COVID-19

Island Health’s Dr. Mike Benusic and public health nurse Sandra Bishop at the Quadra Village Community Centre before the site starts administering vaccines to children between the ages of six months to four years old on Aug. 2. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Victoria community centre to rollout COVID-19 vaccines for kids under 5

Doses are being administered at Quadra Village Community Centre as of Aug. 2

 

Riley Oldford, 16-years-old and who suffers from cerebral palsy, is the first N.W.T. youth to get the Pfizer vaccine, receives the needle from Nurse practitioner Janie Neudorf in Yellowknife on Thursday May 6, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Bill Braden

Once months ahead, N.W.T. behind in COVID-19 vaccine rollout for 4th doses

The National Advisory Committee stressed the importance of a fall booster program

 

Residents are shown at Idola Saint-Jean long-term care home in Laval, Que., on February 25, 2022. A think tank that’s been compiling data on COVID-19 in Canadian long-term care homes says it has to stop its work because provinces are no longer making enough information public about the spread of the virus in the sector. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Project tracking COVID-19 in Canadian long-term care paused due to lack of data

The website for the Long-Term Care COVID-19 Tracker Project will remain available online

 

COVID-19 monitoring could be done through sampling at the Capital Regional District’s McLoughlin Point and other wastewater treatment facilities. (Courtesy of the CRD)

Capital Regional District open to future COVID-19 monitoring through wastewater

Region awaits response about involvement in BCCDC sampling

COVID-19 monitoring could be done through sampling at the Capital Regional District’s McLoughlin Point and other wastewater treatment facilities. (Courtesy of the CRD)
Dr. Nordine, a Kelowna-based physician is no longer able to work at a local detox centre because of his failure to comply with the provincial vaccination mandate (Joshua Nordine/Facebook)

Campaign aims to get unvaxxed health care workers back in B.C. hospitals

‘Hire Back our Heroes’ campaigners says an entire career should not be tainted by one decision

Dr. Nordine, a Kelowna-based physician is no longer able to work at a local detox centre because of his failure to comply with the provincial vaccination mandate (Joshua Nordine/Facebook)
A notice of civil claim has been filed against the City of Quesnel, the city’s manager, and the provincial government by non-vaccinated employees who were terminated earlier this year. (Photo courtesy of City of Quesnel)

Former employees launch lawsuit against City of Quesnel around vaccine mandates

A notice of civil claim was recently filed in B.C. Supreme Court

A notice of civil claim has been filed against the City of Quesnel, the city’s manager, and the provincial government by non-vaccinated employees who were terminated earlier this year. (Photo courtesy of City of Quesnel)
In this March 2021 file photo provided by Pfizer, vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are prepared for packaging at the company’s facility in Puurs, Belgium. (Pfizer via AP)

COVID vaccines saved 20M lives in 1st year, scientists say

Researchers used data from 185 countries

In this March 2021 file photo provided by Pfizer, vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine are prepared for packaging at the company’s facility in Puurs, Belgium. (Pfizer via AP)
Dr. Bonnie Henry. (Submitted Photo)

PODCAST: Dr. Bonnie Henry discusses COVID-19 and what’s next for B.C.

TODAY IN B.C.: One-on-one chat with provincial health officer

Dr. Bonnie Henry. (Submitted Photo)
Ross Wightman has been approved for compensation after falling ill due to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (Ross Wightman/Facebook)

Lake Country man one of 1st in Canada to be approved for COVID vaccine injury compensation

The program will pay up to $284,000 for pain and suffering

Ross Wightman has been approved for compensation after falling ill due to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (Ross Wightman/Facebook)
Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus addresses delegates during the first day of the 75th World Health Assembly at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Sunday, May 22, 2022. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

WHO chief: COVID pandemic is ‘most certainly not over’

‘We lower our guard at our peril’

Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus addresses delegates during the first day of the 75th World Health Assembly at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Sunday, May 22, 2022. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
Dozens display signs at the BC Health Care Matters rally on May 19, 2022, at the legislature for World Family Doctor Day. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)

B.C. family doctor shortage sparks hundreds to rally in Victoria

Advocates say 1 in 5 people in B.C. lack a general practitioner

Dozens display signs at the BC Health Care Matters rally on May 19, 2022, at the legislature for World Family Doctor Day. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)
(Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedom graphic)

Fraser Valley woman has $5,750 COVID violation ticket dropped by Crown

Alberta’s Justice Centre defended ‘Ms. C’ who refused PCR test at U.S. border crossing

(Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedom graphic)
In this photo provided by Pfizer, a lab technician visually inspects COVID-19 Paxlovid tablet samples in Freiburg, Germany in December 2021. As more doctors prescribe Pfizer’s powerful COVID-19 pill, new questions are emerging about its performance, including why a small number of patients appear to relapse after taking the drug. (Pfizer via AP, File)

