COVID-19

The province is expanding eligibility for administering the fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine and Paxlovid treatment to residents.

AHS says that COVID-19 hospital numbers are remaining stable however, the Omicron subvariant BA.2 is now making up 80 per cent of new cases in Alberta. With the BA.2 dominance, there is the potential for increased transmission and increased hospital admissions.

The province is increasing eligibility for fourth doses of COVID-19 vaccine and Paxlovid treatment to Albertans susceptible to severe outcomes.

Based on recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, Manitoba will be offering a second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine to:

Students in Alberta will be writing diploma exams this spring.

Education Minister Adriana LaGrange confirmed Monday (Apr. 4), on Twitter that Grade 12 diploma exams will be administered in April, June, and August.

The exams will temporarily be weighted at 10 per cent for the 2021-22 school year only.

In October of 2021, Alberta Education announced that the weight of Grade 12 diploma exams would count for 10 per cent of the student’s final mark as opposed to 30 per cent pre-COVID-19.

Kenora MP Eric Melillo says he’s glad to see federal PCR testing requirements end at Canadian border crossings today, but he’s questioning the timing of the move.

During Adjournment Sessions at the House of Commons, Melillo noted he questioned federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos on when mandatory PCR testing will end at the border early this month, but says the Minister dodged the question.

Just two weeks later, Duclos announced that as of April 1, COVID-19 testing will no longer be required for fully vaccinated travellers entering Canada.

Vaccinated travellers can enter Canada without a COVID-19 test beginning today. 

The change will spark a surge in travel bookings both into and out of the country, according to the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, although it's not likely to reach pre-pandemic levels yet. 

People could still be randomly tested when they arrive and Health Canada requires anyone coming from outside the country to wear a mask in public for 14 days. 

Manitoba Public Health issued its final regular COVID-19 bulletin on Thursday.
    
In it, officials reported 11 additional deaths in people with COVID-19. This includes two in the Prairie Mountain Health Region; a man in his 60s and a woman in her 80s.

Increasing joint replacement surgeries in Manitoba is part of the government's latest plan to address a growing surgery backlog due to demands on health care from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

A committee assigned to tackle the backlog said Wednesday the government will support an expansion of the orthopedic surgery program at Concordia Hospital in Winnipeg that will add another operating room and surgeon. 

Health Minister Audrey Gordon said she expects the additions will be in place by the end of the year and will allow up to 1,000 more surgeries annually. 

Ontario’s leadership is ‘confident’ that despite a small spike in COVID-19 cases and the rise of the BA.2 sub-variant of the virus, the province isn’t looking to shut down again any time soon.

On March 29, Ontario reported a total of 790 COVID-19 hospitalizations with 165 patients in intensive care units. Hospitalizations are up from 639 one week ago, while ICU admissions dropped from 179. Ontario says about 47 per cent of those patients were admitted specifically for COVID-19.

As most provinces begin to live without COVID-19 restrictions and masks, Kenora MP, Eric Melillo believes the federal government should follow suit.

“I believe it’s time for the federal government to follow the evidence and follow the lead of the provinces and lift the mandates,” said Melillo.

Currently, proof of vaccination and masks are still required to travel by plane or by train for those aged 12 and over. The federal mandate has been in effect since the end of November 2021.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government has provided support to regional airports in Northwestern Ontario and across Canada.

The Kenora Airport like most took advantage of those supports. Announced on March 18, 2022, the airport will receive $509,886 worth of funding from FedNor.

Ryan Reynard, Board Chair of the Kenora Airport Authority says some of the funding went towards replacing some of their older equipment.