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Canada Reopens To The World Tuesday

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International travellers can officially start coming back into our country on Tuesday.

The Canada Border Services Agency confirmed Friday the border would reopen.

Quarantine protocols and restrictions against non-essential travel had been in place since the start of the pandemic.

Visitors will need to be fully vaccinated to skip isolation, but will still need a negative test less than three days before coming.

Unvaccinated kids under 12 don’t have to isolate, but must follow strict rules for 14 days.

U.S. citizens have been able to come in since last month.

Full details can be found on the Canada Border Services Agency’s website.

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NWHU Adds Four New Cases

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The Northwestern Health Unit is reporting four new cases of COVID-19 within their catchment area Tuesday morning.

All four come from the Kenora region, though they tell us one case is considered resolved.

The regional health authority says there are currently a total of four active cases with two isolating outside of the catchment area.

The Thunder Bay District adds one new case and now has two actives.

Throughout the province, Ontario added 348 new cases Tuesday morning as well as ten deaths.

203 of the new cases were unvaccinated people.

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NWHU Reports One New COVID-19 Case

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The Northwestern Health Unit is reporting one new confirmed case of COVID-19 Wednesday morning.

The case is one of eight active within the NWHU catchment area and comes from the Rainy River district.

Six of the other cases are also in the Rainy River district, while the final one is in the Kenora area.

74.8 per-cent of the entire 18+ population within the health unit has received at least one dose of vaccine, while 56.1 per-cent are fully immunized.

Another day of no new COVID-19 cases in the Thunder Bay District and the active case count remains at six.

Meanwhile a first for Ontario in nearly ten months with Wednesday’s case count below the 200 mark at 184 new cases and 14 COVID related deaths.

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NACI Offers New Advice For 2nd AstraZeneca Shots

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A key federal advisory committee is no longer recommending that Canadians receive a second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) previously said that people who received a first dose of AstraZeneca could get it as their second or could choose an mRNA vaccine, such as Pfizer or Moderna.

But new guidance released Thursday said the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine is “now preferred” for the second dose.

“This change is based on emerging evidence indicating a potentially better immune response from this mixed vaccine schedule and to mitigate the potential risk of VITT associated with viral vector vaccines,” Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, said in a news conference.

VITT is a rare blood clot that has occurred in some people who received the AstraZeneca shot.

NACI also recommended that an mRNA vaccine is preferred as a first dose unless one is inaccessible or there is a contraindication, for example, an allergy to an mRNA vaccine or its components.

“I wish to emphasize that people who received two doses of the AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine can rest assured that the vaccine they received provides good protection against infection and very good protection against severe disease and hospitalization,” said Tam.

NACI is now also recommending that people who received Pfizer or Moderna as their first dose should be offered the same vaccine for their second.

Tam said if the same vaccine is not readily available, the mRNA vaccines are considered “interchangeable,” meaning a person can be offered another mRNA vaccine instead.

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NWHU Reports New COVID-19 Case

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The Northwestern Health Unit is reporting one new confirmed case of COVID-19 Thursday morning.

They tell us that the case comes from the Sioux Lookout region and is part of the seven active cases being monitored within the NWHU catchment area.

To date, a total of 75,457 doses of vaccine have been administered across the region.

The Thunder Bay District Health Unit reports one new case and 31 actives.

However, there was one new death today as well.

Ontario recorded 370 new positives and is reporting 7 more COVID-related deaths.

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Manitoba Introduces COVID-19 Immunization Cards

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Manitoba is launching a new program to try and get more people vaccinated.

Premier Brian Pallister announced immunization cards for Manitobans who have had both doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Pallister says there are three big perks to the cards.

“You’ll be permitted to travel within Canada without having to self-isolate upon your return,” says Pallister, “You’ll be exempt from self-isolation if you’re deemed a close contact and you’ll be able to visit family and friends in a personal care home.”

He explains the perks might not just stop there.

“As we move forward with our reopening plans and as more Manitobans get fully vaccinated, there may be more items or privileges available to those who have an immunization card based on the advice of Public Health.”

The Premier adds that he hopes the cards aren’t around for the long haul.

“We hope this is a temporary measure, of course, as we get to the point where everyone is vaccinated and we don’t need to worry. In the interim period, this is an important additional thing that will benefit you.”

Manitobans can apply for a physical or digital immunization card two weeks after their second COVID-19 shot here.

Premier Pallister adds that getting vaccinated and following public health measures are the fastest way to save the summer.

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NWHU Reports New COVID-19 Case

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For the first time since Friday, and only the second time in the month of June, the Northwestern Health Unit is reporting a new confirmed case of COVID-19.

They tell us that the case comes from the Dryden health hub and is part of the four active cases they are currently monitoring.

The regional health authority now says two of the active cases are in the Kenora hub, while the fourth is in the Sioux Lookout area.

To date, the NWHU says they’ve administered 60,347 doses of vaccine.

The Thunder Bay District Health Unit reports one new case and 60 actives.

Ontario recorded 469 new cases, the lowest number since September 26th.

There were 18 COVID-related deaths.

The province reports 70.3% of the population has received at least one dose of the vaccine.

That meets the 70% threshold for Stage 2 in Ontario’s reopening.

However, the government has stated it will reopen the province in three week intervals.

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NWHU: No Change In COVID-19 Situation

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For the third day in a row, and the seventh day in the past ten, the Northwestern Health Unit says they have no new cases of COVID-19 to report.

The NWHU says that the number of active cases remains at three, with two in the Sioux Lookout hub and one in the Kenora area.

59,186 doses of vaccine have been administered by the regional health authority to date, which translates to 69.9 per-cent of all eligible people in the Northwestern Health Unit’s catchment area having received at least one dose.

The Fort Frances hub leads the way with 74.3 per-cent, followed by Dryden (74.1), Atikokan (73.7) and Kenora (70.8).

The Red Lake health hub has the lowest vaccine rate at 48.3 per-cent.

The Thunder Bay District Health Unit is reporting 10 new positives today, 6 come from area First Nations.

There are 67 active cases right now.

Ontario saw numbers go down once again with 525 new cases.

There were 15 COVID-related deaths.

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NWHU Reports One New Case Friday

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The Northwestern Health Unit is reporting one new confirmed case of COVID-19 Friday morning.

The case, which comes from the Sioux Lookout health hub, is the first case reported by the NWHU since May 30.

The regional health authority says they are currently monitoring three active cases, which is down from the six active cases reported on Thursday.

Two of those cases are in the Sioux Lookout area while the other comes from the Kenora hub.

The health unit says that to date they’ve administered 56,946 doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

The Thunder Bay District Health Unit continues to see a slight uptick with 21 new positives and 75 actives.

There were 914 cases across the province as well as 19 COVID related deaths.

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NWHU Responds To Vaccine Announcement

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Being able to mix COVID-19 vaccines gives the Northwestern Health Unit more flexibility.

Medical Officer of Health Doctor Kit Young Hoon says that’s especially good for those who had AstraZeneca for their first dose.

“Because of the concerns related to the vaccine-induced blood clots,” says Doctor Young Hoon, “clients are given the option of considering a different vaccine for their second dose.”

She explains that just because they can doesn’t mean that they will.

“We would be aiming to provide the same vaccine (they got for their first dose) if it is available (and) at this time, both Pfizer and Moderna are available in the region.”

Doctor Young Hoon adds that should supply issues arise it’s nice to know they have the option to mix vaccines.

“We now know that the option is there. Because both (Pfizer and Moderna) are mRNA vaccines, it makes them interchangeable if we need to use the other one.”

To date, the Northwestern Health Unit has administered 55,564 doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

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