COVID-19: Provincial and Federal Briefings - May 2 - 6, 2022
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A summary of developments from Monday, May 2 to Friday, May 6, 2022 follows.
Federal Government
Chief Public Health Officer of Canada Update
Chief and Deputy Chief Public Health Officers of Canada Dr. Theresa Tam and Dr. Howard Njoo provided an update on COVID-19 in Canada today.
Dr. Tam stated that current disease activity indicators show decreasing transmission trends in many areas of the country. Wastewater indicators show a plateau or post-peak decline in transmission in some jurisdictions.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has launched a new online dashboard showing wastewater trends in select localities across Canada. Wastewater data will be useful for identifying signals of increased disease activity moving forward.
Severity trends such as hospitalization rates are elevated, but are beginning to decline in some jurisdictions. The health care system remains under strain due to high infection rates and prolonged staff shortages.
The BA.02 sub-lineage remains the dominant variant of COVID-19 in Canada.
Dr. Tam warned that the path ahead may not be smooth, but warmer weather may result in a period of lower transmission in the coming months.
Dr. Tam encouraged a “vaccine plus approach,” which includes remaining aware of disease activity in one’s locality, remaining home when sick or testing positive, improving ventilation, and wearing a mask when in indoor crowded spaces. Remaining up-to-date on all COVID-19 vaccines is the most important part of this approach.
Canada is reporting increased influenza rates, and global trends show an increasing prevalence of measles. Data indicates that the increased prevalence both influenza and measles may be attributable to missed routine vaccinations over the course of the pandemic.
In response to media questions, Dr. Tam stated that authorities are still trying to understand the causes of “long COVID.” She stated that there is insufficient research to determine whether certain COVID-19 variants are more likely to cause long COVID. Public health authorities anticipate that the impacts of long COVID will be substantial. However, Dr. Tam noted that some studies indicate that vaccination can improve prevention against long COVID.
Asked about lifting vaccine and mask mandates for domestic air travel, Dr. Tam stated that vaccines and masks add important layers of protection. She added that policies need to be re-examined because the effectiveness of a two-dose primary series in preventing infection and transmission declines substantially over time.
Dr. Njoo stated that it is always an individual decision to receive an additional dose. He recommended that Canadians consult their healthcare providers, but added that Canadians should receive additional doses once they are eligible. Dr. Njoo said that authorities recommend that Canadians receive at least three doses.?
Discussing border measures, Dr. Njoo reiterated that the ArriveCAN application and random border testing remain important components for detection efforts. This is particularly important for identifying variants of concern entering Canada.
CBSA Resumes Services
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced that it is resuming operations or adjusting service hours at four land ports. As of May 11, service hours will be adjusted at the Clarenceville, Lacolle (Route 223), and Gillespie Portage land ports. As of June 1, the CBSA will resume services at the Little Gold Creek (Yukon) port.
The CBSA also resumed services at the Cranbrook airport as of May 2, 2022.
COVID-19 Data Trends:?
In the past twenty-four hours, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) reported 4,133 new COVID-19 cases and an additional 50 deaths in Canada, bringing the cumulative total of cases to 3,782,959 and a total of 36,677 deaths attributed to COVID-19 to date. There are currently 269,615 active COVID-19 cases in Canada.
Vaccination Data Trends:
The latest vaccination data update, current to April 24, indicates that 89.21% of people aged 5 years and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine while 85.79% of people aged 5 years and older have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
In addition, 57.82% of people aged 18 and older have received a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine while 54.78% of people aged 12 and older have received a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.?
Lastly, 56.77% of children aged 5-11 have received at least one vaccine dose, with 41.43% of children aged 5-11 fully vaccinated.
Ontario
On Thursday, three medical officers of health issued a joint letter to Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kieran Moore, requesting a temporary province-wide mask mandate. The medical officers of health from Peterborough, Niagara Region, and Windsor-Essex County expressed concern with the high number of COVID-19 cases amid the sixth wave of the pandemic.
In the past five days, the province reported 1,143 new cases and 96 COVID-19 related deaths.
There are 1,662 Ontarians being treated for COVID-19 in general hospital wards, a net increase of 239 patients since May 2. There was a net decrease of 1 patient in intensive care and a net increase of 9 patients on a ventilator, bringing the totals to 210 and 99 patients, respectively.
