For three Olympics, Kaillie Humphries not only competed for Canada — she was a star.
The bobsledder stood on the podium at all three Games, twice with a gold medal around her neck and once with bronze.
After repeating as champions in the two-woman race at Sochi 2014, Humphries and brakeman Heather Moyse were named Canada's flag-bearers for the closing ceremony.
The Calgary native is set to make her fourth Olympic appearance in Beijing. But this time, she's adding blue to her red-and-white colour scheme as she races for the U.S.
"My feelings towards my Canadian teammates within the sport themselves are the same now as they were back then," Humphries told CBC Sports in a recent interview.
"And although, like I said, the clothing looks different, the mentality itself is very much of a competitor's mindset and it's me against the entire world."
Humphries sued for her release from Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton (BCS) in August 2019, claiming a coach and management had violated the organization's own anti-harassment policies. One month later, a court ruled that the BCS had the discretion to decide whether to allow one of its athletes to compete for another country. Soon after, the BCS freed Humphries to slide for the U.S.
WATCH | Humphries slides to 2-woman gold at world championships for U.S.:
Kaillie Humphries claims second World Championship title for USA in bobsleigh
12 months ago
Duration 2:17
Kaillie Humphries and Lolo Jones claimed the women's bobsleigh world championship title for the USA Saturday in Altenberg, Germany. 2:17
'Second lease on my life and on my career'
She now lives in San Diego and is married to former American bobsledder Travis Armbruster.
Humphries has competed as an American for three seasons. But her spot in Beijing during that time was always in question due to Olympic requirements that, in nearly every instance, athletes must hold citizenship in the country for whom they compete.
Humphries was sworn in as an American in December.
"I've had to fight for my citizenship in order to get to this position. I had to stand up for my own safety within sport in order to continue my career because there was no guarantee that I was going to be able to continue or have a career past that," she said.
"So I am just beyond grateful to be able to be here and have this opportunity and to be able to compete for a team and a country that has provided me a second lease on my life and on my career."
Before her flight to Beijing, Humphries was staying in a Los Angeles hotel, where she underwent numerous COVID-19 tests and tried on American uniforms by outfitters Nike and Ralph Lauren in preparation for the Games.
"I think the weirdest thing is just seeing different faces, seeing [snowboarders] Shaun White or Chloe Kim, seeing different athletes that I'm used to only seeing on TV, but seeing them in the hallways, that feels more surreal than trying on an American flag jacket," she said.
Humphries gets fitted in Polo Ralph Lauren during processing ahead of the Beijing Games. (Amy Sussman/Getty Images for USOPC)
In addition to her three Olympic medals, Humphries' decorated two-woman career in bobsleigh includes podium appearances in seven world championship events (four gold), eight overall World Cup seasons (four gold) and 57 World Cup races (28 gold).
She's the reigning world champion in both the two-woman and the monobob, a solo event that will make its Olympic debut in Beijing.
Uneven season
However, the 2021-22 season was uneven by Humphries' standards. In seven two-woman World Cup races leading into Beijing, she earned three medals (one gold, two bronze).
CBC Sports bobsleigh expert and 2010 Olympic silver medallist Helen Upperton said the decline may be in part due to age and a recent hamstring injury that forced Humphries to skip one World Cup event.
"We've usually seen her basically on the podium almost every week, and this year has not been like that. So is she still a strong medal contender? For sure. But I don't think it's as big of, almost a given, as it was four years ago," Upperton said.
WATCH | Humphries takes World Cup monobob gold in Germany:
Kaillie Humphries golden in 1st World Cup race since gaining her American citizenship
2 months ago
Duration 2:03
Former Canadian bobsleigh world and Olympic champion Kaillie Humphries won the women's monobob in Altenberg, Germany on Saturday. It was her first World Cup race since being sworn in as an American citizen on Thursday. 2:03
Humphries' fiercest competition in Beijing may come from American teammate Elana Meyers Taylor (ranked first in two-woman and monobob) and former Canadian teammates Christine De Bruin (fourth in both) and Cynthia Appiah (14th, third).
Humpries herself ranks fifth in two-woman and second in monobob on the season.
But Humphries said there will be no extra fire competing against Canadian sleds at the Olympics. Not only has she been doing it at other events for a while now, but her conflict was with the organization itself — not the athletes.
"At the end of the day, though, I am a competitor and I'm going to head out and do everything I can to be the very best that I can, and I truly do believe that that is the best in the world," she said.
"The ultimate success is being able to stand on top of the podium and sing my national anthem, sing the Star-Spangled Banner now."
Humphries will make her American Olympic debut when monobob kicks off bobsleigh events on Feb. 13 and 14. She'll return alongside brakeman Lolo Jones for the two-woman event from Feb. 18-19.
TORONTO -- Boys who were in front of the screen for longer periods at the age of one had a greater association with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at the age of three, a new cohort study from Japan suggests.
Researchers from the University of Yamanashi found a “statistically significant association” among boys between the amount of screen time they received at an early age and being diagnosed with ASD later, but found no association between ASD and screen time among girls.
Earlier studies suggested similar associations between screen time and ASD characteristics, but there have been few studies that looked at screen time at one year of age, according to researchers. This study, published on Monday in JAMA Pediatrics, offers new insight into that connection and the onset of ASD in early childhood.
The large study looked at data from more than 84,000 mothers and their children collected between January 2011 and March 2014. A total of 330, or 0.4 per cent, of the children were diagnosed with ASD by the time they were three years old. More than three quarters of the children – 251 kids or 76 per cent – were boys and 79, or 24 per cent, were girls, researchers said.
“The proportion of children with ASD increased as screen time increased,” researchers wrote in their paper. They noted that screen time was similar for both boys and girls, but they did not find an association between screen time and ASD among girls.
