Coronavirus (COVID-19) National News

Several provinces are lowering their minimum age requirement for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, allowing those 40 and older to receive the jab as unruly spread of COVID-19 continues in their jurisdictions.

Ottawa had planned to take delivery of about 1.2 million doses from Moderna as well, but that was before government officials revealed last week that the shipment would be both delayed and scaled back. 

The point man for Canada's vaccine rollout is aiming to ensure provinces aren't left scrambling when doses don't arrive as planned, as Ontario reported a record number of new daily COVID-19 infections. Maj.-Gen.

Quebec said it has given out 185,000 doses of AstraZeneca so far, and this is the first and only blood clot report, making it an extremely rare event. Nationally, Health Canada only has data up to April 3, which showed less than 500,000 doses had been given out at that point. Updated data is expected today.

As the survey says, respondents anticipated spending more than one-third of extra savings from the pandemic over the next two years, and over one-tenth to pay down debt.

Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, the military officer overseeing the federal government’s vaccination distribution effort, blamed the delay in Moderna’s planned delivery on a “backlog with quality assurance."

Several jurisdictions are reporting that a majority of patients in hospital are under age 60.

By the end of the first quarter, Canada had received a total of 9.5 million doses – ahead of the 6 million originally promised by the federal government despite production disruptions that slowed vaccine supply to a trickle in February and early March.

OTTAWA — The number of active COVID-19 cases in First Nations communities has declined by 80 per cent since mid-January thanks to the high uptake of vaccines, says the top doctor at Indigenous Services Canada. Dr.

OTTAWA — Canada's deputy chief public health officer wouldn't hesitate to roll up his sleeve if the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine were offered to him tomorrow, he said this week. Dr. Howard Njoo, along with chief public health officer Dr.