Coronavirus: Ford taps Gen. Rick Hillier to lead vaccine distribution task force

The Washington Post is reporting that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials are telling vaccine providers to prepare for a Feb 21 rollout of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 6 months to 4 years, just 1 week after advisers from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are set to vote on an emergency authorization of the vaccine.

A cross-sectional study of more than half a million National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 athletes and 3.5 million nonathletes suggests that participation in collegiate athletics was not tied to higher COVID-19 test positivity in the 2020-21 academic year.

Ontario’s top medical official, Dr.

On Thursday, due to a decrease in COVID-19 cases and higher rate of youth vaccinations, Ontario’s top doctor Dr. Kieran Moore announced schools have the green light to resume extra-curricular activities such as sports and musical practices – to which students could remove their face masks.

Bob Saget’s autopsy report showed that he had contracted COVID-19 at the time of his death. The report, which showed that he’d died from head trauma and internal injuries, also found that a test on his respiratory system showed that he was positive for COVID when he died on January 9.

RELATED: COVID-19 may make common pregnancy complications worse, study suggestsThe study bolsters evidence from small case reports and it confirms that placenta damage rather than an infection of the fetus is the likely cause of many COVID-19-related stillbirths, said Dr. Jeffery Goldstein, a pathologist at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.He was not involved in the study, which was published Thursday in Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine.RELATED: COVID-19 vaccines could temporarily impact length of menstrual cycles, study saysDr.

ATLANTA - While several studies already show that face masks and respirators effectively filter virus-sized particles and help reduce the spread of COVID-19 transmission, yet, another study is backing this evidence up. According to a study, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week, consistent use of a face mask or respirator in indoor public settings was associated with lower odds of a positive COVID-19 test. The study enrolled randomly selected California residents who had received a test result for COVID-19 between Feb. 18, 2021 and Dec.

HAZLETON, Pa. - DNA and a 20-year-old genealogy expert helped state police identify the man who abducted, raped and murdered a young girl in a case that rattled a Pennsylvania coal town nearly six decades ago, officials announced Thursday.State police exhumed the long-dead assailant's body last month and said his DNA precisely matched DNA left on the jacket of the victim, 9-year-old Marise Ann Chiverella, who was snatched on the morning of March 18, 1964, as she walked to school in Hazleton, about 80 miles (129 kilometers) north of Philadelphia.Her body was found that afternoon in a nearby waste coal pit. Authorities say she was raped and strangled.Police identified her killer as James Paul Forte, a bartender with a record of violent sexual assault, who died of natural causes in 1980 at age 38.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Astra Space, Inc. launched its first rocket from Florida on Thursday marking a historic milestone for the Alameda, California-based company.

Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan has opened up on his fears for the Queen after Prince Charles tested positive for Covid-19 just two days after seeing her. Piers said he feels "deep unease" about the news.It is the second time Charles has contracted the virus, testing positive on Thursday (February 10) morning.

Patty Hajdu says the number of COVID-19 infections in First Nations communities has begun to decline, bringing hope that the worst of the Omicron wave has passed.Hajdu says she understands why Indigenous leaders are sounding an alarm that progress could be lost in regions where provincial governments are rapidly moving to lift public health orders.“Indigenous leaders obviously are concerned,” Hajdu said during a news conference Thursday. High anxiety levels expected in Canadians wary of COVID restrictions lifting - experts Daily active case counts in Indigenous communities have declined 13.2 per cent from last week.

A study in Qatar estimates that previous COVID-19 infection imparts 56% protection against future symptomatic infection caused by the highly transmissible Omicron variant, down from about 90% for other SARS-CoV-2 strains.The study, published yesterday in the New England Journal of Medici

COVID-19 update since Sunday, the Saskatchewan government reported 5,401 provincial PCR confirmed cases and 22 new deaths between Jan. 30 and Feb.

