Coronavirus

B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry speaks during a COVID-19 update news conference in February 2022. On Tuesday (Sept. 6), she announced the province plans to roll out fourth dose invitations this week. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

4th COVID vaccine doses to roll out in B.C. as Omicron-specific shots arrive

More than 100,000 Moderna bivalent vaccine doses expected to arrive by Sept. 9

B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry speaks during a COVID-19 update news conference in February 2022. On Tuesday (Sept. 6), she announced the province plans to roll out fourth dose invitations this week. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry talks during a COVID-19 update in the press theatre at the legislature in Victoria, B.C., on Thursday, March 10, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

Omicron vaccine available to most in B.C. by end of October, say Dix and Bonnie Henry

Health Canada approved the “bivalent” COVID vaccine on Thursday (Sept. 1).

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry talks during a COVID-19 update in the press theatre at the legislature in Victoria, B.C., on Thursday, March 10, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Commuters wearing face masks walk along a street in the central business district in Beijing, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

China locks down 21 million in Chengdu in COVID-19 outbreak

New school term has been delayed, although public transport continues to operate

Commuters wearing face masks walk along a street in the central business district in Beijing, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Health-care worker Thi Nguyen administers Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine to a patient at a clinic in Ottawa on March 30, 2021. Health officials are expected to make an announcement on the ongoing fight against COVID-19 as provincial health systems eagerly await the approval of a vaccine that targets the Omicron variant of the virus. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Health Canada approves Moderna’s Omicron booster vaccine

bivalent vaccines designed to recognize specific mutations in the Omicron BA.1 subvariant

Health-care worker Thi Nguyen administers Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine to a patient at a clinic in Ottawa on March 30, 2021. Health officials are expected to make an announcement on the ongoing fight against COVID-19 as provincial health systems eagerly await the approval of a vaccine that targets the Omicron variant of the virus. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Kootenay Lake Hospital in Nelson. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

COVID-19 outbreak declared at Kootenay Lake Hospital

It’s the second time in less than a month that COVID-19 has led to a lockdown at the hospital

Kootenay Lake Hospital in Nelson. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
(Black Press Media Creative)

Moderna sues Pfizer over patents behind COVID-19 vaccine

Moderna claims Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine infringes on patents Moderna filed several years ago

(Black Press Media Creative)
A worker installs parts on the production line at Chrysler’s plant, in Windsor, Ont., on January 18, 2011.Temporary changes to the employment insurance program made during the pandemic are set to expire in a month, putting in jeopardy access to jobless benefits for automotive workers in Windsor expecting to be out of work in the fall, says a Unifor leader.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Geoff Robins

Temporary changes to EI made during pandemic are set to expire late next month

Measures not expected to be extended and some may be affected by tighter framework

A worker installs parts on the production line at Chrysler’s plant, in Windsor, Ont., on January 18, 2011.Temporary changes to the employment insurance program made during the pandemic are set to expire in a month, putting in jeopardy access to jobless benefits for automotive workers in Windsor expecting to be out of work in the fall, says a Unifor leader.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Geoff Robins
Clinic volunteer Kelly Brown draws out Moderna vaccine during a drive through COVID-19 vaccine clinic at St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ont., on January 2, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg

Canada buys up millions more doses of Moderna’s bivalent COVID-19 vaccine

Canada purchased 4.5 million new doses and pushed up the delivery date for another 1.5 million doses

Clinic volunteer Kelly Brown draws out Moderna vaccine during a drive through COVID-19 vaccine clinic at St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ont., on January 2, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg
A jar full of empty COVID-19 vaccine vials is shown at the Junction Chemist pharmacy during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto on Wednesday, April 6, 2022. As the U.K. has kicked off the global race to greenlight an updated version of the COVID-19 vaccine, anticipation is mounting for Canada to follow suit as fall threatens to usher in a new wave of infections. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

As fall COVID-19 surge looms, is it worth waiting for an Omicron-tailored vaccine?

Health Canada is currently reviewing bivalent booster candidates from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech

A jar full of empty COVID-19 vaccine vials is shown at the Junction Chemist pharmacy during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto on Wednesday, April 6, 2022. As the U.K. has kicked off the global race to greenlight an updated version of the COVID-19 vaccine, anticipation is mounting for Canada to follow suit as fall threatens to usher in a new wave of infections. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Omar Alghabra rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday, June 20, 2022. The transport minister will testify today before the House of Commons transport committee on airport and airline delays that have wreaked havoc on travelers over the past several months.THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle

COVID-19 to blame for Canada’s airport delays, says transport minister

Industry is grappling with a surge in customers this summer, compounded by staffing shortages

