“Today, we are reporting 887 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, including three epi-linked cases, for a total of 29,973 cases in British Columbia. Since yesterday, we have had 612 cases in the Fraser Health region. There have been 13 new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 384 deaths in British Columbia. We have had two new health-care facility outbreaks at Royal Ascot Care Centre and Amica White Rock. The outbreaks at Hamlets at Westsyde, Peace Portal Seniors Village and Village by the Station are over. There have been no new community outbreaks. Slow and steady is what we need with COVID-19 and it is how we will get through this second wave. The efforts we make each day make a difference. Let’s support our public health teams, which are tirelessly working to track the virus, break the chain of transmission and keep all of us safe. The best way to do that is for each of us to keep to as few faces as possible right now.” – Doctor Bonnie Henry
The hundreds of new daily COVID-19 cases in BC are threatening to overwhelm the province’s contact tracing teams, but Dr. Bonnie Henry says contact tracers haven’t reached their limit yet — although they’re close. She revealed last week was particularly challenging for contact tracers, who are trying to find who patients hung out with in the days before they fell ill and alert them to self-isolate. At the same time, she reassured residents that BC is “committed” to its contact tracing approach, and is making changes so the system can function more effectively.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says she doesn’t have any time for those who think wearing a mask makes them ill, or is a limitation of their personal freedom. B-C recorded 738 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday, along with 13 deaths. Henry told a news conference yesterday that she objects to people who don’t want to follow the province’s mandatory mask requirements. B-C made masks mandatory in indoor public spaces last week. People who refuse to wear a mask face a 230-dollar fine.
Vancouver City Council has unanimously passed a motion asking the federal government to decriminalize the simple possession of all illicit drugs in Vancouver. In the first steps to prevent people who possess a small amount of illicit drugs in Vancouver from being arrested, the city is asking the federal government to allow an exemption to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. The city says the change could make a significant difference and save lives as B.C. continues to struggle with the overdose crisis.
There is still a parade in New York for Thanksgiving this year. Organizers say the 94th edition of the holiday classic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be reimagined to accommodate the pandemic. That means the route has been limited to just one block and the famous balloon will be handled by trucks instead of hundreds of handlers.
The closure of the Toys ‘R’ Us and Dollarama stores in Whalley is part of a plan to develop a “Georgetown” community on the site. The toy store closed for good on Oct. 24, followed by the ‘dollar’ retailer a couple weeks later. Most of the now-vacant building will be demolished, with close to 7,600 square feet of it converted into a presentation centre for use by Anthem Properties, owners of the site, at Whalley Boulevard and 102nd Ave.
It’s a rough year for the Surrey Christmas Bureau, as they struggle to come up with enough toys and donations for families in need this holiday season. The Bureau, says COVID has left many suffering financially and that’s meant more families need help. They say they are seeing a lot of families come to them for help that have never been to a Christmas bureau before and have been on CERB or laid off for much of the year. And with the pandemic, the bureau itself has had to make some major changes as most of their volunteers have had to step aside because of the dangers of the virus.
Canada now has agreements to buy COVID-19 vaccines from more than half-a-dozen drug makers. Federal health officials say purchase agreements with vaccine makers are now final for five of the seven companies involved. The agreements are with companies including Pfizer and Moderna, whose vaccines are expected to be approved first. Negotiations are ongoing to finalize purchase agreements with Johnson and Johnson, and Novavax. A top public health official says priority groups should start receiving COVID-19 vaccine doses early next year. Those first in line will include seniors, people with serious health conditions and essential workers.
“Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek made sure to pre-record a Thanksgiving message before passing away from stage four pancreatic cancer. He offered comforting words, saying ”in spite of what America and the rest of the world is experiencing right now, there are many reasons to be thankful.“ He went on to say that there are more and more people extending helpful hands to do a kindness to their neighbours — and that’s a good thing. Trebek died November 8th at the age of 80
COVID-19 has changed a lot of things this holiday season but it hasn’t changed the need to keep drinking drivers off the road. The Insurance Corporation of B-C, R-C-M-P detachments and municipal police forces around the province launch annual CounterAttack holiday road checks tomorrow night, continuing through December and into the new year. I-C-B-C says an average of 67 people die in B-C annually because of impaired driving, with the highest number in the southern Interior where an average of 23 people are killed by drunk drivers. Statistics from I-C-B-C show an average of 17 people are involved in fatal impaired driving crashes annually on the Lower Mainland and across north-central B-C, while the average dips to 11 deaths on Vancouver Island.
A B-C school superintendent is apologizing to an Indigenous mother who pointed out a homework assignment asking students for “positive experiences” with residential schools. Krista MacInnis says she began crying when her daughter asked her for help with the Grade 6 assignment from William A. Fraser Middle School in Abbotsford, B-C. Abbotsford school district superintendent Kevin Godden says in a statement that the homework is a disservice to the district’s commitment to truth and reconciliation. Education Minister Rob Fleming said the ministry contacted the school district when the assignment was brought to its attention.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. says more than 11-thousand condos were added to the rental market in Metro Vancouver last year. It says in a report that the number was spurred in part by taxes on empty homes. But the report cautions that the additions didn’t outweigh the strong demand or vacancy rate in Metro Vancouver. The report was released as city council voted yesterday to increase its empty homes tax to three per cent for next year.