Super Bowl this weekend. The DHS said in a bulletin sent to local and state law enforcement agencies that it has received reports that truckers are planning to "potentially block roads in major metropolitan cities" in a protest against vaccine mandates and other issues. DHS said the convoy could begin in Southern California as early as this weekend, possibly disrupting traffic around the Super Bowl, and reach Washington in March in time for the State of the Union, according to a copy of Tuesday’s bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. It said that the protest could be disruptive and tie up traffic but that there have been no calls for violence. Meanwhile, the truck blockade by Canadians protesting the country’s COVID-19 restrictions is tightening the screws on the auto industry, forcing Ford, General Motors and other car companies to shut down plants or otherwise reduce production on both sides of the U.S.

Middlesex-London Health Unit said Thursday that anyone who visits any of its vaccine clinics will be able to choose between the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.However, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is currently the only COVID-19 vaccine approved by Health Canada for children aged five to 11 years old. COVID-19 vaccine and booster tracker: How many Canadians are vaccinated? The MLHU’s decision impacts all of the health unit’s mass vaccination clinics, as well as the pop-up vaccination clinics hosted by the Middlesex-London Paramedic Service and the Community Hub COVID-19 vaccination clinics in schools.Since late December, the MLHU had been prioritizing the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for people age 29 and under and providing the Moderna vaccine to clients 30 and over, citing limited supply of the Pfizer vaccine.The health unit is hoping the ability to choose will help increase vaccine availability and uptake, noting that only 51.9 per cent of eligible residents aged 18 and older had received a third dose as of Jan.

PHILADELPHIA - Investigators with the Philadelphia Police Department are offering a $20,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest in a homicide from January. According to police, the department is working to identify the people responsible for the death of an 18-year-old woman on Jan. 13, 2022.

CULPEPER, Va. - President Joe Biden on Thursday touted how his "Build Back Better" policies would limit the cost of prescription drugs and make life more affordable for U.S. families during an appearance in Virginia.Biden’s visit to the town of Culpeper, Virginia, came on the heels of the release of the U.S.

Boris Johnson ending Covid isolation rules is a "distraction" from the PM's lockdown party scandal, said Professor Devi Sridhar who is a member of the Scottish Government Covid-19 Advisory Group.

2022 Academy Awards are just over a month away and while the night is sure to be unforgettable with surprises and snubs, one thing will not be in the cards: covid-19 vaccinations.Hollywood’s biggest night won’t require COVID-19 vaccinations proof for anyone attending the event.The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, according to The Hollywood Reporter, is only asking for attendees to show a negative PCR test or a negative rapid antigen test on the day of the ceremony. Nominees, presenters and stars will gather on March 27 at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theater to celebrate the best and brightest in film.This year’s SAG Awards and Critics Choice Awards, on the other hand, will both require vaccinations.A rep for the SAG Awards (to be held on Feb.

The Queen is being monitored despite not showing any COVID-19 symptoms after her son Prince Charles contracted the virus for a second time Thursday.

Middlesex-London Health Unit reported seven deaths and 115 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, compared with three deaths and 189 cases last Thursday.The deaths involved three men and four women ranging in age from their 60s to 90s. Three were associated with long-term care.LHSC, meanwhile, is caring for 91 inpatients with COVID-19, 22 of whom are in adult critical care.As noted, LHSC is caring for 91 COVID-19 inpatients, with 22 inpatients in adult critical care.

NEW CASTLE, Del. - Delaware State Police is investigating a fatal pedestrian crash that took place on Wednesday evening. According to police, the incident happened near Frenchtown Road in the area of Quigley Boulevard around 5:58 p.m. A 21-year-old woman, who has not yet been identified, was walking on the right shoulder of eastbound Rt. 273.

