Health
Hundreds of thousands of Canadians are travelling abroad despite Omicron
News/Business: Statistics Canada tallied more than 700,000 Canadian air passenger arrivals returning home from abroad in December despite Omicron's spread and Canada's advisory against international travel abroad.
As U.S. accelerates distribution of rapid tests, critics call on Ottawa to catch up
News/Politics: As Canadians grapple with the highly transmissible Omicron variant and a molecular testing regime that has all but collapsed, rapid antigen tests have become a much-needed lifeline — for those lucky enough to get their hands on one. In the U.S., 875 million at-home tests will be distributed this month.
FDA acts to expand use of treatment for COVID-19 patients with mild-to-moderate disease
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took action Friday to expand the use of the antiviral remdesivir drug Veklury to certain non-hospitalized adults and pediatric patients for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 disease.
World’s oldest man lived the 'simple life,' dies days before turning 113
The secret ingredients to longevity maybe the simple life.Saturnino de la Fuente García died on Tuesday morning in his home in León, Spain as the oldest living man at 112 years and 341 days old, just days before his 113th birthday, according to a Guinness World Records report.
CDC plans to 'pivot the language' on vaccination, Walensky says
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a Friday briefing that the agency is working to "pivot" its language regarding what it means to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Why Omicron shows it's time to update our COVID-19 vaccines
News/Health: COVID-19 vaccines work incredibly well at preventing severe disease, but future boosters will likely need to be tailored to target new and existing variants, strengthen immunity and ultimately help regain control over the pandemic.
Most cases of Havana Syndrome are not caused by foreign adversary, but some cases still under investigation
A recent Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) interim report said the majority of the mysterious cases known as Havana syndrome that has affected United States diplomats, spies, and other government officials are explained by undiagnosed medical conditions, stress, or environmental factors, rather than from a global attack by a foreign adversary like Russia.
CDC studies show COVID-19 boosters offer necessary protection against omicron variant
Speaking at the White House COVID-19 response team briefing Friday, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said three new reports released by the agency add evidence to the importance of being "up to date" with vaccinations against COVID-19.
Canada 'may' have passed peak of Omicron wave, says top doctor
News/Politics: Canada may have passed the peak of the Omicron wave but the number of people hospitalized because of COVID-19 is now at its highest level since the pandemic began, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam said today.
Biden admin awards $103M from American Rescue Plan to fight health care worker burnout
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), announced Thursday that the Biden administration would award $103 million to help respond to critical staffing needs and health care worker burnout.
Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Friday
News/World: Nepal's capital shut schools, ordered citizens to carry vaccination cards in public, banned religious festivals and instructed hotel guests to be tested every three days as it battles its biggest COVID-19 outbreak.
Delay of 3-year-old's cleft palate surgery 'heartbreaking,' says Ontario mom who was told it's non-urgent
News/Canada/Windsor: Andrea Gerardi of Windsor, Ont., has been waiting nearly two years for her son to get surgery she says would improve his quality of life, but it's been pushed to an unknown date due to the pandemic. The head of the Canadian Association of Paediatric Surgeons says people across the country are also facing surgery delays.