#covid Ontario

[liminalweirdo]

Ottawa's COVID wastewater surveillance program extended for another year (but not in the rest of Ontario)

After the Health Canada ordered all previous vaccines destroyed, leaving Canadians without any covid vaccines for weeks, many Canadians have been "asking why it is taking so long for Health Canada to approve new vaccines."

[...] The United States expedited the process and approved the updated mRNA vaccines in August. They were made available almost immediately because of the ongoing COVID wave that has killed up to 1,000 Americans in recent weeks. The vaccines are also approved in Europe. Attaran said there are provisions that would allow Canada’s health minister to approve the vaccines immediately if they have been approved in the U.S. Attaran said he planned to take his family to the U.S. to get vaccinated with the updated shots — at a cost of $200 per vaccine."

But now, at least, thanks to CHEO, the CHEO Research Institute, the University of Ottawa and Ottawa Public Health announced an extension of wastewater surveillance on Friday (no thanks to the provincial government), which gives people in the community at least some autonomy to check and estimate covid risk level, instead of what we were forced to do before: wade through the veritable viral soup outside with our fingers crossed, apparently

Ottawa will be one of the few communities in Ontario where wastewater surveillance continues after the provincial government cut funding for the program early, with little advance notice, at the end of July.

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Class action lawsuits against six of Ontario's largest for-profit long-term care (LTC) home providers, claiming gross negligence that led to illnesses and deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic, have been allowed to proceed.

In a ruling last week, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice certified class action suits against Sienna, Revera, Schlegel, Responsive, Extendicare and Chartwell.

The separate class actions were filed on behalf of thousands of clients, family members and visitors, who allege the companies were unprepared to provide care during the pandemic and failed to protect the health of residents and visitors.

Full article

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

By Desmond Brown

With access to COVID-19 rapid tests becoming increasingly difficult in Windsor, a former director of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table is advising people to do all they can to avoid contracting or spreading the virus.

Dr. Fahad Razak, who grew up in Windsor, said people should treat testing and getting COVID-19 vaccines as part of their regular routine.

"Responding to illness like this is about being pragmatic … so if you can avoid getting other people sick, if you can test and avoid getting high risk individuals exposed, if you can keep your kids home, if you can do things to prevent spread, that's a good thing," Razak said on Windsor Morning.

"I think as a physician, what's been reinforced to me over my career, and it's not just for COVID, it's that preventing infections where possible is a good thing because they inherently are unpredictable."

A spokesperson for Health Canada previously told CBC that it is no longer procuring rapid tests en masse. The agency also says there are no plans to replenish the federal inventory after it is depleted, but that provinces are able to request test kits until they expire or the stockpile runs out.

The Windsor-Essex Health Unit says free rapid antigen test kits will not be restocked in the future.

CBC News called a handful of pharmacies in Windsor and found none of them had test kits for sale or knew where we could find them.

Razak said he's "surprised" to learn that rapid antigen tests are seemingly impossible to find in Windsor-Essex.

"One of the tenants of public health is trying to make it easy for people to do what they need to to protect themselves, and certainly for higher risk groups especially, this is a test that has value," he said.

According to Razak, while COVID-19 is not having the impact that it did back in 2020 to 2022, "this is still an illness that is spreading unpredictably … and so you could get sick in the middle of summer. So, I think the idea of trying to help people protect themselves can still be part of the story, while we acknowledge that things are significantly better than they once were."

How to get a COVID-19 test The provincial government says if you have COVID‑19 symptoms and are at a higher risk of severe illness, you should get tested for COVID‑19 and seek care as soon as possible, as you may benefit from available COVID‑19 treatments.

According to the province, you are eligible for publicly funded COVID-19 testing if you have COVID‑19 symptoms and belong to certain groups, including seniors and those who are immunocompromised.

If you develop symptoms and you are eligible for a publicly-funded test, provincial health authorities recommend you contact your primary care provider or pharmacist to find out about test availability and to arrange to take a test. If you are unsure if you are eligible for a PCR test, speak with your health care provider.

The latest data from the province shows the positivity rate of COVID-19 at 14.9 per cent. There were 89 outbreaks reported in the most recent week, hospital bed occupancy stood at 781, and there were six deaths linked to the virus.

This coming December will mark five years since the first case of the virus was detected.

Meanwhile, Razak said the unavailability of rapid antigen tests and "largely" losing the ability to monitor spread through wastewater means people need to be extra vigilant.

Ontario officially ended its COVID-19 wastewater surveillance program on July 31, but the executive director of the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research (GLIER) said this did not impact Windsor-Essex.

Mike McKay said the institute applied for a federal grant announced early May — part of the Canada biomedical research fund for pandemic preparedness — and received a $15 million grant over four years.

"In that proposal, we had actually included this strategic area, Windsor-Essex, as one of the places that we'd like to continue wastewater surveillance," McKay told CBC back in June.

[a8ra]

Silencing differing opinions is not how civilization practices medicine.... Canada is out of control. 

[gourde]

Like okay teeth are huge for surviving everything we put them through but also human mouths are weak as shit AND super tiny. Like what's the bonus here. Humans have to eat a lot to sustain our huge ass brains wouldn't a nice big jaw with proper teeth help with diet. Baboons get to be cool with giant canines and a long snout humans are one of the few animals where the nose is separate from the mouth and pointing DOWNWARD. I WANT GIANT CANINE TEETH SO I CAN RIP THINGS APART

[topoet]

Irrelevant

Irrelevant the fight isn’t to be right or to be in the majority the fight is for control not ethics <> in fact no one cares who’s right only who wins only who holds the reins of power <> the one who can keep anyone from wresting those reins out of their grasp a power may be an illusion <> but that illusion is better than no power at all as it becomes clear it doesn’t…

[flango87]

Does ANYONE have the updated covid numbers for Ontario I’m begging you 😭😭I can’t find helpful information anywhere I NEED TO KNOW HOW PANICKED I SHOULD BE

[anarchodelphis]

Directory.