DARBY TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Briarcliffe Fire Company has been shut down for at least the next 30 days as Delaware County officials investigate the alleged use of racial slurs on a recent virtual meeting. The fire company, located in Darby Township will not be receiving fire calls during the suspension. The suspension comes after a Jan. 27 virtual meeting between township fire companies and commissioners about a potential consolidation. According to a letter from the Goodwill Fire Company obtained by FOX 29, following the end of the meeting, a group of people remained on the call. The letter says there was then a group of people that could be heard discussing the meeting using foul language, and identifies those involved in the conversation as members of the Briarcliffe Fire Company. The conversation, which lasted an hour and 45 minutes, allegedly included racial slurs when discussing members of other fire companies and township residents.One of the Briarcliffe Fire Company members was also accused of making a joke about, Fanta Bility, a young girl who was killed in a shooting in Sharon Hill last fall.Derogatory and otherwise offensive comments were also allegedly made about other township officials.Township officials say the incident is under investigation, and that a criminal referral is expected to be made to the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office. MORE HEADLINES:In their letter, the Goodwill Fire Company Board of directors expressed their concern for the fire companies and safety of the community. "This is not appropriate and does not belong in the township," the letter read. Darby Township officials are scheduled to speak on the issue at 2 p.m.

When asked about the “many issues” with people trying to obtain flu shots this year and how this could potentially be a challenge regarding the rollout of the upcoming COVID-19 vaccine, Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Friday said he has “100 per cent confidence” in the taskforce to distribute the coronavirus vaccine and that this “mission” will be accomplished, even with “bumps in the road.” He added that the two vaccines can’t be compared.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Solicitor General Sylvia Jones, Health Minister Christine Elliott and Gen.

COVID-19 vaccine in early 2021 as previously stated.Premier Doug Ford said on Monday the province was expecting to start receiving the vaccine in the early part of the year. Elliott said the same on Nov.

As Ontario’s Durham, Halton, Hamilton and Waterloo regions have moved into the red control level of coronavirus risk in recent weeks, Premier Doug Ford on Thursday announced $13.6 million in funding to provide “extra support” for school boards in those areas.

After Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott on Thursday mentioned the Canadian federal government reportedly said the province may no longer be receiving COVID-19 vaccines in early 2021 anymore as details have not yet been finalized, Premier Doug Ford told reporters during a press conference in Mississauga, Ont., “let’s get some answers,” regarding the rollout of vaccines.

Ontario reports 1,373 new coronavirus cases, 35 more deaths The Ford Government recently initiated lockdowns in Toronto and Peel regions, but this hasn’t stopped some from protesting these decisions.On Thursday, Kingston-area MPP Randy Hillier is planning a demonstration outside of Queen’s Park.“The police, the health departments, nobody is charging me or others for violating these unlawful orders, and now I want to test these orders. I want to test these laws that Doug Ford has enacted,” said Hillier via zoom on Tuesday.Hillier held a similar protest on Oct.

COVID-19 crisis, and it’s a damning assessment of mismanagement and poor leadership.The auditor general cites confusing and contradictory information from the Ford government and the chief medical officer, Dr. David Williams.In fact, Williams was the focus of much of the AG’s negative review, to the point of questioning if Williams is the right choice for the job.

Ontario has appointed retired Gen. Rick Hillier, the former of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), to lead the province’s COVID-19 vaccine task force. Mercedes Stephenson spoke with Hillier about his new role.

COVID-19 rapid tests, with the new tools already being used in some hospitals and long-term care homes.Premier Doug Ford says rapid tests, which can produce results in minutes rather than days, have been sent to 36 long-term care homes and 27 retirement homes, as well as some hospitals.He says the province will continue to deploy the 98,000 ID Now tests and 1.2 million Panbio tests it has received from the federal government in the coming weeks.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he wishes Adamson BBQ in Etobicoke, Ont. to follow public health rules after bylaw officers didn’t ticket people dining in the restaurant in Peel region which is under lockdown.

Doug Ford‘s assurance that when the COVID-19 vaccines are widely distributed, life will get back to normal is, in fact, not the least bit reassuring to those of us who are dealing with the virus and the collateral damage that the virus is causing in our communities.Conventional wisdom suggests that, even with the latest good news about vaccine development, it will still be sometime next summer before any vaccine will be available to most of us.The premier can hire whomever he wants to oversee the distribution of vaccines, but that distribution will be totally dependent on how many doses are available and when they’ll be available and the province will have little control over that.

coronavirus pandemic around eight months ago, more than 2,200 long-term care residents in Ontario have died from COVID-19.Long-term care deaths account for nearly two-thirds of all COVID-19-related deaths in the province.Out of the province’s 626 long-term care facilities, the virus crept into over half of them, causing outbreaks in more than 400.It’s clear that the homes have been among the hardest-hit areas in Ontario during the pandemic, both in the first and second waves.

