New restrictions ranging from venue capacity limits to indoor gatherings are now in effect in B-C. Provincial health officer Doctor Bonnie Henry says the restrictions, which will last for the next six weeks, is part of the effort to limit the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant. The restrictions also include a ban on youth and adult sports tournaments as well as the cancellation of New Year’s Eve parties. B-C reported 302 cases of the Omicron variant on Friday, up from 135 on Thursday.
Moderna says lab tests show that a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine increased the level of neutralizing antibodies able to fight the Omicron variant by 37-times….That’s for its half-dose booster shot. And a full-dose booster. which is recommended for people with weakened immune systems, was even stronger, triggering an 83-fold jump in antibody levels. Pfizer also found its COVID-19 vaccine triggered a similar big jump in Omicron-fighting antibodies.
The University of British Columbia says it understands concerns raised by students about the spread of COVID-19 in exam halls — but it won’t cancel in-person examinations. Students and representatives had called for the cancellation over worries about the lack of distancing in exam areas that hold hundreds of people as well as symptomatic students attending these exams. The school says the administration has received assurances from public health officials that in-person exams are safe. students who are worried about their health — such as those who live with family members or others who are part of a high-risk group — can ask for their exams to be deferred.
Homicide investigators have been called in after a deadly stabbing near Metrotown mall Burnaby R-C-M-P say they responded to a report of a stabbing on Sunday morning. Police say the victim was taken to hospital where they were pronounced dead.
The Coquihalla Highway is set to reopen today to essential traffic. The highway connecting the Lower Mainland and BC’s Interior has been closed ever since mid-November.
On Saturday, it was announced that Saturday and Sunday’s Canucks games had been called off due to rising COVID-19 cases across the NHL No make-up dates have been announced yet. The news came as a bummer to fans who were in the midst of watching their team on a six-game winning streak since hiring head coach Bruce Boudreau. But there is some good coming out of it. Canucks owner and CEO Francesco Aquilini shared that the team would be donating the food from the postponed games to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank
and the Salvation Army.