“This result could be due to the higher prevalence of the disorder in boys. Previous studies on the genetic factors that contribute to the development of ASD have not yet explained the male predominance in ASD … genetic factors may be involved in the observed sex differences in the association between ASD and screen time.”
In the data that was analyzed, mothers were asked how many hours per day their children were allowed to watch TV when they turned one. Answers ranged from no screen time, less than one hour, one hour or more but less than two hours, two hours or more but less than four hours, and four hours or more. When the child turned three, the same questions were asked in a follow-up survey that also included questions on whether the child had been diagnosed with either autism, Asperger’s syndrome, or pervasive developmental disorder after the age of two.
Data analysis found a significant difference among boys who reportedly had between two to under four hours of screen time, researchers said.
One limitation of the study was that the diagnoses and screen time were based on parental reports, which may have resulted in reporting bias. In addition, given ASD is still in a developmental stage at a young age, mild cases may not have been diagnosed yet at the age of three, so the study may also be biased towards those with severe ASD, the authors noted.
The study also made an effort to adjust for variables like a predisposition to ASD through standardized screening questionnaires, anxiety disorders and other mental and neurological illnesses, as well as socioeconomic factors, but researchers acknowledged that further research was needed to look at other factors involved.
More snow is on the way for southern Ontario to start off February, just two weeks after a massive snowstorm hit the region.
Global News Chief Meteorologist Anthony Farnell said although this week is starting off with a warm-up that will melt some of the 35 to 55 cm of snow that was dumped across the area, another snowfall is expected to move through mid-week.
The Jan. 17 snowstorm forced Environment Canada to declare blizzard warnings, remote learning for students was extended, drivers were stuck on major Toronto-area highways as plows could not keep up with the quick rate of snowfall and the cleanup took days.
For this week, Farnell said the current milder temperatures will “not last as an Arctic front slowly presses across southern Ontario starting Wednesday.”
“Rain, wet snow or even freezing rain will develop along the front early in the day as a wave of low pressure lifts up from Texas,” Farnell said.
He said temperatures will drop below freezing on Wednesday afternoon and the snow with start to accumulate, causing difficult driving conditions that will last into Thursday.
“A second wave of low pressure is forecast to form in Texas and also ride north along the front Thursday into Friday. There is still lots of uncertainty with this second system but more snow is possible later this week,” he said.
At least 10 cm to 20 cm of snow is expected right across the GTA with snowfall amounts topping 30 cm in southwest Ontario and into the Niagara Region, Farnell said.
Winds of 30 km/h to 50 km/h is also expected to cause blowing and drifting snow, he added.
Farnell also said although there is still lots of uncertainty with this snowstorm, the expected long-duration storm could last more than 48 hours.
But he said the snowfall rates will be much slower than the big storm two weeks ago but the duration will be longer.
“There is still significant uncertainty, especially with the second system later Thursday into Friday morning but this is a long duration event which is different than the last storm,” he said.
Ending off the week, Farnell said very cold air is expected on the backside of the storm making for a frigid Friday and Saturday.
“I’ve never seen anything like this”: Powerful storm pummels Ontario, Quebec
Ontario is reporting another 32 deaths related to COVID-19 on Monday as the province begins the process of reopening after nearly a month of stringent lockdown measures.
Of those deaths, 31 occurred over the past 17 days while the remaining death occurred more than a month ago.
Two of the people who died were residents of a long-term care home.
The total number of COVID-19 related deaths in Ontario now stands at 11,444.
For the first time in just over two weeks Ontario is reporting fewer than 3,000 people in hospital with COVID-19; however it’s important to note that some hospitals do not report data over the weekend.
Of the 2,983 patients being treated with COVID-19, at least 583 are in intensive care. Three hundred and forty-seven people are breathing with the assistance of a ventilator.
The province has not released a breakdown of how many of those patients were admitted specifically for reasons associated with COVID-19. The vaccination status of hospitalization patients is also not known.
The province is reporting an additional 3,043 COVID-19 cases in Ontario on Monday; however that number remains an underestimation due to strict testing requirements.
Of those infections, 170 were identified in residents of long-term care and 45 were identified in Ontario health-care workers.
According to the province’s epidemiology report, there were 603 infections identified in Toronto, 431 identified in Peel Region and 175 identified in York Region.
Other municipalities that recorded more than 100 new COVID-19 cases include Ottawa (201), Hamilton (173), Niagara (123), Durham (119), Halton (118) and Windsor-Essex (105).
With just over 15,000 tests processed in the last 24-hour period, officials say Ontario’s positivity rate is about 14.7 per cent.
Since the pandemic began, the province has identified 1,033,294 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19, including deaths and recoveries.
The number of girls aged 15 to 19 admitted to hospital emergency rooms after attempting suicide increased by 23 per cent between 2020 and 2021, according to a report by the Institut de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ).
Monday, the INSPQ noted there was also an increase in the number of girls aged 10 to 14 who used hospital services after a suicide attempt or because of suicidal ideation.
Pascale Lévesque, an epidemiologist at the institute and one of the report's co-authors, says it's possible that teenage girls are more likely than others to be taken to the hospital by family members for suicidal behaviour.
Despite this, she says that while teenage girls are more likely to be hospitalized for suicidal behaviour, they have one of the lowest suicide rates in the province.
The institute says the total number of suicides in Quebec decreased slightly in 2020, compared to the previous year.
However, the data is preliminary, she says, as all suspected suicides must be investigated by a coroner and some are still ongoing.
Lévesque says the suicide rate in Quebec peaked in 1999 and now appears to have plateaued after nearly 20 years of decline.
