Lygenztia *515 (Miss a day, miss a lot? NOPES) Tuesday June 30, 2020

So, the world made it to ten million cases....

Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 10,463,561. (Deaths: 509,325 and Recovered: 5,709,508) I emphasize reported because there is a wide variance in testing and manner of reporting from country to country and place to place.

As of 11:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday June 30, 2020:
From Global News, Canada reported 103,900 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 35,068 total confirmed cases and 2,672 total deaths. Currently, there are 213 people are in hospital with 42 in ICU. 30,344 cases have been resolved. There are some really cool tracking charts in this article.

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 55,390.

The Region of Durham reported 1,697 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site also reports 2 current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 32 outbreaks having been "concluded." Currently, Clarington is at 95 cases, which is up 1 from last week.

In international news,
Canadians will be allowed to visit EU countries soon while Americans have to wait. The European Union has formally agreed a set of recommendations that will allow travellers from outside the bloc to visit EU countries, months after it shut its external borders in response to the outbreak of COVID-19. As had been widely expected, the list of 14 countries does not include the United States, whose current infection rate does not meet the criteria set by the EU for it to be considered a "safe country." The criteria requires that confirmed COVID-19 cases in countries on the list are similar or below that of the EU's per 100,000 citizens over the previous 14 days (starting from June 15).

In national news,
In a couple of weeks, a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed in Quebec will become the first Canadian-made vaccine candidate to enter human trials. Nathalie Landry, executive vice president of Scientific and Medical Affairs with Medicago, the biopharmaceutical company behind the vaccine, told CTV News that they “have completed preclinical development for this vaccine,” and are only “a few weeks away [from] initiating our first clinical trials in humans.” Research teams with Laval University worked with the company to develop the vaccine candidate. Both the federal government and the Quebec government have contributed funds towards the vaccine’s development.

Day 20 without any new COVID-19 case in Nova Scotia; and no remaining active cases. Meanwhile, Alberta confirmed 71 new cases of COVID-19, which is their largest single-day increase since May.

From the National Post, Hundreds of thousands of U.S. visitors are still crossing border into Canada each week.
Even with travel fears, economic collapse and government restrictions there were still 201,866 border crossings from the United States into Canada in one week this month, according to the most recent data. For Canadians watching the seemingly uncontrolled rise in COVID-19 cases raging south of the border, that seems alarming..........that said, I am relieved we are not offending anyone.

In Ontario,
Mayors and regional chairs throughout the GTHA are calling on the province to make masks mandatory in large urban municipalities. In the past, the province has said it’s not something they will be doing because local medical officers of health already have the power to do that. Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti has been pushing for York Regional Council to make masks mandatory in indoor public spaces and when physical distancing isn’t possible outdoors. “All the mayors and chairs committed to working with their local medical officers of health to explore how they can best advance the universal wearing of non-medical masks and face coverings inside businesses and other indoor places where the public gathers, including transit,” said Scarpitti in a released statement. “This would likely include mandatory face coverings in certain circumstances which some municipalities have already adopted.” Guelph and Kingston are among the areas that already have mandatory mask rules in place.

Do sports leagues have any grasp on reality, or concern about the well being of the population? Money and privilege.....The Blue Jays are hoping the federal government will waive mandatory quarantine so they can start training in Toronto this week. A total of 26 NHL players have now tested positive for COVID-19 since Phase 2 of its return-to-play protocol started June 8. The numbers released Monday include four new cases in addition to 11 positive results previously announced June 19. The league added it’s also aware of 11 other players testing positive outside of Phase 2 over the last three weeks. The NHL said it’s conducted in excess of 1,450 tests for COVID-19 on more than 250 players during Phase 2, which has seen practice facilities open for voluntary on- and off-ice workouts in small groups under strict health and safety guidelines. The opening of training camps, which represent Phase 3 of the return-to-play protocol, is scheduled for July 10. You may recall, it took only two out of country travelers to reintroduce COVID-19 to New Zealand. Where do most MLB baseball players come from? Oh yea, the U.S.A.

Meanwhile, in breaking NBA news the Denver Nuggets are reportedly closing their training facility for several days after some members of the club’s travelling party to Orlando tested positive for COVID-19. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the facility has been closed since Saturday. Testing of players and staff over the next few days will determine when it is safe to re-open.

