COVID-19 update for August 17: Quebec launches ‘mass’ vaccination campaign ahead of fall | Why is ArriveCan still mandatory? | Great Britain is the first to approve Omicron’s adapted injection

Headlines at a glance

• Because it isArriveCan is still mandatoryand what is the federal plan for it?
• Quebec launches‘mass’ vaccination campaignbefore the expected autumn wave
•Panicked Ikea shoppers in Shanghaiafter security tries to lock down due to COVID risk
• Great Britain first to approveCOVID vaccine adapted by Omicron
• Saskatchewan expanding the second COVID-19booster shots for all adults
• EU could acceptcovid combined vaccinesnext month

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LAST NEWS

Quebec launches a ‘mass’ vaccination campaign before the fall

Quebec Premier Francois Legault says his government is launching a “massive” vaccination booster campaign to get ahead of the next wave of COVID-19.

Legault told reporters today in Quebec City that all Quebecers over the age of 18 will be eligible to make an appointment for a booster before the end of the month.

He says Quebec residents can get a booster if it’s been five months since their last COVID-19 vaccination, or three months since they were last infected with the new coronavirus.

On Monday, Quebec began offering fifth doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to residents of nursing homes and private nursing homes.

— The Canadian Press

Why is ArriveCan still mandatory and what is Ottawa’s plan for the controversial app?

The glitch-prone app, touted as an efficient border tool early in the pandemic, has become a punching bag for critics who question its usefulness, but ArriveCan may be here to stay.

The government insists that it is a useful tool. Critics say it has outlasted use, if it ever had one.

The application was introduced at the beginning of the pandemic and its use is mandatory at air and land borders from February 2021, with exceptions in cases of accessibility problems or outages.

Here’s a quick rundown of what we currently know about it.

— The Canadian Press

Pfizer CEO tests positive for COVID-19, has mild symptoms

The top executive at Pfizer, a leading producer of COVID-19 vaccines, has tested positive for the virus and says he is experiencing very mild symptoms.

Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla said Monday that he has started taking Pfizer’s Paxlovid pill treatment and is isolating himself while he recovers.

Bourla received four injections of Comirnaty, the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the New York drugmaker in conjunction with BioNTech. She said in a brief statement issued by the company that she is confident of a speedy recovery.

More than 128 million people in the United States have been fully vaccinated with Pfizer’s two-dose vaccine since it hit the market more than a year ago, and nearly 61 million have received an initial booster shot, according to the Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention.

Scientists say the vaccine still offers strong protection against hospitalization and serious illness. But the evolution of the virus has made it more difficult for vaccines to prevent the development of all forms of disease.

– The Associated Press

Ikea shoppers in Shanghai panic after security tries to lock down due to COVID risk

Chaos unfolded at an Ikea in Shanghai as health authorities attempted to close the store on Saturday and quarantine those on site after learning someone who had been in contact with a COVID-19 patient had visited. .

News of the sudden closure caused shoppers to flee and scream in an effort to get out of the building before the doors closed, videos on social media showed. Lockdowns are well known to Shanghai’s 25 million residents, after they were banned from leaving their homes for two months this spring in an effort to eradicate the virus.

Health authorities in the financial center said they imposed “temporary control measures” at the store, after learning a close contact of a 6-year-old boy with an asymptomatic COVID infection had been there. They did not say when the close contact was at the store.

— Reuters

Britain first to approve Omicron-adapted COVID vaccine

Britain, the first country to approve a coronavirus vaccine in late 2020, has also now greenlit a variant-adapted vaccine that targets both the original and Omicron versions of the virus.

The UK medicines regulator granted a so-called bivalent vaccine made by US pharmaceutical company Moderna conditional approval as an adult booster on Monday.

Britain’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization is now expected to issue a recommendation soon on how the vaccine should be used in the country.

— Reuters

Saskatchewan Expands Second COVID-19 Booster Vaccine to All Adults

All Saskatchewan adults will be eligible on Monday to receive a fourth COVID-19 vaccine.

The province says it is expanding eligibility for second boosters to all residents over the age of 18 who received their third dose at least four months ago.

Residents were able to start booking their appointments on Friday and vaccines will be available on Monday, the same day the province will open clinics.

Health officials have said that immunity to COVID-19 has been shown to wane over time and that booster doses provide greater protection against serious illness, hospitalization and death.

— The Canadian Press

More Cruise Lines Waive COVID Vaccine Requirements

Two giant cruise companies are waiving vaccination requirements for some ships, following a wave of recent measures to ease pandemic-era restrictions that prevented some travelers from boarding.

Sister cruise lines Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises said on their websites that starting Sept. 5, everyone “regardless of vaccination status” will be able to sail on specific cruise ships as long as they meet testing requirements.

For Celebrity, that means cruises departing from Los Angeles, the UK, and Europe (excluding Iceland). Royal Caribbean cruises that do not require vaccinations include voyages departing from European ports, Los Angeles, Galveston, Texas and New Orleans.

– Washington Post

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What are BC’s current public health measures?

MASKS: Masks are not required in indoor public settings, although individual businesses and event organizers may choose to require them. Masks are also recommended, but not required, on board public transportation and BC Ferries, although they are still required in federally regulated travel spaces, such as trains, airports. and airplanes, and in healthcare settings.

MEETINGS AND EVENTS: There are currently no restrictions on gatherings and events such as personal gatherings, weddings, funerals, religious services, exercise and fitness activities, and swimming pools. There are also no restrictions or capacity limits in restaurants, pubs, bars and nightclubs; and no restrictions on sports activities.

CARE HOMES: There are no capacity restrictions for visitors to long-term care and assisted living facilities for the elderly, however, visitors must show proof of immunizations prior to visiting.

Waivers are available for children under the age of 12, those with a medical waiver, and visitors attending compassionate end-of-life visits.Visitors to nursing homes should also take a rapid antigen test before visiting the facility or get tested upon arrival. Testing waivers are available for those attending compassionate visitation or end-of-life care.