SARS-CoV-2: variant prevalences in B.C.; external link for mobile users.

SARS-CoV-2: variant prevalences in Alberta; external link for mobile users.

SARS-CoV-2: variant prevalences in Ontario; external link for mobile users.

SARS-CoV-2: variant prevalences in Quebec; external link for mobile users.

SARS-CoV-2: variant prevalences in the Maritimes (NB/NS); external link for mobile users.

SARS-CoV-2: variant prevalences in Canada; external link for mobile users.

Phylogeny of listed SARS-CoV-2 strains & coloring scheme.

Wastewater SARS-CoV-2 signal & estimated number of daily infections (BC).

[catmarionette]

ah to hell with it, why not

help a disabled trans keep fighting

https://paypal.me/catmarionette

help if you can, share if you can't <3

How about we just have like... hey trans people, post your pay links or wishlist or whatever you got. No limits, no trans excluded, intersex welcome, any and all genders off the social conventions included. I'll just reblog em a bunch.

I need a reblog to share your info, please use those, not comments or tags. I try to reblog immediately every instance I see between 10am and 10pm, everything else goes into the queue.

Additionally, Reddit has some donation resources, which are outlined and linked in this post. However, there are potential difficulties associated with these resources, with more details in this post.

[liminalweirdo]

public health CANNOT be centered around catering to individuals’ desires. we aren’t living in 2019. the only way forward is COMMUNITY CARE!

-source

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Ontario’s Court of Appeal is allowing a class-action lawsuit to proceed against the minister of long-term care for alleged negligence regarding the government’s response to COVID-19. The four lead plaintiffs lost their parents to COVID-19 or related complications in 2020 and allege that while the province knew by the end of January of that year that residents of long-term care homes were particularly vulnerable to the virus, the government didn’t enact protections until it was too late. They allege, in claims that have not been proven in court, that thousands of deaths and illnesses could have been prevented if the government had acted sooner.

Continue Reading

Tagging @politicsofcanada

[justwalkiingthedog]

We’re In This Together …

[rahuljindalrealtor]

Impact of COVID-19 on Real Estate Trends and Preferences

Introduction:

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a catalyst for change in various aspects of our lives, and the real estate sector is no exception. From shifting preferences in housing to altering investment strategies, the impact of the pandemic on real estate trends and preferences has been profound. As the world adapts to the "new normal," it is crucial to understand how this crisis has reshaped the dynamics of the real estate market.

Remote Work and Home Preferences:

One of the most significant impacts of the pandemic on real estate has been the rise of remote work. With companies embracing telecommuting, many individuals and families have reevaluated their housing needs. Suburban areas and smaller cities have witnessed increased demand as people seek larger homes with dedicated office spaces and outdoor amenities. The desire for more space and privacy has led to a surge in demand for single-family homes, townhouses, and properties with spacious yards.

Urban Revitalization Challenges:

While suburban and rural areas have experienced a surge in demand, urban centers have faced challenges. The appeal of city living, characterized by proximity to amenities and cultural attractions, has been overshadowed by concerns about density and public health. As a result, some urban dwellers have opted to relocate to less densely populated areas, leading to a slowdown in urban real estate markets. However, as vaccination rates increase and restrictions ease, urban areas may experience a resurgence in demand, albeit with a renewed focus on health and safety measures.

Shifts in Commercial Real Estate:

The pandemic has also reshaped the commercial real estate landscape. With remote work becoming the norm for many businesses, the demand for office space has decreased significantly. Companies are reevaluating their office space requirements, with some opting for smaller footprints or flexible lease arrangements. Additionally, the retail sector has faced challenges as online shopping continues to gain traction, leading to vacancies in malls and commercial centers. However, there are opportunities for adaptive reuse as vacant retail spaces are repurposed for logistics, healthcare, or residential purposes.

Impact on Investment Strategies:

Investors in the real estate market have had to adapt to the changing landscape brought about by the pandemic. Traditional investment strategies may no longer be viable in the face of uncertainty and volatility. As a result, there has been growing interest in alternative real estate investments such as industrial properties, data centers, and healthcare facilities. These sectors have demonstrated resilience during the pandemic and offer attractive risk-adjusted returns.

Technology and Innovation:

The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of technology in the real estate industry. Virtual tours, digital transactions, and remote property management tools have become essential tools for buyers, sellers, and agents alike. Moreover, advancements in proptech and smart home technology have become increasingly relevant as homeowners prioritize convenience, comfort, and sustainability.

If you have any enquiries visit the below links

Home for Sale in Caledon

Homes For Sale In Brampton, Ontario

Homes for Sale in Mississauga

[topoet]

Tired

How To Lay Down find a surface flat preferably Tired I start this day after a good night’s sleep tired tired of going through the motions tired of changing the motions yet getting the same results <> the endlessness of it all is boring it is no longer a challenge to resist the temptation to go back to bed <> my skin is tired of holding my body together of holding everything…

[immaculatasknight]

Canada's slimy swamp of lawyers