Personal Health and Safety

Health Canada confirmed today that it authorized the use of an updated Moderna Covid-19 vaccine which targets the XBB.1.5. variant. [node:read-more:link]

The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control has confirmed a case of the BA.2.86 strain of SARS-Cov-2, the first in Canada. While it has been added to the World Health Organization’s watchlist, officials say “there does not seem to be increased severity” and that the infected individual is not hospitalized. [node:read-more:link]

A Global Affairs Canada travel advisory posted today warns the LGBTQ+ of possible discrimination in some U.S. jurisdictions. While none were identified, 18 states have legislated restrictions and more than a dozen others seem to be following suit. [node:read-more:link]

British police confirmed today that they are investigating the deaths of 88 British residents who bought products from Canada-based websites allegedly offering lethal substances to people at risk of self-harm. It’s one several international inquiries sparked by the arrest in Canada earlier this year of Kenneth Law, charged with two counts of counseling and aiding suicide by offering potentially deadly sodium nitrite for sale. [node:read-more:link]

Wastewater sampling indicates that there is an upward trend in Covid-19 diagnoses and hospitalizations across Canada and in the U.S. Public health officials expect the uptick to continue into the fall. [node:read-more:link]

Yellowknife residents who evacuated due to wildfire concerns earlier this week are encountering official roadblocks when they try to return. The fact that the fires have not progressed has prompted some evacuees to believe the threat is over but the territorial government said April 23 that it had not cancelled its state of emergency. [node:read-more:link]

Health Canada is monitoring a new coronavirus variant which has been detected in the U.S. and elsewhere. The World Health Organization added Covid-19 BA.2.86 to its watchlist last week but no cases have been confirmed in Canada. [node:read-more:link]

Wildfires across B.C. have destroyed structures and forced more than 27,000 people to evacuate as the province remained in a state of emergency today. While some jurisdictions have lifted air quality warnings, reinstatement is always an option and crews continue to fight more than 375 active fires. [node:read-more:link]

Concerned about spillover from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. has advised its citizens in Belarus to leave “immediately” and urged others not to visit because of “the arbitrary enforcement of local laws” and the risk of detention and civil unrest. [node:read-more:link]

With wildfires laying waste to many communities western Canada, Prime Minister Trudeau said today that Facebook’s parent corporation, California-based Meta, is putting profit ahead of public safety by blocking Canadians’ access to “unbelievably essential” local news coverage. [node:read-more:link]

Thousands of residents of south-central British Columbia were advised to evacuate August 18 and even more were on standby due to proliferating wildfires. The provincial government also announced that it prepared to make evacuation compulsory if necessary. [node:read-more:link]

Personal records of more than 1.4 million Albertans were cyberattacked through a company’s IT system in July. Alberta Dental Service Corporation confirmed that a “third party” was able to obtain names, addresses and potentially banking information and that some health providers’ corporation information appeared to be affected too. [node:read-more:link]

An independent inquiry into Canada’s Covid-19 response is being recommended in a series of papers published in the British Medical Journal. Written by its international editor, they are based on input from Canadian healthcare providers and researchers as well as legal and humanitarian specialists. One contributor in Toronto called it “the start of preparing for the next emergency.” [node:read-more:link]

Federal emergency protocols for dealing with fallout from the use of tactical nuclear weapons in Europe or other radiation sources are being updated, including measures toensure that the government continues to function. The updates are in response to Russian rhetoric during its invasion of Ukraine. [node:read-more:link]

Premier Danielle Smith said today that her province will not implement a “safe supply” approach to its opioid crisis. Calling British Columbia’s approach ineffective, she said "the solution is to get people off of opioids to get their lives back.” [node:read-more:link]