The coroner's office says there were at least 1,016 suicides in Quebec in 2020.
Men were three times more likely to commit suicide than women, with men aged 50 to 64 having the highest suicide rate.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Jan. 31, 2022.
-- This article was produced with the financial support of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Grants.
Expecting a baby can be frightening and confusing and amazing, especially if it's your first — and being pregnant during a pandemic can heighten those feelings even more.
Along with all the usual fears and worries, the ever changing recommendations, restrictions and advice amid new variants are affecting everything for new parents practically from the moment of conception.
But in the two years since the first appearance of COVID-19 in B.C., there have also been a lot of new parents raising their children during a truly extraordinary time who can offer advice and hope.
They point to less hectic work and social schedules, and the fact that fewer interactions have turned their attentions even more toward enjoying time with their newborns and toddlers.
But there has undoubtedly been added stress around the time of birth, says doula Emma Devin, founder of Brood Care.
"There is much fear, especially in birth — either getting COVID-19 or [one parent] not being able to attend the birth, and then coming home and then thinking, oh my gosh, here we are. But we have a baby. And we have no community.' ... the anxiety of birth and COVID has passed and [now] there is more anxiety," she said.
There have also been knock-on effects from overworked health-care staff, Devin said.
"Knowing that all of our coworkers, all the midwives and OBs [obstetricians], those folks are incredibly burned out and aren't receiving the care and support that they need either. So we're seeing that trickle down to the parents. It's just awash in melancholy," she said.
Anxiety has been especially acute for first-time parents like Candice Johnson, who is just weeks away from having her first child.
"I found I was pregnant at the cusp of when vaccines were coming out. So that was a very stressful time because I didn't know whether it was the right thing to get a vaccine or not," said Johnson, who added that the heartbreak of a miscarriage early last year had left her feeling even more protective for her unborn child.
"When I fell pregnant it was just like I wanted to do anything to prevent anything from happening," she said.
To be clear, health authorities say the vaccine is safe for pregnant women. Pregnant people are at increased risk from COVID-19 and a vaccine drastically reduces that risk.
But a lot of parents who had already expanded their families in the early days of of COVID-19 found the experience so good, they've done it again.
Many say they want to take advantage of the pandemic's slower pace of life, more flexible work schedules and their partners being home more.
For Candice Johnston (no connection to the previous Candice Johnson), it was the ideal time to not only have a third baby, but also help her close friends realize their dreams of parenthood.
Johnston decided to be a surrogate shortly after her second child was born in 2020.
"The husband came over and said in jest, 'If you ever want to have another one...' And I sat there and was just staring at my new baby and thought, 'You know what? We're in the middle of a pandemic. What else am I doing?'" she recalls.
Johnston, who gave birth to her friends' baby earlier this month, admits it likely would not have happened if not for the unusual circumstances of the pandemic.
She says she was always at home with her newborn and elder daughter, now almost 4; her spouse wasn't travelling for work; and she was very insulated from the outside world. So she felt she was in a unique situation to help her friends.
Johnston wants parents to remember that regardless of any madness in the world and any chaos in your pregnancy, once your baby arrives they are your entire world.
"You're still in that new baby euphoria. You almost forget that there's a pandemic," she says. "A lot of the times when you are a new parent you are in your own world with this new human, and it's the same in the pandemic. Everything else just melts away."
The whole "it takes a village to raise a child" spiel is overused but it's still true — and for many people over the past two years, parenting has felt more like a lonely island. Long cherished hopes and expectations for the entire pregnancy and parenting experience have been dashed and altered and there's been a lot of sadness and disappointment.
But on the bright side, there is something to be said for the unique experience of cocooning and getting to know your new baby so intimately and without some of the usual distractions from life and other people.
Everyone I spoke to — from new parents to health-care workers — mentioned how wonderful this has been for families. So embrace that, embrace your cute little babies and let's try to embrace whatever the future has in store for us all.
Beijing is on high alert as it prepares to host the Olympic Games opening on Friday.
While the cases are low compared to other countries in the region, China has double down on its “zero-tolerance” policy, which includes breaking the chain of transmission as soon as it is found.
Canadian athletes prepare for Games, COVID-19, China
Canadian athletes prepare for Games, COVID-19, China
The city is also setting up 19 points in the area to test residents every day until Friday, officials said at a briefing on the pandemic, according to state-backed Beijing News.
The Chinese capital reported a total of 12 cases of COVID-19 between 4 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday, said Pang Xinghuo, the vice head of the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control. All those cases came from people who were already under some kind of pandemic control measures.
The city conducted multiple rounds of testing for millions of residents this past week in Fengtai district, where some residential compounds were locked down.
Other countries have also been withdrawing embassy and diplomatic staff from Ukraine over heightened concerns of a Russian invasion.
“As announced earlier this week, Canada will be reinforcing the team at the Canadian Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, with officials with expertise in areas such as security sector reform, conflict management, democratic reform, consular services and diplomacy,” Global Affairs Canada said in a statement.
“Together, they will increase our diplomatic capacity and allow us to continue to assess and respond to the evolving situation in support of Ukraine.”
More people in Winnipeg ended up in the hospital during the past two months compared to previous years, due to slips and falls.
According to numbers from Shared Health, 344 Winnipeg people visited urgent care or an ER in December 2021, after falling due to ice and snow, or injuries from shovelling.
That’s 68 more people compared to December of 2020.
According to Shared Health falls are the leading cause of injury related hospital admission among older Canadian adults.
“As we age we have to remember that our muscle strength and our body strength is not what it was when we were 40 years old,” said Connie Newman, the executive director of the Manitoba Association of Senior Centres.
