCR test result to enter Canada. Restrictions at the border were tightened in December, as the Omicron variant led to an explosion of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. However, with declining cases and hospitalizations,…
Racism is having a devastating impact on the lives of Black nurses
Angela Cooper Brathwaite and Corsita Garraway are registered nurses and co-chairs of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario’s Black Nurses Task Force. Doris Grinspun is CEO of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario. When the murder of George Floyd in May, 2020, shocked the world, Ontario’s nursing community gathered to mourn and to take action…
‘It feels like people don’t see my life as worthy of protecting’
As Ontario lifts pandemic restrictions, immunocompromised and other vulnerable people feel left out of the party. Speaking about his government’s decision to lift various public health restrictions ahead of schedule, Premier Doug Ford expressed a popular sentiment about COVID-19 as the pandemic’s second anniversary nears. “Everyone’s done with this,” he said on Feb. 15. “Like, we are done…
Lawsuit thrown out after anti-vaccine doctors sue over challenges to theories
A judge has thrown out a $12-million defamation lawsuit against more than 20 journalists, medical doctors and media outlets, saying it was intended to silence legitimate debate about the COVID-19 pandemic. Two Ontario medical doctors, Kulvinder Gill and Ashvinder Lamba, sued over comments published mostly on social media that accused them of spreading misinformation about COVID-19. The…
Yee Hong’s Caregiver Education & Support Services: March 2022’s Programs
Yee Hong has released their newest webinar calendar for March 2022. Caregiving can be immensely rewarding but can be emotionally and physically demanding too. Yee Hong’s Caregiver Education and Support Services helps caregivers fortify their love and patience, with up-to-date knowledge, essential skills and wellness support, to ensure positive and successful results. Please see the image…
Several Ontario Universities Will Keep Vaccine Mandates Despite Restriction Lifting
Proof of vaccination will still be required at these schools. Ontario universities are stepping forward to say they won’t be lifting vaccine certificate requirements despite the provincial government’s fast-tracked reopening plan. Post-secondary schools including Western University, York University and the University of Guelph announced this month that they would not change their vaccine policies until the winter semester…