In local happenings,
I wonder what Clarington will look like tomorrow on Canada Day? Despite COVID-19 restrictions, many Canadians say they aren’t changing up their typical Canada Day plans. A new Leger survey shows 42 per cent will do the same thing as previous years on July 1 to celebrate. In fact, despite the true north not being entirely free to do what we want Canada Day, 16 per cent say they’re more likely this year to find a way to celebrate, even if it’s just a small social gathering. Some (38 per cent) do say they are less likely to mark the holiday. Fireworks are cancelled, though.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian Blood Services needs more donors and a new blood drive location in Bowmanville. With the physical distancing precautions in place to slow the spread of COVID-19, the Canadian Blood Services can no longer collect blood at Trinity United Church in Bowmanville. “We’re actually in need of a replacement location right in Bowmanville for the summer months of July and August, as well as December,” Canadian Blood Services event co-ordinator Aimee Chada told Clarington council members on Monday, June 22. “That would be really helpful so that we can continue to collect blood in Bowmanville.”

Musing,
Took a bit of a long weekend and just got back at it today. No internet for three days made me notice three things:

1) Campfires are better without cell phones.
2) Very little changes now in the daily news, because of COVID-19.
3) I sometimes get anxious; hoping people don't think I am ignoring them. (no cell signal)

Ironically, today, is National Social Media Day. Celebrate it by buying and reading "The subtle art of not giving a fuck" by Mark Manson.

Clarington Tourism Businesses and Attractions Directory can be found here.
CERB abuse reporting https://apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/bscs/l3adz/internet/initial.do?target=login&lang=en&program=qa">can be done here.
To book a COVID-19 test in Durham Region, click here.
Lakeridge Health Mental Health Clinic 905-440-7534 or toll free at 1-833-392-7363 (Monday-Friday 9am-4pm)
Live coronavirus map of Canada: Tracking every case of COVID-19 in the country.
Hunting/fishing related updates in Ontario can be found here.

Lygenztia *514 (Thank God its Friday. Say it..say it, dammit!............) Friday June 26, 2020

Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 9,733,618. (Deaths: 492,258 and Recovered: 5,266,075) I emphasize reported because there is a wide variance in testing and manner of reporting from country to country and place to place.

As of 6:00 a.m. ET on Friday June 26, 2020:
From Global News, Canada reported 102,604 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 34,205 total confirmed cases and 2,641 total deaths. Currently, there are 270 people are in hospital with 69 in ICU. 29,528 cases have been resolved. There are some really cool tracking charts in this article.

++UPDATE++ 12:50 p.m.
Ontario health officials are reporting 111 new cases of COVID-19 this morning, the lowest number of new cases recorded since March 25. Friday’s report brings the total number of confirmed cases in the province to 34,316 – a 0.3 per cent increase over Thursday’s total, when 189 new lab-confirmed cases were added.

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 55,079.

The Region of Durham reported 1,678 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site also reports 2 current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 32 outbreaks having been "concluded." Currently, Clarington remains at 94 cases, where we have sat for over a week.

In international news,
In the U.S.A. it is estimated by the CDC that for every confirmed case of COVID-19, there are ten more that go undiagnosed.

Texas has a record number of hospitalizations and COVID-19 is raging through many states in the U.S.A.

Yesterday, the Washington Post reported the U.S. set another single-day record for new coronavirus cases. Across the United States, 39,327 new coronavirus infections were reported by state health departments on Thursday, surpassing the previous single-day record of 38,115, which was set on Wednesday. Texas, Alabama, Missouri and Nevada reported daily highs. The death toll also spiked, to about 2,500, as New Jersey added 1,854 probable deaths to its overall tally. Texas reported 5,996 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, beating Wednesday’s record of 5,551. The state’s rolling average of 4,581 was a record and 340 percent higher than the rolling average on Memorial Day. The 47 new deaths were the most since May 20, according to tracking by The Washington Post.

On the upside, from the "Outlier" file, almost half of the population of an Austrian alpine resort hit by a coronavirus outbreak have antibodies, indicating they had been infected in the pandemic, researchers said on Thursday. Thousands became infected after holidaying in Ischgl and other ski resorts in the western province of Tyrol around early March, transmitting the virus not just in Austria but also abroad in Germany, the US, Singapore, Hong Kong and elsewhere. A study by the Medical University of Innsbruck now shows 42.4 percent of those living in Ischgl are thought to carry new coronavirus antibodies. My question is, when do the serology studies start?