“Coming back from a fall or fracture takes much much longer,” she said, “There are those of us who have to remember that our body doesn’t repair as fast, just because we’re getting older and we have take cautions.”
“Sometimes we have to recognize what we can and can’t do as we age.” She suggests asking a neighbour to help shovel your front step or hiring someone, to avoid a potential fall.
For people sent to hospital after taking a tumble, lawyers say it’s possible to sue.
The owner or occupier of a property has a legal responsibility to ensure that people interacting with the property are kept reasonably safe, according to Harvey Polluck, a partner of Polluck and Company.
The injured person he says, must prove the occupier did not do that.
“The defendant becomes responsible if they are occupiers of the property and they do not clear the property or have snow removed or ice chipped away or deposit salt or sand in an appropriate time,” Polluck said.
The injured person must prove the occupier was aware of the potential risk and failed to take appropriate measures address the issue, resulting in the person injury. The injured person he said, must show they didn’t willingly engage in a situation that lead to the fall.
“The first thing I would do when someone comes in to see me is ask what kind of shoes you were wearing. ‘Do you have the shoes with you or can you give me a picture of what they look like?’ I also want to get a photo of the injuries.”
Polluck says insurance should cover someone who falls on their own property.
Hospitalizations continue to rise in New Brunswick as the province reports 24 more people infected with COVID-19 were admitted to hospital.
Of those in hospital, 74 were admitted due to COVID-19, and 85 were admitted for other reasons, but have tested positive for the virus.
There are currently 14 people in intensive care and four individuals on ventilators.
Public health says 341 health-care workers are isolating after testing positive for COVID-19.
SHIFT TO LEVEL 2
Fredericton gym Dynamic Training Centre reopened at midnight Friday, and says it reminded him of the rush he usually sees January 1, at least for the morning.
“It was like January 1st all over again, people with their new years resolutions,” said owner Pat Corkum. “Definitely more than I expected especially because we still can’t do classes but I saw some people I’ve never seen before so that’s good.”
New Brunswick spent the last two weeks in level three of it’s COVID-19 winter plan, which meant spas, gyms, salons and entertainment centres had to close.
But a move to level two overnight Friday allowed them all to reopen, at 50 per cent capacity.
Some remained closed due to the snow storm – and Corkum says many people cleared out of his gym before the height of the storm.
He said just because of the change in levels and restrictions, doesn’t mean his bills go away.
Fredericton’s Chamber of Commerce CEO Krista Ross says for the most part, businesses understand and want to adhere to public health measures.
But it’s been a difficult few months.
“This is definitely, from an economic point of view, a step in the right direction,” she said. “But definitely, businesses are going to need further steps going forward to get out of the situation that they find themselves in.”
She says the biggest help will be when things can return to some semblance of normal.
Dr. Jennifer Russell said Thursday she expects N.B. will experience the peak of this wave in mid-February.
COVID-19 DASHBOARD
Public health says daily COVID-19 news releases will no longer be issued. Data regarding hospitalizations, positive tests, vaccination rates and deaths related to the virus will be made available on the COVID-19 dashboard.
VACCINE UPDATE
As of Saturday, 1,648,589 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in New Brunswick.
Of those, 690,972 were first doses, 632,385 were second doses, and 325,232 were booster doses.
To date, 43.3 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers have received their booster dose.
NEW CASES
According to the province's online dashboard, there are 397 new PCR-confirmed cases on Saturday, as well as 473 new cases identified through rapid testing.
The province is also reporting 424 new recoveries, bringing the total number of active cases to 5,383.
The freedom convoy rolls into Ottawa, gas prices reach a record high and Ryan Reynolds will have a street named after him.
CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at the top five stories in Ottawa this week.
Thousands of truckers and supporters gathered in downtown Ottawa on Saturday to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other public health measures.
Ottawa was the final stop of a series of cross-country convoys taking part in the Freedom Convoy, calling on governments to end vaccine mandates and COVID-19 measures 22 months into the pandemic. On Saturday, thousands of vehicles, blaring horns and displaying signs protesting the government and mandates, packed downtown streets, while people gathered on Parliament Hill.
Over the past week, several teams travelled from western Canada, Atlantic Canada, Quebec and southern Ontario into Ottawa for the protest. A GoFundMe page raised more than $8 million.
"My body, my choice. I want freedom to do what I want with my body. It's not my employer's job to tell me what to do with my body and it's not my government's job to tell me what to do with my body," said one woman, who said she was a nurse, on Parliament Hill Saturday morning.
"To remove the stupid restrictions. Some are good, but some are too much," said one man about his reason for attending the demonstration.
Ottawa police stepped up security in downtown Ottawa over the weekend, bringing in resources from the RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police and other police forces.
The cost to fill up the gas tank hit a record high in Ottawa this week.
Gas prices reached a record high of $1.50 per litre at Ottawa gas stations Friday morning. They were expected to continue to rise over the weekend.
The rising gas costs come as prices of crude oil rises. A barrel of crude reached $90 U.S. on Wednesday, the highest it's been since 2014.
"They're not likely to slow down," said Dan McTeague, president of Canadians for Affordable Energy. "If we go to $100 oil, we could see that scenario of $1.60 a litre."
McTeague said supply chain constraints, tensions in Ukraine, the weakness of the Canadian dollar are also contributing factors.
A former Ottawa man found one of the paramedics responsible for saving his life, nearly 30 years after he was stabbed outside an Ottawa mall.
Dave Murphy told CTV News Ottawa this week he was involved in an altercation with three people outside of the Bayshore Shopping Centre in 1994.
"Between the three of them I was stabbed 13 times,” he explained. "Nine on my back, twice in my leg. I lost half a muscle in my left leg."
As part of his recovery, Murphy wanted to meet the first responders who save his life.