Omar Alghabra rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday, June 20, 2022. The transport minister will testify today before the House of Commons transport committee on airport and airline delays that have wreaked havoc on travelers over the past several months.THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle
COVID-19 cases have prompted Interior Health to restrict visitors from the third floor of Kootenay Lake Hospital. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Kootenay Lake Hospital restricts third floor visitors due to COVID-19 cases

Interior Health says this is not an outbreak

COVID-19 cases have prompted Interior Health to restrict visitors from the third floor of Kootenay Lake Hospital. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says Health Canada is authorizing a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children between five and 11 years old. Tam speaks during a technical briefing on the COVID pandemic in Canada, Friday, January 15, 2021 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Pfizer booster dose approved for kids between five and 11 years old

NACI: high-risk kids “should” be offered one and others “may” be offered one

Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says Health Canada is authorizing a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children between five and 11 years old. Tam speaks during a technical briefing on the COVID pandemic in Canada, Friday, January 15, 2021 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
A man wears a protective face mask to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 as he walks past a billboard from the Vancouver General Hospital in Vancouver Thursday, April 8, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. COVID cases undercounted 100-fold amid less PCR testing, modelling group says

The B.C. COVID-19 Modelling Group did have some good news: the BA.5 wave appears to have peaked

A man wears a protective face mask to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 as he walks past a billboard from the Vancouver General Hospital in Vancouver Thursday, April 8, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Researchers at the University of British Columbia have discovered what they are calling a “weak spot” in the virus that causes COVID-19. This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the virus, isolated from a patient in the U.S. THE CANADIAN PRESS/NIAID-RML via AP

B.C. scientists find ‘weak spot’ in COVID-19 virus that could lead to new treatments

“Key vulnerability” is found in all major variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have discovered what they are calling a “weak spot” in the virus that causes COVID-19. This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the virus, isolated from a patient in the U.S. THE CANADIAN PRESS/NIAID-RML via AP
A protestor wears a helmet decorated as a COVID-19 virus at the Los Angeles “Defeat the Mandate” rally to protest vaccination mandates designed to slow the spread of COVID-19 outside Los Angeles City Hall Sunday, April, 10, 2022. California battled a deadly winter coronavirus surge linked to the omicron variant but began easing masking and vaccination requirements this year as caseloads and hospitalization rates fell, which public health officials largely attributed to widespread vaccination and other safety measures. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Is COVID losing its fangs and becoming more like the flu?

COVID-19 fatality rates substantially lower, approaching that of the annual flu

A protestor wears a helmet decorated as a COVID-19 virus at the Los Angeles “Defeat the Mandate” rally to protest vaccination mandates designed to slow the spread of COVID-19 outside Los Angeles City Hall Sunday, April, 10, 2022. California battled a deadly winter coronavirus surge linked to the omicron variant but began easing masking and vaccination requirements this year as caseloads and hospitalization rates fell, which public health officials largely attributed to widespread vaccination and other safety measures. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Lianna McDonald, the executive director of the Canadian Centre for Child Protection based out of Winnipeg, poses in Winnipeg on Tuesday, May 17, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Kelly Geraldine Malone

‘A wake-up call’: Online crimes see stark increase during COVID-19 pandemic

Threats and harassment are moving online, according to police

Lianna McDonald, the executive director of the Canadian Centre for Child Protection based out of Winnipeg, poses in Winnipeg on Tuesday, May 17, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Kelly Geraldine Malone
Kansas City Royals’ Andrew Benintendi leaves the batter’s box on an RBI single during the third inning of the team’s baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)

COVID-19 vaccinations add new twist to MLB trade deadline

Toronto Blue Jays have by far the toughest constraints

Kansas City Royals’ Andrew Benintendi leaves the batter’s box on an RBI single during the third inning of the team’s baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, July 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)
FILE - In this Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021, file photo, a passenger wears a face mask she travels on a flight. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

B.C. COVID cases, hospital admissions down this week

There are 29 new deaths for the week of July 17 - 23

FILE - In this Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021, file photo, a passenger wears a face mask she travels on a flight. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)
(Metro creative stock photo)

B.C. COVID hospitalizations down for the first time in weeks, new cases continue to rise

There are 406 people currently in hospital with COVID-19

(Metro creative stock photo)
A passenger arrives from New Delhi at Pearson Airport in Toronto on April 21, 2021. Infectious disease experts are at odds over the value of testing random travellers into the country for COVID-19 as the federal government relaunched its airport test program Tuesday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

Questions raised about value of random COVID-19 tests for travellers

Randomly selected air travellers at those airports must now report to off-site locations for tests

A passenger arrives from New Delhi at Pearson Airport in Toronto on April 21, 2021. Infectious disease experts are at odds over the value of testing random travellers into the country for COVID-19 as the federal government relaunched its airport test program Tuesday. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn