Christmas Mass conundrum
Catholics across Canada will mull whether they should attend Christmas week Masses in person or if they should just stay home and watch a virtual service.
For many, the choice has been taken out of their hands. Current government pandemic restrictions vary nationwide depending upon the severity of COVID-19 cases in an area. Provinces like British Columbia have completely shut down access to public worship, while in the Toronto archdiocese, restrictions vary depending upon the locale of the parish.
The City of Toronto, Peel and York Region parishes have been completely shut down to public services, as capacity limits of 10 have essentially removed in-person services from consideration. Other areas of the archdiocese have less stringent capacity restrictions in place, as does most of Ontario.
Canadian Press | Dec 16, 2020 | News | 6
The COVID-19 vaccine may not be mandatory for Canadians, but those who choose to opt out of getting the shot could face restrictions down the road.
Some experts expect airlines to require proof of vaccination from their customers in the near future, with Australia’s Qantas already suggesting that’s in their plans, and things like concerts and sporting events could follow suit.
While some individuals may take that as an invasion of privacy or erosion of civil liberties, Juliet Guichon, an associate professor of law and ethics at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine, says preventing another global pandemic would outweigh those concerns.
Melissa Couto Zuber
A woman makes her way through Pearson International Airport during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto on Monday, December 14, 2020.
Image Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette December 15, 2020 - 8:00 PM The COVID-19 vaccine may not be mandatory for Canadians, but those who choose to opt out of getting the shot could face restrictions down the road. Some experts expect airlines to require proof of vaccination from their customers in the near future, with Australia s Qantas already suggesting that s in their plans, and things like concerts and sporting events could follow suit. While some individuals may take that as an invasion of privacy or erosion of civil liberties, Juliet Guichon, an associate professor of law and ethics at the University of Calgary s Cumming School of Medicine, says preventing another global pandemic would outweigh those concerns.
CALGARY A review of Alberta Health data on influenza deaths shows more people have died of COVID-19 in 2020 that died of flu since the 2009-10 flu season. The reported data showed no more than 562 people died from the flu over the last decade in the province, compared to the 719 deaths attributed to COVID-19 since March. Protesters angered by public health officials and government responses to the novel coronavirus have commonly claimed tests are falsely identifying seasonal flu as COVID-19. But an immunologist with University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine says that’s impossible. “There is essentially no way to confuse an influenza virus which looks completely different genetically and structurely from coronavirus,” says Craig Jenne, who teaches in the department of Microbiology Immunology and Infectious disease at U of C’s Cumming School of Medicine.
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How have you been impacted by COVID-19?
Postmedia is looking to speak with people who may have been impacted by the growing second wave of COVID-19 here in Alberta. Do you have a child or teen who caught COVID-19? Are you a front-line worker? Send us an email at reply@calgaryherald.com to tell us your experience, or send us a message via this form. Source: Alberta Health, end of day Dec. 10, 2020
Alberta is leading Canada’s brutal second wave of COVID infections. How did we get here? Scenes around Calgary during the COVID-19 pandemic, Postmedia photographers. Photo of nurses courtesy Leah Hennel/AHS. Photo of Dr. Deena Hinshaw courtesy Chris Schwarz/Alberta government.