COVID-19

Ontario says DriveTest still has a backlog of over 700,000 tests and appointments due to the COVID-19 pandemic – the same backlog they reported back in June – and the waiting list could go on as long as 2024.

Ontario resumed in-car driving tests on June 14, after shutting them down in early April due to the third wave of COVID-19 lockdowns. Ontario says their closure earlier this year forced over 400,000 appointment cancellations.

In an effort to educate Ontarians on the COVID-19 vaccine, the Ontario Ministry of Health started calling unvaccinated residents a couple of weeks ago.

The purpose of the call was to clear up any misinformation and allow for a safe conversation with educated healthcare professionals.  

The Northwestern Health Unit has reported 88.5 of residents in the region have received at least one dose while 82.4 per cent are fully vaccinated. Over 127,000 doses of the vaccine have been administered in the region to date.

Alberta recorded another 645 new cases today.

Hospitalizations decreased by 26 for a total of 810.

ICU admissions increased by one for a total of 184. Of the 184, 87.5 per cent are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.

Unfortunately, another ten deaths have been recorded bringing the total in the province to 3,073. The age range of victims is 30 to 80. 

Cochrane has seen a slight increase of active cases reporting 85 and Rocky View County has decreased to 67 active cases. 

The Cochrane school outbreak status:

The Northwestern Health Unit has reported one new COVID-19 case has been found in the region. 

The newly discovered case was found in the Rainy River Health Region. 

Follow up with the person involved and their contacts has started according to protocol. Anyone who is identified as a contact for this case will be contacted directly.

Currently, there are two active cases connected to the NWHU catchment area. 

Grades one, two, three, and twelve will be most affected by these changes.

Alberta's Minister of Education Adriana LaGrange made an announcement to the province regarding funds put in place to help students who may have fallen behind in learning because of the pandemic. 

"Without a doubt, learning in this pandemic has been a challenge for the entire education community in Alberta." says LaGrange, "We know that being able to respond effectively to the needs of students as the public health situation changes is essential to their success."

Dr. Joss Reimer says approvals for the COVID-19 vaccine for youth could be coming as soon as mid-November.

Health Canada has not approved the Pfizer vaccine for children aged five to 11 yet, but officials say it could be coming soon. Reimer says FDA's Medical Advisory Group, a part of the United State's approval process is recommending the vaccine for children aged five-11. Health Canada will be considering this recommendation as they make their decision. 

A public health official is telling Manitobans to stop skirting around the public health orders, saying they are putting volunteers in unfair positions.

In a Wednesday press conference, Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Jazz Atwal says people have been trying to find ways to get around the health orders, specifically at indoor sporting and recreational facilities.

The province will be working with more than 500 congregate elderly persons housing facilities to deliver third COVID-19 vaccine doses.

Starting Wednesday, all residents of these homes can get a third COVID-19 vaccine.

To date, there have been 2,072,870 first, second, and third doses given out in Manitoba.

Vaccination popups will be hosted on Saturday and Sunday, between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., at popular Winnipeg malls. They will be at  CF Polo Park's centre court area and St. Vital Centre, near Hudson’s Bay. 

More people in B.C. will start to receive invitations for a COVID-19 booster shot as the Province continues its COVID-19 immunization plan, prioritizing B.C.’s elderly and most at-risk through to the December holiday.

The plan expands to include all British Columbians 12+ beginning in January 2022.

It's been over two weeks since Thanksgiving with no major bumps in the number of active COVID cases in Alberta.

There are 836 people being treated for COVID in hospital including 183 in intensive care.

Over the previous day, another 12 people have died from COVID.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw says their deaths are a reminder of the dangerous outcomes the virus can cause for people of many different ages, backgrounds, and health conditions.