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The man the Queen has described as her rock and her “strength and stay” Prince Philip, passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle at the age 99. The Queen’s husband was admitted to a London hospital on Feb. 17 after feeling unwell. He spent a month in hospital and was released on March 16, when he returned to Windsor Castle. His illness was said to not be related to COVID-19 — the Queen and Philip were vaccinated against the coronavirus in early January. Buckingham Palace issued a statement reading — quote — “It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.” Philip married Elizabeth in 1947 and was the longest-serving consort in British history.

 

Eight firefighters and police officers in Surrey have tested positive for COVID-19 within the span of a week, sending 18 more first responders into self-isolation, and the fire chief wants to know when crews will be vaccinated. As B.C. continues to break daily records for new infections with the highest number concentrated in the Fraser Health Region, Chief Larry Thomas says he worries that community spread will soon impact staffing levels, undermining the Surrey Fire Service’s capacity to respond to calls. In the last week, however, three members have tested positive along with five police officers. Thomas says cases among first responders reflect what’s going on in the community, and the lack of a vaccination timeline is causing undue stress. Thomas says he’s not asking for members to be moved ahead of anyone else in line for the vaccine, but a clear timeline would help allay some of his anxiety. A program prioritizing first responders — as well as teachers, child care staff, grocery store workers, and others — is on pause, as the AstraZeneca vaccine is currently not recommended for people under 55 years of age. Those doses have since been diverted to pharmacies to be administered to people aged 55 to 65.

 

The Surrey Board of Trade is hailing a 50-million-dollar pandemic relief package for about 14-thousand businesses, but says it will continue to call for more action to help members. Businesses such as bars, restaurants and gyms that were affected by the latest provincial health order are eligible for grants of up to 10-thousand dollars in one-time funding for expenses like rent, insurance and employee wages. The board of trade is urging the government to increase the threshold for provincial sales tax rebates to the beginning of the pandemic and to include unincorporated entities such as sole proprietors. It says if these businesses choose to incorporate, only machinery and equipment obtained after incorporation are eligible but that’s detrimental to startups and small businesses.

 

B-C’s education minister says she understands that rising COVID-19 case numbers have parents anxious about potential spread to schools but she believes there’s no need to close them because the province’s comprehensive safety plans are working. Jennifer Whiteside says health authorities and school districts are working together to keep students in school because it’s important for them to maintain connections there. But teachers in the Fraser Health region are calling for a hybrid in-class and online learning model as variants rise, and they want masks to be mandatory for all students, not just starting in Grade 4. Provincial health officer Doctor Bonnie Henry has rejected calls to close schools, saying that’s where the emotional needs of many students continue to be met.

 

WorkSafeB-C now has the power to temporarily close businesses where three or more employees have tested positive for COVID-19. Provincial health officer Doctor Bonnie Henry has issued an order that allows for closures of at least 10 days as the agency works with businesses to review and enhance their safety plans. Henry says outbreaks and transmissions are being seen at workplaces across the province, which recorded a single-day record of nearly 13 hundred cases yesterday, along with two more deaths. She says variants of concern have become so prevalent that special testing to identify them will no longer be routinely done and anyone who tests positive will be presumed to have one of the highly transmissible viruses.

Further covid news regarding testisting says Dr. Bonnie Henry says variants of concern have become so prevalent that special testing to identify them will no longer be routinely done and anyone who tests positive will be presumed to have one of the highly transmissible viruses. 

The pandemic is going to make the funeral for Prince Philip a low-key affair. He will be laid to rest with all the honours due a prince of the United Kingdom and a consort to Queen Elizabeth. But the pandemic has required changes to the well-prepared plans for Philip’s death. His body will not lie in state and he will not have a state funeral, which he didn’t want anyway. The palace has invited well-wishers to sign a book of condolences, but only online, to avoid crowds and queues.

Jeff Harris, one of the recently hired inspectors with the Surrey Police Service, will no longer be joining the fledgling force. Sharlene Brooks, SPS communications manager, said Friday Harris will “not be taking a position with the Surrey Police Service.” Harris was among the five newly hired inspectors the SPS announced April 1.

 

Surrey R-C-M-P say they have arrested a suspect accused of spitting in the face of a Dollarama security guard. Police began an investigation after they were provided video showing the incident occurred when an unmasked man was being escorted from the store on Tuesday. The Mounties say a 43-year-old man has been fined under the Emergency Program Act for failing to wear a mask and for abusive and belligerent behaviour. They say an assault investigation is ongoing.