Rare cases of COVID returning pose questions for Pfizer pill

U.S. government has spent more than $10 billion to purchase pills

In this photo provided by Pfizer, a lab technician visually inspects COVID-19 Paxlovid tablet samples in Freiburg, Germany in December 2021. As more doctors prescribe Pfizer’s powerful COVID-19 pill, new questions are emerging about its performance, including why a small number of patients appear to relapse after taking the drug. (Pfizer via AP, File)
A rat crosses a Times Square subway platform in New York on Jan. 27, 2015. So far this year, people have called in some 7,100 rat sightings — that’s up from about 5,800 during the same period last year, and up by more than 60% from roughly the first four months of 2019, the last pre-pandemic year. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

Oh, rats! As New Yorkers emerge from pandemic, so do rodents

Through April, people have called in some 7,400 rat sightings

A rat crosses a Times Square subway platform in New York on Jan. 27, 2015. So far this year, people have called in some 7,100 rat sightings — that’s up from about 5,800 during the same period last year, and up by more than 60% from roughly the first four months of 2019, the last pre-pandemic year. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
Parents in Kelowna lack confidence in the vaccination (Metro Creative Graphics Photo)

Majority of B.C. parents vaccinated, but most kids are not

Parents in B.C. say they are wary of mRNA vaccination technology when it comes to their kids

Parents in Kelowna lack confidence in the vaccination (Metro Creative Graphics Photo)
Families embrace after a flight from Los Angeles arrived at Auckland International Airport as New Zealand’s border opened for visa-waiver countries Monday, May 2, 2022. New Zealand welcomed tourists from the U.S., Canada, Britain, Japan and more than 50 other countries for the first time in more than two years as it dropped most of its remaining pandemic border restrictions. (Jed Bradley/New Zealand Herald via AP)

New Zealand welcomes back tourists as COVID-19 pandemic rules eased

Visitors will need to be vaccinated

Families embrace after a flight from Los Angeles arrived at Auckland International Airport as New Zealand’s border opened for visa-waiver countries Monday, May 2, 2022. New Zealand welcomed tourists from the U.S., Canada, Britain, Japan and more than 50 other countries for the first time in more than two years as it dropped most of its remaining pandemic border restrictions. (Jed Bradley/New Zealand Herald via AP)
Bill Singer checks for proof of vaccination at the doors of the Rumrunner Pub, which he owns and manages in Sidney. His decision to keep the vaccination requirement in place has sparked online criticism but also earned praise from customers. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Vancouver Island pub still checking vaccine passports getting support from patrons

Owner Bill Singer thought other establishments would make the same decision

Bill Singer checks for proof of vaccination at the doors of the Rumrunner Pub, which he owns and manages in Sidney. His decision to keep the vaccination requirement in place has sparked online criticism but also earned praise from customers. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Wildland firefighter Ty Feldinger works on steep terrain to put out hot spots remaining from a controlled burn the B.C. Wildfire Service conducted to help contain the White Rock Lake wildfire on Okanagan Indian Band land, northwest of Vernon on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

Vaccine policy to remain in place for B.C. Wildfire Service

All B.C. government employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19

Wildland firefighter Ty Feldinger works on steep terrain to put out hot spots remaining from a controlled burn the B.C. Wildfire Service conducted to help contain the White Rock Lake wildfire on Okanagan Indian Band land, northwest of Vernon on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
Travelers wait in a security line at Love Field in Dallas, Tuesday, April 19, 2022. The major airlines and many of the busiest airports dropped their mask requirements after a Florida judge struck down the CDC mandate and the Transportation Security Administration announced it wouldn’t enforce its 2021 security directive. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Most people in U.S. want masks for travellers: AP-NORC poll

Polling shows a wide partisan divide on the mask issue

Travelers wait in a security line at Love Field in Dallas, Tuesday, April 19, 2022. The major airlines and many of the busiest airports dropped their mask requirements after a Florida judge struck down the CDC mandate and the Transportation Security Administration announced it wouldn’t enforce its 2021 security directive. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Mickey and Minnie Mouse perform during a parade as they pass by the Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The theme park resort announced Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, that face coverings will be optional for fully-vaccinated visitors in all indoor and outdoor locations, with one exception. Face masks still will be needed for visitors ages 2 and older on enclosed transportation, such as the resort’s monorail, buses and the resort’s sky gondola. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)

Walt Disney World in Orlando lifts last of its facemask requirements

Masks now only optional for all areas of resort

Mickey and Minnie Mouse perform during a parade as they pass by the Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The theme park resort announced Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, that face coverings will be optional for fully-vaccinated visitors in all indoor and outdoor locations, with one exception. Face masks still will be needed for visitors ages 2 and older on enclosed transportation, such as the resort’s monorail, buses and the resort’s sky gondola. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)