COVID-19

There are 134 people in Manitoban hospitals on Friday due to COVID-19.

There are 153 new COVID-19 cases in Manitoba, bringing the total number of cases to 67,420.

Out of the new cases, 88 people are not vaccinated, 55 are fully vaccinated, and 10 are partially vaccinated.

New cases by region include:

• 52 in Winnipeg
• 51 in Southern Health
• 25 in Nothern
• 18 in Prairie Mountain
• seven in Interlake-Eastern

Manitoba's test rate is 5.4 per cent.

There is one new death, bringing the total to 1,305.

The Dryden Regional Health Centre plans to implement a mandatory vaccination policy in the new year.

By February 23, 2022, their COVID-19 Vaccination Policy will require all employees, physicians, volunteers, learners and other affiliates to be fully vaccinated, with exemptions for those with medical reasons.

The DRHC stresses that the policy will not affect patients, and roughly 91 per cent of DRHC staff are already fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

More northwestern Ontario residents are now eligible to receive a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, including those in retirement homes and first responders.

Ontario began providing third doses for those considered the most at-risk of contracting COVID-19, such as those who are immunosuppressed, transplant recipients and those living in long-term care homes in August.

Then in early November, Ontario began offering booster doses of the vaccine to:

Tara de Weerd, Director of Communications for Rocky View Schools spoke on behalf of RVS with regards to protests that occurred on Thursday in front of the RVS building.

Youth between the ages of 5 and 11 will be able to get their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine tomorrow in northwestern Ontario.

The Northwestern Health Unit says vaccination clinics for 5 to 11-year-old children will begin on November 27, and anyone born in 2016 or earlier is now eligible.

During her weekly conference with regional media members, Medical Officer of Health with the Northwestern Health Unit, Dr. Kit Young Hoon, explained why vaccinating youth as soon as possible is so important.

Sioux Lookout’s Meno Ya Win Health Centre will have a mandatory vaccination policy in place as of January 31, 2022.

Hospital leadership says all staff, physicians, learners, contract care/service providers, support workers and volunteers will be required to provide proof of full vaccination before offering services in any of SLMHC’s facilities.

“At this important juncture, we know that introducing the mandatory vaccination policy is a major step forward towards ending this pandemic,” says Dr. Laurel Laakso, Interim Chief of Staff.

Alberta’s vaccination campaign for kids five to 11 is off to a flying start. 

On Wednesday (Nov.24) afternoon, health minister Jason Copping announced that 42,860 appointments had been booked for pediatric doses of the Pfizer vaccine before 11:30 a.m., just three and a half hours after the booking system had opened. 

The province is also updating the Restrictions Exemption Program (REP).  

The COVID-19 school status for Cochrane is reporting RancheView School is no longer on alert for 2-4 cases but Cochrane Christian Academy now is. 

Also on alert status with 2-4 cases are Bow Valley High, Elizabeth Barrett, Glenbow, and Manachaban Middle School. 

Fireside School continues to have an outbreak status of 10+ cases. 

Alberta reported 379 new COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 3.9 per cent on Thursday, November 25 

Hospitalizations dropped by five to 465 and ICU admissions increased by one to 98. 

Parents embraced their children before and after getting their COVID-19 vaccine, acknowledging the momentous day off of school.

On Thursday afternoon, families gathered at a special press conference where their children between the ages of five to 11 would be getting their first COVID-19 vaccine.

"Kids, when you get your special stickers today," Health Minister Audrey Gordon says, "you can show them to your friends and I bet they will want to get one too."