Ah, the Brits...the perfect storm for illegal gatherings in England as the hot weather, which is set to persist into Friday, and Liverpool Football Club's first league title in 30 years prompted people to abandon their cooped-up coronavirus existence. British Health Secretary Matt Hancock has warned that the government has the power to close beaches and other public spaces in England amid growing concerns over the public's adherence to social distancing rules. Following widespread rule-breaking that has seen beaches crammed, illegal street parties in London that have turned violent and a mass celebration in Liverpool, concerns are mounting that people have ditched their risk-averse attitude as the government eases its lockdown restrictions.

And we thought CERB was bad, in the U.S.A. a government watchdog has found that federal authorities sent COVID-19 stimulus checks worth some $1.4 billion to over 1 million dead people. The Government Accountability Office (GAO), an agency that reports to Congress, released the findings in a June 25 report on the federal response to the pandemic. The GAO noted in its report that as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Treasury Department “moved quickly” to disburse over 160 million economic impact payments, the official name for the CCP virus stimulus checks, the agencies left themselves open to misallocation risk.

In national news,
The Public Health Agency of Canada paid $300K to host a convention while Canadians were told to stay home because of COVID-19. The Public Health Agency of Canada went ahead with plans to host a convention just as the global pandemic due to COVID-19 was declared. According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the agency paid a total of $319,167 on March 12 to host delegates at an Ottawa convention, one day after the World Health Organization declared the pandemic. (So, to insert some sarcasm, remember the rule: "Do as we say, not as we do")

Passenger rights advocates are encouraging Canadians to refuse travel vouchers for cancelled flights, warning that consumers are entitled to refunds by law in Canada, a rule they say is not enforced. “Airlines are currently stealing the public's money in Canada,” Gabor Lukacs, president of the Airline Passenger Rights group, told CTV’s NewsDay on Quibi. “When your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to a refund. It’s the law in Canada… the difference is if Canada doesn't enforce the rights of passengers.”

Most of us already knew (or suspected) this but, a new study is highlighting the devastating impact of COVID-19 on long-term care (LTC) homes. It found that, as of May 25, LTC residents made up 81 per cent of all reported COVID-19 deaths in Canada. It compares to an average of 42 per cent of total deaths in 16 other developed nations. Some families have been decrying poor living conditions and a general lack of preparedness at some LTC homes. For a copy of the study, click here.

Some good news, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canadian companies are now producing so much personal protective equipment needed in the fight against COVID-19 that Canada is almost at the point of being self-sufficient.

In Ontario,
Masks might become mandatory in York Region. Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti has put forward a motion that would make masks mandatory in all indoor spaces and crowded outdoor spaces where people aren’t able to physically distance. In the motion, Scarpitti says the move would be both a “responsible public health response and a sound economic decision.”

From the "It's been awhile" file, between Hastings and Prince Edward Counties, there have been only 43 total cases of the virus. The last new lab-confirmed case was reported on May 18th. Public Health reports that 36 people have recovered from the virus, with five people dying. (Hastings and Prince Edward counties are comprised in central Ontario and include such places as Bancroft, Belleville, Tyendinaga, Madoc, Marmora and Tweed)

Yet again, Premier Ford sticking up for Ontario. Ontario Premier Doug Ford doesn't want to see the Canada-United States border opened when the current closure expires July 21, considering the positive trends in the province compared to a COVID-19 resurgence in many states. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has extended a ban on non-essential travel between the two countries until at least that day, and Ford said even after that it seems too early. “I know it's inevitable, we've got to do it, I just don't think we're ready right now,” Ford said. “You see what's happening down in the states, you look at Florida, you look at Texas, Arizona, California - I don't want to be those states.”

In local happenings,
Now that almost all of the province is well into Stage 2 of the reopening plan, Durham Region is releasing a framework and action plan to help people, families and businesses recover post-pandemic. Built on four key pillars, the plan has been developed in collaboration with Durham’s Recovery Task Force and focuses on the most urgent community needs. The first pillar of the plan looks at social recovery.

Musing,
Being out and about yesterday, there were plenty of smiling faces on local patios; including mine. Cheers!