"Our daughter is eight years old. My wife, I met out here in Calgary. I’d just like to bring closure to this and introduce them and say you know what I wouldn’t have this if it wasn’t for you guys."
On Wednesday, Murphy said on Twitter, "my prayers have been answered."
He says he found one of the paramedics and will introduce them to his family privately.
Ottawa residents will soon have a chance to live on Ryan Reynolds Way in the east end.
Mayor Jim Watson moved a motion to name a new street after Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds, in recognition of his contributions to the city.
Reynolds, a Vancouver native, spent some of his childhood in Vanier, and has said he has fond memories of living in Ottawa.
Where's Waldo?
After being built for years in Orleans, the giant snowman has a new home in Elmvale Acres.
Luc Guertin used the snow from Monday's 48 cm storm to build an 18-foot snowman on the front lawn of his Elmvale Acres home.
"Who doesn't like a snowman? I think it's easy enough to make," said Guertin.
This is the 14th year for Waldo the Snowman, who originally resided in Orleans. Guertin built the giant snowman at his old home in Orleans, and wanted to bring the tradition with him when he moved to Elmvales Aces.
Rapid tests promised by the province for B.C. school staff have been arriving in some districts, while others are still waiting.
Last week, the government announced 200,000 COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits were being shipped out for teachers, staff and administrators in elementary and secondary schools around the province.
On Friday, some Metro Vancouver districts confirmed they had received the tests, including Surrey, Vancouver and Burnaby. Others, such as Coquitlam, Mission and West Vancouver, said they had not arrived yet.
B.C. Teachers Federation president Teri Mooring said Friday the tests need to be repackaged at the district level before being distributed.
“I know that some education workers have begun to receive them, but I guess it depends on how quickly districts can repackage them and get them out,” she said, and added workers are anxious to get the tests.
“It’s a really disconcerting time, given – for the most part – people don’t have access to testing. There is no contact tracing happening.”
Mooring pointed out the initial shipment of 200,000 tests promised last week roughly works out to two rapid tests per worker.
“That’s all the support staff, teachers, and administration, and other workers within the system,” she said. “We do think that more needs to be provided.”
The vice president of the Vancouver Elementary School Teachers Association, Jody Polukoshko, would also like to see more on the way, and added she was glad to hear Vancouver’s tests had arrived.
“We understand there’s going to be some repackaging and redeployment within the district, and we’re hopeful that will happen early within the next week,” she said. “We’re glad that’s going to be coming. We think two is probably a little bit inadequate, given the complexity of symptoms and the constantly changing descriptions of what symptoms matter.”
Health Minister Adrian Dix said the province is expecting about 10.5 million more rapid tests to arrive by the middle of February.
“That’s a reduction in what we expected. It’s still a considerable amount,” he said. “And, as those tests come out, they’ll be distributed to key priority areas, and K-to-12 education is clearly one of them.”
The Health Ministry said Friday an additional 300,000 tests had also been allocated for schools, bringing the total to 500,000.
As B.C.’s supply grows, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the province intends to make rapid tests more widely available in the school community.
“What we would like to be able to do is provide them to parents so that you can make those decisions for your child if they have symptoms on any given day,” she said. “That’s part of the plan.”
Polukoshko said teachers are seeing a strain on school resources in Vancouver.
“What we’re seeing in Vancouver is a reassignment of staff to cover absences, which is resulting, in some cases, in loss of services to students and increased workload for already exhausted teachers,” she said, and added they’ve also been calling for a vaccine mandate in their district.
“We feel like that’s an additional layer of protection and support for students and for staff.”
Mooring would also like to see the province publicly share attendance rates for districts, as well as functional closures.
“It just gives a bit of a picture of what’s happening in schools,” she said. “The district picture is better than nothing. Right now, we have no information. We are aware that the province is collecting attendance information, but there’s no transparency in terms of sharing it.”
RAPID TEST ROLLOUT IN METRO VANCOUVER SCHOOLS
CTV News reached out to school districts around Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley on Friday to find out where rapid tests had arrived. Here are the responses received:
Surrey
Received: Yes
Distribution: some already handed out, more in the coming days
Burnaby
Received: Yes
Distribution: expected to begin Monday (Jan. 31)
Coquitlam
Received: No. Expecting notification soon and staff on standby to prepare kits for distribution.
Chilliwack
Received: Yes
Distribution: Started Friday (Jan. 28)
Abbotsford
Received: Yes
Distribution: Expected to begin early next week (week of Jan. 31)
New Westminster
Received: Yes
Distribution: Expected to start Friday (Jan. 28)
Vancouver
Received: Yes
Distribution: Said they are being deployed, pickup information is being shared with staff. Did not provide timeline.
A convoy of thousands of truckers and other protesters have descended on Parliament Hill to call for an end to COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other public health restrictions — a raucous demonstration that has police on high alert for possible violence even as organizers urge the growing crowd to be peaceful.
Hundreds of protesters on foot flooded into the parliamentary precinct on Saturday in the midst of an extreme cold warning, joining a lineup of truckers that started to arrive on the scene late Friday night. Many more are expected to descend on the downtown core in the hours ahead, as truckers and their supporters leave muster points in the east and west ends of Ottawa destined for Parliament Hill.
The convoy has snarled traffic throughout the region, clogging arteries that lead in and out of the city centre. Police estimate as many as 10,000 people will be on hand by day's end. Law enforcement urged everyone to avoid travel to the city centre as it deals with the surge of people.
The trucks that have gathered along Wellington Street in front of the Parliament Buildings are adorned with banners denouncing public health measures and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Some warn that communism will take hold in Canada if COVID-19-related restrictions continue. Dozens of truckers are blasting their horns to announce their presence.
