COVID-19

Another day of record-breaking COVID-19 case counts across Canada prompted a new round of health announcements on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, including details of Quebec's plan to reduce isolation times for health-care workers who are exposed to or infected with COVID-19.

British Columbia is delaying the full return to classrooms in January to allow public health officials to assess the impact of the COVID-19 Omicron variant and give school staff time to implement enhanced safety measures.

Some provinces announced new measures for long-term care homes as others reported record-breaking COVID-19 infections propelled by the highly contagious Omicron variant.

Even as some provinces have reported record-high daily COVID-19 case counts, health experts are warning the real infection rate is likely much higher, pointing out that data has been clouded by holiday delays and with hospitals and testing centres reaching their limits.

In 2022, Kenney and his United Conservative government aim to forge ahead on the economy and catch up on the thousands of surgeries cancelled when hospitals were overwhelmed during the fourth wave of COVID-19 in the fall.

A rise in COVID-19 cases driven by the highly infectious Omicron variant of the virus has renewed concerns among experts about the capacity of Canada's hospitals and health-care workers to handle another wave of the pandemic.

The Trudeau government pushed backed Wednesday at U.S. President Joe Biden's televised message to vaccinated Americans that they can gather safely for the holidays despite the spread of the Omicron variant.

On the eve of the Christmas holiday, COVID-19 booster shots and rapid test kits are topping the wish lists of many Canadians as case numbers rocket to record highs across much of the nation.

Chief government whip Steven MacKinnon issued a statement Wednesday saying he is "profoundly disappointed" that Liberal MP Yves Robillard travelled outside Canada, in contravention of party instructions. 

Despite the fact that South Africa raised the alarm about the highly transmissible variant nearly one month ago, local public health agencies have found themselves unable to provide tests for the high number of suspected COVID-19 cases in their areas.

Health professionals and provincial governments are drawing up battle plans to curb the spread of COVID-19 by bringing back restrictions, while speeding up booster doses as the highly transmissible Omicron variant washes over the country.

Joly tweeted she will continue to work in isolation as she has been doing for a number of days.

Neither Doug Ford nor Jason Kenney display the intestinal fortitude needed to stare down anti-vaccine skeptics and do what’s required to protect our hospitals and health-care system, writes columnist Max Fawcett.

Hunting guides, hit hard by COVID-19 restrictions on travel keeping foreign customers out of the country, are turning to ecotourism, including wildlife viewing, snowmobiling and guided hikes, to keep their business alive during the pandemic.

Canada's battle to contain the Omicron variant continues on multiple fronts today, December 20, 2021, with three provinces reintroducing public health restrictions and a fourth expanding eligibility for COVID-19 vaccine boosters.