Premier Doug Ford has enlisted the help of a retired Canadian military general to help his government plan the logistics involved in distributing millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford defended his government’s decision to extend the term of chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams, saying he does not believe in “changing a dance partner in the middle of a dance.”

COVID-19 vaccines in early 2021, he has appointed Canada’s former Canadian Forces chief of defence staff to lead the province’s vaccination effort.“When those doses are ready, we have to be ready as well,” Ford said.“The easy part of this is to cut a cheque and order the vaccines … the toughest thing for all provinces is logistics and distribution.”In Ford’s daily update on Monday, he announced the task force will advise the province’s development and implementation of an immunization program, including the “ethical, timely and effective distribution” of the COVID-19 vaccines in Ontario.

COVID-19 hot spots rushed out into a snowstorm to tackle Christmas shopping, stock up on supplies or squeeze in last-minute haircuts on Sunday as they prepared to hunker down for a lockdown meant to curb the spread of COVID-19.Their last-minute preparations came a day before Toronto and Peel Region were set to move into the grey classification of the province’s pandemic response framework, a move announced by Premier Doug Ford on Friday.The shift to “lockdown” means all but essential retailers will be forced to limit their services or close their doors entirely due to case numbers that have stayed well over 1,000 a day for several weeks.But those numbers didn’t scare off shoppers at Toronto’s Eaton Centre.

pandemic protection plan.It means that for at least the next 28 days, non-essential retailers can only offer curbside pickup, while restaurants are closed to all but takeout and delivery orders in the two COVID-19 hot spots.Personal services have also been forced to close, but schools and child-care centres remain open. Here’s what you can and can’t do in Toronto, Peel Region during coronavirus lockdown stage Premier Doug Ford announced the move on Friday, but it didn’t come into effect until 12:01 a.m.

coronavirus pandemic in the Greater Toronto Area for Sunday:Sunday marks the last day before Toronto and Peel Region enter lockdown.Premier Doug Ford has urged people not to panic buy, but even Saturday, there were lineups outside stores.Some malls have extended their hours this weekend to try to reduce the number of people inside during peak times.Starting Monday non-essential retailers in Toronto and Peel will be limited to curbside pickup, while indoor dining will be banned, and salons and gyms will shutter.

COVID-19 cases continue to surge.Retailer Indigo Books & Music Inc.

COVID-19 lockdown seems to have permanently affected how and whether any of the small businesses on Main and Queen streets do business. The scene was no different Friday afternoon before an announcement by Premier Doug Ford confirming Brampton small business owners’ worst fears: a 28-day, COVID-19-related lockdown.For Rob Rutledge, owner of the long-running Al’s Barbershop, it’s hard news to swallow.

Following Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s announcement of Toronto and Peel Region entering a lockdown due to rising COVID-19 cases on Friday, Toronto Mayor John Tory said without restrictions like these, the coronavirus could “spread like wildfire.”

Toronto Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa on Friday voiced her concern for the city’s rising number of COVID-19 cases following Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s announcement that the city, along with Peel Region, would enter a lockdown starting next Monday.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced on Friday that Toronto and Peel Region would move into lockdown amid the second wave of COVID-19, beginning Monday Nov. 23.

lockdown measures in the second wave of the novel coronavirus pandemic will deal an especially hard blow to small and independent retailers, experts warn.On Friday, the government of Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced sweeping new restrictions to combat the recent surge of COVID-19 cases in Toronto and Peel Region, including a temporary ban on in-store shopping for non-essential retailers. The closures will take effect on Monday, ahead of the Black Friday holiday shopping weekend.