No matter what craziness is happening on this globe right now, it's still important to have a "TGIF" mindset. Don't fall into the trap of letting the days blend.

Few things are more relaxing than checking your vegetable gardens and flowers in the morning. The growth, the smells, the fresh dew. It's glorious. It is ironic that Mother Nature brings beauty, growth and life; while she also brings viruses that cause sickness and death.

It has been said that sarcasm is the lowest form of humour, is that why most people are so good at it? Improv is too difficult?

What I don't know could fill a warehouse, what some people think they know couldn't fill a thimble.

Today, is National Take Your Dog to Work Day. (That won't be too hard for millions that are working from home.)
Clarington Tourism Businesses and Attractions Directory can be found here.
CERB abuse reporting https://apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/bscs/l3adz/internet/initial.do?target=login&lang=en&program=qa">can be done here.
To book a COVID-19 test in Durham Region, click here.
Lakeridge Health Mental Health Clinic 905-440-7534 or toll free at 1-833-392-7363 (Monday-Friday 9am-4pm)
Live coronavirus map of Canada: Tracking every case of COVID-19 in the country.
Hunting/fishing related updates in Ontario can be found here.

Lygenztia *513 (It ain't just China, baby. Look in our own backyard.........) Thursday June 25, 2020

Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 9,555,762. (Deaths: 485,573 and Recovered: 5,196,571) I emphasize reported because there is a wide variance in testing and manner of reporting from country to country and place to place.

As of 6:00 a.m. ET on Thursday June 25, 2020:
From Global News, Canada reported 102,226 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 34,016 total confirmed cases and 2,631 total deaths. Currently, there are 278 people are in hospital with 73 in ICU. 29,336 cases have been resolved. There are some really cool tracking charts in this article.

++UPDATE++ @ 12:00 p.m.
Ontario has recorded fewer than 200 new cases of COVID-19 for the second day in a row. Health officials logged 189 new patients infected with the novel coronavirus on Thursday, bringing the provincial total number of cases to 34,205. On Wednesday, 163 new cases were confirmed following a slight spike of 216 new cases being logged on Tuesday. Two of the last 10 days have seen daily case counts surpass 200. Ontario records fewer than 200 new cases of COVID-19 for the second straight day, today.

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 54,937.

The Region of Durham reported 1,677 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site also reports 2 current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 32 outbreaks having been "concluded." Currently, Clarington remains at 94 cases, where we have sat for over a week.

In international news,
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in authoritarian behaviour by governments around the world, posing a growing threat to democracy, hundreds of former prime ministers, presidents, Nobel laureates and lawmakers have warned. “Authoritarian regimes, not surprisingly, are using the crisis to silence critics and tighten their political grip,” wrote some 500 signatories, including more than 60 former leaders, in an open letter organised by the Stockholm-based Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA). “Even some democratically elected governments are fighting the pandemic by amassing emergency powers that restrict human rights and enhance state surveillance without regard to legal constraints (or) parliamentary oversight.” More than 80 countries have enacted emergency measures, according to the U.S.-based International Center for Non-Profit Law. Coincidentally, Ontario just extended the state of emergency until July 15.

World stocks spluttered to their lowest level in over a week, as a surge in U.S. coronavirus cases and an IMF warning of a nearly 5% plunge in the global economy this year hit the bulls again. Wall Street S&P 500 futures had also buckled below a key technical level known as the 200-day moving average, leaving investors huddling in traditionally safer government bonds and gold. The International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday it now expects an even deeper global recession, with output likely to shrink 4.9% this year rather than the 3% contraction it had predicted in April.

Ah, America. Sadly, these days they are the global gong show. The 3 most populous states are breaking coronavirus records, leading to fears of 'apocalyptic' surges. Florida and Texas announced Wednesday that they'd recorded more than 5,000 new Covid-19 cases the prior day, a new daily record. California reported more than 7,000 cases, obliterating a record hit a day earlier. In Texas, if the current case trajectory continues, Houston could be the hardest-hit city in the US with numbers rivaling those in Brazil. Infection numbers are also rising in Dallas, Austin and San Antonio, said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine. And, Nero continues to fiddle...while Rome burns.