WATCH: An on-the-ground look at the Parliament Hill protests
An on-the-ground look at the Parliament Hill protests
52 minutes ago
Duration 1:26
CBC's David Common provides an update on the state of protests in Ottawa on Saturday as thousands called for an end to COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other public health restrictions. 1:26
Amid security concerns, Trudeau and his family have been moved from their home to an undisclosed location in the nation's capital, sources said.
The protest, while loud and disruptive, has been peaceful to this point.
A demonstration that was originally planned to urge the federal government to drop its vaccine mandate for cross-border essential workers like truckers has morphed into a larger movement against all public health measures.
A number of the people assembled, many of whom are not truckers, said they were on hand to pressure the government to end pandemic-related restrictions and return to "normal." The event has also attracted some more extreme voices who have called for violence.
Standoff over science
The many flags flown in the crowd reflected the divergent groups that are calling for an end to mandates.
Some of the protesters carried Canadian flags, while others held placards that urged people to "Think for Yourself," a slogan used in anti-vaccine circles. Some demonstrators were seen flying the Patriotes flag, an ode to the Lower Canada rebellions of 1837-38, when French-speaking settlers from present-day Quebec fought against British colonial rule.
At least one Confederate flag was spotted in the crowd, a U.S. civil war-era symbol that is often associated with racist and far-right elements. Indigenous demonstrators flew the Mohawk warrior flag and waved the flag of the Métis Nation.
WATCH: Timelapse shows protesters gathering on Parliament Hill
Timelapse shows protesters gathering on Parliament Hill
2 hours ago
Duration 0:37
Thousands of protesters gathered in Ottawa on Saturday to call for an end to COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other public health restrictions. This timelapse video shows the growth of the crowd on Parliament Hill as of early Saturday afternoon. 0:37
"I've never done anything like this in my life. I'm 53 years old and this is the hill I'm going to die on. Do not tell me I have to put something in my body," Lorraine Commodore, a convoy supporter, told CBC News on Saturday.
Commodore said she was fired from her job as a dental hygienist because she wouldn't get vaccinated. She said she wants this protest to bring an end to mandates that cost her and others like her their jobs.
She said her mother-in-law died in hospital and it was difficult for the family to visit her in the last days of her life because of COVID-19 restrictions on visitors. "Open the hospitals, they're public. This needs to end today."
Her husband, Mike, said he's distrustful of the shots — skepticism that cost him his job as a community living nurse.
"How many boosters is it gonna take? Wake up, people. How many boosters? People who've taken the two shots, they're still coming down with COVID-19. They're still testing positive. So, where's the science? What science? It's amazing what government scientists will say when their paycheques depend on it," he said.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) reported earlier this month that the primary series of vaccines — the first two doses of an mRNA product — offer "low" to "very low" protection against an Omicron infection but that they still prevent severe cases of COVID-19, hospitalization and death.
PHAC data suggests unvaccinated people are 19 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than fully vaccinated people. A third dose of an mRNA shot also offers much more protection against an actual infection.
Amid this standoff over science, there was also a smattering of counter-protesters who waded into the crowds to bring a pro-vaccine message to a group that is generally leery of the COVID-19 shots. "I believe in public health. Thank you nurses," read one of the signs carried by this group.
Roughly a dozen protesters had parked their vehicles on the site of the Tomb of the Unknown soldier at Ottawa's National War Memorial earlier Saturday. The cars and trucks were removed by midday after orders from local police. "Parking on this sacred ground was a sign of complete disrespect," Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said.
Demonstrators also adorned a statue of Terry Fox, the cross-country runner who inspired the nation with his "marathon of hope," with anti-vaccine material and a defaced Canadian flag.
A demonstrator waves a flag in Ottawa on Friday, as a truck convoy protesting COVID-19 mandates makes its way down Wellington Street. (Ivanoh Demers/Radio-Canada)
Trudeau, family moved for security reasons
Trudeau and his family are no longer at their home, Rideau Cottage, which is on the property of the Governor General's residence in the New Edinburgh neighbourhood of Ottawa — roughly four kilometres from the epicentre of the protest.
The Prime Minister's Office said it could not comment on Trudeau's whereabouts for security reasons. His itinerary, which normally lists the city where he's staying, said only that he's in the "national capital region."
Trudeau is currently in isolation because he was a close contact to one of his children who recently tested positive for COVID-19.
The decision to move Trudeau and his family follows the Rideau Hall gate-crashing attack in 2020. A Canadian Armed Forces member carrying a firearm rammed his vehicle into the gates protecting the property in an attempt to reach Trudeau.
The precautionary measure also comes after a warning from Parliament's Sergeant-at-Arms, the person responsible for the safety and security of the parliamentary precinct and its occupants, that protesters could show up at politicians' homes.
Ottawa police Chief Peter Sloly said that while organizers say the protest, which does not have a permit, will be a weekend event, "the option of [it] going into the week is also still on the table."
Sloly said any decision to bring the protest to a close early or continue past the weekend will be based on public safety concerns. He also said a breakdown in communication with protest organizers could lead to it being shut down early.
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said Ottawa's officers will be backed up by other police and national security forces, who are preparing to deal with any threats that could erupt from extremists who have latched on to a massive protest organizers call the Freedom Convoy.
Mendicino said Friday that there have been signs of "flagrant extremism" among some protesters, including the equating of vaccine mandates to the fascist regime of Nazi Germany and inciting people to overthrow the government through violence.
That is "not about freedom. And it's certainly not about truckers," he told guest host Nil Köksal on CBC's Power & Politics.
The Ottawa Police Service said it will be augmented with officers from Toronto, London, York and Durham regions, as well as the Ontario Provincial Police.