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To date, 32,894,669 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Ontario. Currently, 93% of Ontarians aged 12 or older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 91.2% have received both doses. In terms of Ontarians aged 5 or older, 90.2% have one dose and 86.9% have both doses. In addition, 59.9% of Ontarians have received a booster dose.
Quebec
On Wednesday, May 4, the interim National Director of Public Health, Dr. Luc Boileau, provided a COVID-19 update for the province of Quebec. Microbiologist, clinical expert in support of the scientific management of the pandemic of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Dr. Jean Longtin, joined him.
Dr. Boileau announced the end of the province’s mandatory mask policy as of Saturday, May 14, 2022, except for public places, public transportation, hospitals, residential and long-term care centres (CHSLDs) and medical clinics. He also announced that the province is emerging out of the sixth COVID wave.?
Dr. Boileau stated that there is likely to be a seventh wave in the fall, which may require further vaccination efforts. He indicated that that experts are looking into this matter and teams are preparing accordingly and to ensure that the province is adequately prepared. Dr. Boileau stated that he does not intend to introduce public health measures in the fall to respond to a seventh COVID wave.??
The Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) also announced the end of the mandatory masking policy in the workplace as of Saturday, May 14, 2022 in addition to the end of the mandatory physical distancing measures of one meter.
While physical distancing measures will no longer be required in the workplace, hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette remain the norm. Employers are encouraged to provide designated spaces for people at risk, such as people with chronic illnesses and those with immunosuppression. Those who are symptomatic and COVID-19 positive must continue to be excluded from the workplace. Lastly, telework and hybrid work arrangements,?if applicable, are at the discretion of the employer.?
Santé Québec reported 9,046 new cases with 129 virus-related deaths in the last 7 days. There was a net weekly decrease of 239 hospitalizations, bringing the total number of people being treated in hospital with the virus to 2,051. There was also a net decrease of 21 patients in intensive care in the last 7 days, bringing the total to 60.
More than 19.9 million vaccine doses have been administered to Quebecers residing in and outside the province. The Santé Québec COVID-19 dashboard shows that 91% of the total eligible people aged 5 years and older have received their first vaccine dose and 54% their third dose, while 11% of the total eligible people have received their fourth vaccine dose.
Please note that Santé Québec now publishes statistics for the 1st, 3rd and 4th vaccine doses only. It no longer publishes statistics for the second vaccine dose.
Alberta
Health officials in Alberta provided a COVID-19 update in a press conference Wednesday. Jason Copping, Alberta’s Minister of Health announced changes to prescription procedures for the anti-viral COVID-19 drug Paxlovid. Minister Copping stated that health officials have “been working to transition the prescribing process to family physicians and other primary care providers” and that “Albertans who meet the clinical criteria for Paxlovid can be assessed for treatment and obtain a prescription directly from a physician, nurse practitioner or pharmacist. This change will make it faster and easier to access the drug and begin treatment which must be started within five days of the onset of symptoms.”
In the same press conference, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, stated that many Albertans are continuing to experience mental health difficulties associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Hinshaw encouraged all those in need of mental health assistance to visit alberta.ca/mentalhealth or to call 211.
Alberta Health Services provided an update on COVID-19 statistics in the province. The provincial positivity rate is 22.98% Currently, 1267 individuals are being treated for COVID-19 in hospital, 46 of whom are in intensive care. To date, 8,741,621 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the province. This means that 90.4% of eligible people 12 years and older have now received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, 86.9% have received their second dose, and 37.5% have received their third dose.
British Columbia
In a bulletin released Wednesday, public health officials in British Columbia announced that the province has exceeded its surgical renewal commitment targets. The program aims at clearing the backlog of surgeries which has resulted because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the bulletin, Adrian Dix, British Columbia’s Minister of Health stated “Through the dedicated efforts of everyone involved in delivering surgeries and the actions by British Columbians to slow the rapid spread of COVID-19 and ease pressures on our hospitals, over 337,000 surgeries were completed in the 12-month period ending March 31 – the most surgeries ever completed in a single year in B.C”.
British Columbia’s Health Services provided updates on COVID-19 statistics in the province. The most recent data shows that there were 2,283 new cases and 42 new COVID-19 related deaths in the past week. Currently, 550 individuals are in hospital and 39 individuals are in intensive care. To date, 90.3% of eligible people have now received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, 87.4% have received their second dose, and 52.2% have received their third dose.
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