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Alberta Almost all COVID-19 restrictions were lifted Thursday in the third and final phase of its reopening plan.
It comes two weeks after the county reached the government’s threshold for reopening — 70 percent of eligible residents receive their first vaccine doses. That number has now reached nearly 72 percent, while more than 38 percent have received the two recommended shots.
Big events like Calgary Stampede have the green light to move forward, and no more hats off for indoor or outdoor gatherings at restaurants, stores, and places of worship.
The Edmonton mask law is up on Thursday, in full swing with the revocation of the regional mandate, but Calgary will run through July 5.
Masks will still be required during public transportation and in taxis and transportation services such as Uber, as well as in continuing and acute care facilities.
While shoppers in the capital do not have to wear masks, several store managers said their staff will keep them on for now.
Until most people get two doses of the vaccine, John Gluchinsky, owner of a hair salon in Edmonton, says he’s taking extra precautions.
“I can’t cut hair from six feet or ten feet from a guest, you know, I’m in your face.”
Respiratory scientist Dr. Sameer Gupta says masks are our “last line of defense” against the highly contagious COVID-19 delta variant as Canada opens up. (Ben Nelmez/CBC) 1:39
At United Sport & Cycle, chief operating officer Kelly Hodgson, says people in the store should stay two meters apart, even though the county no longer mandates that.
“We still have social distancing signs on the floor, at our doors.”
Hodgson has allowed his employees and customers to decide on the masks, but said he fully believes that’s not the end of the masks, and while employees will remove the banners, “let’s just say we’re not going to throw them away.”
Prime Minister Jason Kenney’s office issued a statement Thursday reminding Albertans that confirmed cases of COVID-19 are still required for 10-day isolation, as well as close contacts of those cases.
Alberta reported two additional deaths and 76 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday.
What’s happening all over Canada
As of 12:35 p.m. ET Thursday, Canada has reported 14,15,303 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 7,087 considered active. CBC News’ death toll is 26,295. More than 37.2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered so far across the country, according to the CBC Vaccine Tracker.
British Columbia Entered the next stage of Reopen plan Due to the increasing vaccination rate of COVID-19 and the significant drop in cases, with the lifting of the state of emergency related to the pandemic that has been in place since March 2020.
Starting Thursday, residents can go dine indoors and outdoors without a limit on numbers, attend fairs and festivals with an infectious disease plan, such as staying away if they’re sick. The county is also allowing outdoor gatherings of up to 5,000 people.
Masks are no longer mandatory before more restrictions are removed in September. Although masks are not mandatory, county health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry encourages people to continue to wear them in all indoor settings.
Ian Tosonson, president of the British Columbia Food Service and Restaurant Association, said those still in the industry are worried about “significant” labor shortages, which is leading to restaurants having to make decisions such as reducing hours or shortening menus.
He said BC has seen about 30 percent of restaurants close their doors in the past 16 months. He said the industry employed about 190,000 people before the pandemic began, but “opinion polls” showed about 40,000 people had left.
British Columbia reported 44 new cases of COVID-10 and no new deaths on Wednesday.
Newfoundland and Labrador Reservations reopened Thursday for non-essential travelers from outside Atlantic Canada who complete an entry form.
Medical Director of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says the model is Available online It must be filled out by anyone coming to the county within three days prior to their travel. Anyone who has been partially vaccinated must upload a negative COVID-19 test prior to arrival.
Those who did not complete the form prior to arrival will have to self-isolate until they have been contacted by a public health official to verify vaccination and COVID-19 test results prior to arrival.
The county reported one new case of COVID-19 on Wednesday.
Psychiatrist Dr. Stephen Taylor and Professor of Biomedical Engineering Danilo Pezdock discuss how self-isolation has changed our brains, and why it has made it difficult for some Canadians to return to normal. 5:11
New bronze No new cases of COVID-19 were reported Thursday after three new cases were confirmed the day before.
The county also broke its own vaccination records, giving 18,827 doses on Wednesday. This raised the second-dose vaccination rate to 36.1 percent, and the first-dose vaccination rate to 78 percent.
Nova Scotia It reported four new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.
Prince Edward Island No new cases were reported on Thursday.
at Manitoba, Health officials reported 70 new cases on Wednesday and two additional deaths.
Saskatchewan It reported 31 new cases on Wednesday.
Ontario On Wednesday, it reported 14 additional deaths and 184 new cases of COVID-19. Toronto said on Wednesday that 45 percent of adults are now fully vaccinated.
at Quebec On Wednesday, health officials reported 126 new cases of COVID-19 and three additional deaths.
Across the north, no new cases have been reported in Nunavut or the Northwest Territories Wednesday. Health officials in Yukon They updated their number Wednesday night and said the area had 15 new cases.
What is happening around the world
As of early Thursday afternoon, more than 182.3 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported worldwide, according to data published by Johns Hopkins University in the United States of America. The reported global death toll was more than 3.9 million.
10-week drop in new COVID-19 cases across Europe A new wave of infections is inevitable if “citizens and lawmakers do not remain disciplined,” the head of the World Health Organization in Europe, Dr Hans Kluge, said at a press briefing on Thursday.
Cases of COVID-19 jumped 10 percent last week across Europe, and a new deadly wave of the virus looms, said Hans Kluge, the WHO’s regional director for Europe. 1:02
Kluge pointed to a 10 percent increase in infection numbers over the past week due to “increased mixing, travel and gatherings and the easing of social restrictions.”
He warned that the highly transmissible delta variant is on track to be dominant by August in the 53-nation region.
He said about 63 percent of the area’s population did not receive a first vaccine.
“The three conditions for a new wave of excess hospitalizations and deaths before autumn do exist: new variables, a decrease in vaccine uptake, and increased social mixing,” he told reporters from Copenhagen.
at RussiaHealth authorities on Thursday launched booster vaccines against the coronavirus for people who were vaccinated more than six months ago, as the country faces a spike in new infections and deaths.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said he had received a booster and urged the city’s residents to do the same.
On Thursday, health authorities in Moscow began providing booster shots with the domestically produced double-shot Sputnik V vaccine and the single-shot Sputnik Light version. Other Russian regions also began offering booster shots.
Vaccine promises to Africa fail
at AfricaThe African Union special envoy tasked with spearheading efforts to procure COVID-19 vaccines for the continent slams Europe as Africa struggles amid a crushing third wave of infections.
“Not a single dose, not a single vial, left a European plant for Africa,” said Strive Masiyiwa on Thursday.
Masiyiwa also targeted COVAX’s global efforts to distribute vaccines to low- and middle-income countries, accusing COVAX of withholding critical information including that major donors did not meet funding pledges. He did not mention the names of the donors.
The African continent of 1.3 billion people is now in the grip of a third wave of infections that the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes as “highly aggressive”.
Masiyiwa said COVAX has promised to deliver 700 million doses of vaccine to Africa by December. But in the middle of the year, Africa received only 65 million doses overall. Less than 50 million doses have arrived via COVAX.
In the Asia Pacific RegionHundreds of vaccinated foreign tourists arrived at Thailand’s resort island of Phuket on Thursday, the first visitors under a pilot program designed to revive a tourism industry devastated by the pandemic.
Under the “Phuket Sand Box” scheme, foreign tourists who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will not have to spend any time in quarantine and can move around the island freely.
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