Ottawa vigil to mark mosque shooting cancelled
The organizers of an Ottawa vigil commemorating victims of a fatal shooting at a Quebec City mosque in 2017 have cancelled the planned event, citing the convoy.
The event, which was scheduled for Saturday, the fifth anniversary of the violent hate crime, is not going ahead "because of the possibility of violence related to the truckers protest," the organizers said.
"The fact that we had to cancel this memorial event marking a tragic anniversary for Canadian Muslims is not only disappointing but it angers me," said Fareed Khan, the founder of Canadians United Against Hate.
"This so-called freedom protest, and the possible violence that may be caused by those connected to it, has denied me, the Muslim community and residents of the National Capital Region our freedom to gather peacefully to mark a very sombre occasion and remember the six victims of the Quebec City mosque shooting."
Organizers urge calm
One of the protest's key organizers on Friday warned participants to demonstrate peacefully.
"We cannot achieve our goals if there are threats or acts of violence," said B.J. Dicher. "This movement is a peaceful protest, and we do not condone any acts of violence."
He warned protesters not to enter government buildings, disrespect police officers, act in a way that escalates tense situations and make "any type of threat."
Dicher ran as a candidate for the Conservatives — in Jack Layton's old riding of Toronto–Danforth — in the 2015 federal election, finishing third behind the Liberals and NDP with just over 5,000 votes.
In 2019, Dicher spoke at the first People's Party of Canada conference held in Gatineau, Que., where he railed against "political Islam" and argued that the radical left in Canada is working with Islamic groups to undermine the Canadian state.
On Twitter, he regularly rails against public health measures to fight COVID-19, major media organizations, socialism and established political parties.
He and Alberta resident Tamara Lich started a GoFundMe campaign for the convoy that has raised more than $7.5 million.
As the convoy moved across Canada, Lich posted regular video updates from the cab of one of the trucks. She says her parents own a trucking company, which is part of what motivated her to organize the protest. Lich was involved with the Western separatist Maverick Party in the past and is still listed as its secretary on the party's website.
She has said many times in her Facebook videos that the trucks and demonstrators won't leave Ottawa until they get what they want, while urging people to obey the law and not cause trouble.
Ottawa Public Health is reporting three more COVID-19 related deaths in the capital on Saturday and a slight drop in the number of Ottawa residents hospitalized because of COVID-19.
To date, 690 residents of Ottawa have died due to COVID-19 since the pandemic began. There are 103 residents of Ottawa in local hospitals with an active infection, down from 110 on Friday. One more person is in the ICU.
To count as a hospitalization intervention, the hospitalization must involve treatment for an active COVID-19 infection or have a hospital stay extended because of active COVID-19.
This also applies to people who may acquire COVID-19 while in hospital. Local hospitals have reported higher numbers of patients who have tested positive for COVID-19.
According to Ottawa Public Health, there are 274 total confirmed COVID-19 patients in hospitals in the city, 134 of whom are there because of COVID-19 and 140 are in hospital for other reasons but have tested positive for COVID-19.
Across Ontario, health officials reported 58 additional deaths related to COVID-19 and a drop in hospitalizations to 3,439 from 3,535 on Friday.
OTTAWA'S KEY COVID-19 STATISTICS
COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (Jan. 21 to 27): 200.5 (down from 217.1)
Positivity rate in Ottawa (Jan. 21 to 27): 19.1 per cent
Reproduction number (Seven day average): 0.88
Known active cases: 2,761 (-108)
Reproduction values greater than 1 indicate the virus is spreading and each case infects more than one contact. If it is less than 1, it means spread is slowing.
The number of known active cases is the number of confirmed cases (based on testing) minus the numbers of resolved cases and deaths.
HOSPITALIZATIONS IN OTTAWA
There are 103 people in Ottawa hospitals on Saturday with an active COVID-19 infection, down from 110 hospitalizations on Friday.
There are 16 people in the ICU, up from 15.
Age categories of people in hospital:
0-9: 1
10-19: 0
20-29: 1
30-39: 3
40-49: 4 (1 in ICU)
50-59: 9 (3 in ICU)
60-69: 18 (5 in ICU)
70-79: 33 (6 in ICU)
80-89: 27 (1 in ICU)
90+: 7
(Ottawa Public Health is now reporting people in hospital with an "active" infection)
COVID-19 VACCINES IN OTTAWA
As of Friday:
Ottawa residents with 1 dose (5+): 907,573 (+813)
Ottawa residents with 2 doses (5+): 846,723 (+2,883)
Ottawa residents with 3 doses (12+): 506,464 (+5,346)
Share of population five and older with at least one dose: 91 per cent
Share of population five and older fully vaccinated: 85 per cent
*Statistics on Ottawa residents with one or two doses include anyone with an Ottawa postal code who was vaccinated anywhere in Ontario.
AROUND THE REGION
Eastern Ontario Health Unit: 44 in hospital, 10 in ICU
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health: 13 in hospital, 4 in ICU
Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health: 15 in hospital, 3 in ICU
Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit: 20 in hospital, 5 in ICU
Renfrew County and District Health Unit: 18 in hospital, 2 in ICU
Outaouais (Gatineau and western Quebec): 76 in hospital, 8 in ICU
These figures are based on the latest data from each respective health unit at the time of publishing.
COVID-19 OUTBREAKS
Ottawa Public Health is currently reporting active outbreaks in the following locations:
22 long-term care homes
34 retirement homes
39 hospital units
36 other congregate settings (group homes, supported independent living, etc.)
OPH paused reporting on community outbreaks in workplaces, etc. as of Jan. 2.
Manitoba's current COVID-19 public health orders will stay in place for at least another week, officials announced on Friday.
The extension is needed as the province continues to assess the spread and impact of the Omicron variant, Health Minister Audrey Gordon and Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer, said at a news conference.
"As we all learn to live with the virus, it is still critical that we stay the course over the next week. There are signs of stabilization, but we need more data to fully assess our next steps and implement initiatives that support our pandemic response," Gordon said.
"Next week, Premier [Heather] Stefanson and Dr. Roussin will provide Manitobans with public health orders moving forward, including what I hope will be an outline to reopen the province at that time," Gordon said.
"The premier will also give details about extending support to businesses, the arts community and the cultural sectors that have been so greatly impacted by this pandemic."
The aim is to get Manitoba back to a state or normalcy, or a new normal, that allows people to gather without limits, travel, go to restaurants and take in the many festivals the province offers, Gordon said, mentioning several summer festivals she hopes will go ahead.
Roussin was asked by reporters how comfortable he would be with loosening restrictions if the impact from the coronavirus on the health-care system continues to result in the cancellation of surgeries and patients being transferred farther from home.
There have been questions in the past few weeks as to whether public health officials and politicians see eye-to-eye on the health orders.
"Certainly, the strain on the acute-care system is a big part of our decision-making, so it's going to tie into a lot of things," Roussin said.
"It's hard to mention just one one specific thing like this, but certainly the strain on the health-care system is certainly the the main focus of the public health restrictions — to try to minimize that strain."
Manitoba government daily briefing on coronavirus: Jan. 28
12 hours ago
Duration 59:29
Provincial officials give update on COVID-19 outbreak: Friday, Jan. 28, 2022. 59:29
The latest provincial data indicates severe outcomes from the spread of the Omicron variant may have peaked, a news release said Friday. Although admissions to hospitals and intensive care units due to COVID-19 remain high, they are either stable or slowly beginning to decline, it said.
"We are nearing a critical juncture," Roussin said.
"Based on several data points, it appears the Omicron wave may have peaked or is in the process of peaking or plateauing in Manitoba. But there is still a significant spread of Omicron in our community so, certainly, the health-care system is feeling those effects."
Over the past week, hospital admissions due to the virus decreased nine per cent, from 391 to 356, and ICU admissions dropped 22 per cent, from 46 to 36, said data presented by Roussin. The number of COVID-19-related deaths reported dropped by 13.3 per cent, from 45 down to 39.
The overall number of adult patients in ICUs provincewide — both those with COVID-19 and those who do not have the illness — was 110 on Friday, a spokesperson from Shared Health said in an email. That number far exceeds the province's pre-pandemic baseline ICU capacity of 72.
There were also seven patients in the pediatric intensive care unit receiving both COVID and non-COVID care Friday morning. Two of those patients — both under the age of 10 — were COVID-positive, a Shared Health spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that the Omicron variant is now the dominant strain in intensive care units.
Extending the public health orders by one week offers time to confirm the trend in the COVID-19 data and its impact on our health system, Gordon and Roussin said.
"A week may not seem like a lot of time, but at the juncture we're in, it's going to provide us, likely, with significant more information … more clarity," Roussin said.
Earlier this week, it appeared at least one measure of the pandemic was offering some optimism the present wave is receding in Manitoba.
Wastewater monitoring done by the National Microbiology Laboratory suggested the virus that causes COVID-19 was found in the largest quantities in Winnipeg at the beginning of January.
In his weekly COVID-19 news update on Wednesday, Roussin said it's still a bit early to say, definitively, whether the Omicron wave is ebbing. He said it is necessary to look at several measures, including test positivity, the trend in PCR testing and hospitalizations, as well as wastewater.
On Friday, however, new data about Winnipeg wastewater suggested the viral count may once again be increasing, the province said in its news release.
As work continues around managing hospitalization and ICU capacity, additional patients may need to be relocated outside of their home region, the province said in its release.
"Manitoba recognizes that for some patients and their designated support person, this is a short-term inconvenience, but for others, it is a significant hardship," Gordon said.
"We are putting a new program in place that will provide financial assistance for meals, transportation and accommodations or link to community support resources when a person is relocated to a facility outside of their region for ongoing in-patient care."
Dr. David Matear, who was named health system co-lead for the provincial health incident command team last week, said 253 patients in stable care have been transferred outside their home health region in the last three months, including 39 in the past week.
"While we recognize the concern of affected patients and their families about the distance from loved ones, we also appreciate their understanding that these transfers are necessary," he said.
Matear added that as of Thursday night there were 182 open beds out of approximately 1,480 in the province
"We've acknowledged that the location of these open beds does not necessarily line up with our patient demands, and that is something we are addressing in our inter-regional moves to ensure we have capacity," Matear said.
When a patient is transferred out of a community, the regional health authority or service delivery organization will work directly with the patient and a designated support person to co-ordinate this financial assistance.
The program will allow for up to eight visits per month by a designated support person and include meal vouchers so the designated support person can dine with the client when on-site meal service is available, or assistance to a maximum of $8 for breakfast, $10 for lunch and $15 for dinner when on-site meal service is unavailable.
It will also include transportation assistance of return bus fare or gas expenses, and accommodation assistance up to a maximum of $70 per night plus taxes.
Program details are currently being finalized and are expected to be in place in early February. The program will not be retroactive, Gordon said.
WATCH :
Plans increase Manitoba's ICU capacity as Omicron approaches plateau
7 hours ago
Duration 2:23
Manitoba's current COVID-19 public health orders will stay in place for at least another week, officials announced on Friday. The extension is needed as the province continues to assess the spread and impact of the Omicron variant, Health Minister Audrey Gordon and Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer, said at a news conference. 2:23