In national news,
Canadian carrier WestJet said on Wednesday it would layoff about 3,300 employees, as it looks to save costs amid the economic turmoil stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has severely hurt air travel. WestJet, owned by private equity firm Onex Corp, said it will consolidate all call centre activity to Alberta and outsource operations in all domestic airports except Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto, as part of the restructuring.

From the "Ontario and Quebec stay away!" file, The Atlantic premiers agree to open a regional 'bubble' starting in July as cases of COVID-19 stabilize. As of July 3, Atlantic Canadians will be allowed to travel within the region without having to self-isolate when arriving in another province. Visitors from provinces and territories outside the region will still be required to self-isolate for two weeks and adhere to local entry requirements. However, once the self-isolation period has passed, those visitors will also be allowed to travel within the Atlantic region. I can't say that I blame them, one only needs look at where the cases are and it ain't the Atlantic provinces.

Neuroscientist Adrian Owen is launching a massive study to explore the impacts of COVID-19 on the brain. The online COVID-19 Brain Study aims to recruit 50,000 people with a confirmed, positive diagnosis of the virus. Using questionnaires and pop down menus, Owen and his collaborators will collect information, “completely anonymized and secure,” asking participants about their medical history, any underlying heart, lung or other health issues, the extent of their COVID-19 diagnosis and what happened to them.

In Ontario,
According to a study conducted by the University of Toronto, the rate of COVID-19 infection in Canadian Long Term Care Facilities is twice the rate compared to 16 other OECD Nations. (From their wesbite; the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation that works to build better policies for better lives. Together with governments, policy makers and citizens, they work on establishing evidence-based international standards and finding solutions to a range of social, economic and environmental challenges. From improving economic performance and creating jobs to fostering strong education and fighting international tax evasion, they provide a unique forum and knowledge hub for data and analysis, exchange of experiences, best-practice sharing, and advice on public policies and international standard-setting.)

It looks like the province has come up with a kind of solution/compromise for our agriculture industry on Western Ontario. Ontario will allow some people who test positive for COVID-19 but do not have symptoms to return immediately to their workplaces with precautions, separated from those who do not have the virus, according to guidance released on Wednesday. The guidance document said “work self-isolation” outside of healthcare settings would be allowed for asymptomatic employees “deemed critical to operations” at local public health workers’ discretion and that employers would be responsible for ensuring they do not put others at risk. The province is battling outbreaks that have killed three migrant farm workers, and has started mass-testing asymptomatic farm workers. The change could send some of them back to their jobs. It was prompted by a cluster of farm workers who tested positive but were all asymptomatic, said Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health David Williams.

From the "Boys will be boys" file, tensions surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 closures in Windsor-Essex spilled over in the Ontario Legislature on Wednesday, resulting in an NDP MPP calling Premier Doug Ford a "piece of s***." Taras Natyshak, the MPP for Essex, uttered the phrase during a heated exchange with Ford over the impact of the closures on the region's economy, which remains the only region in Ontario still in Stage 1 of the province’s reopening plan.

Windsor-Essex (with the exception of Leamington and Kingsville) can enter Stage 2 today. The province announced that Windsor-Essex with the exception of Leamington and Kingsville can move into Stage 2 on Thursday. Those will be the last two areas in Ontario that are stuck in Stage 1. There’s been a rise in cases among migrant workers on farms in those areas. With that in mind Premier Doug Ford announced a new three-point plan to slow the spread of COVID-19 and stop outbreaks on farms.

In local happenings,
Durham Region's Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Kyle said a second wave of COVID-19 is inevitable; mandatory face masks would be a huge distraction for public health resources; and it’s expected that children will return to a very different school experience in the fall. He made the statement at a recent virtual meeting at the Clarington Board of Trade.

So, when is the second wave likely to occur? "We’re in Phase 2 of the recovery. Phase 3 … we’ll be getting into larger social gatherings. Presumably there will be an easing of restrictions with respect to travel. So in that environment, where you have importation of new disease, and settings where those who are not immune are exposed to those who have the disease, and at a time where we’re not as vigilant as we should be with respect to those public health measures I mentioned, that will be the setting for there to be a second wave. This is likely to occur in the fall and that will coincide with us moving from Phase 2 to Phase 3. The challenge with a second wave in the fall is that is when we start experiencing flu season. Flu season usually comes in December but it can come earlier. The disease profile with the flu, is mirrored with that of COVID."

Musing,
The MLB rollercoaster continues....Multiple Toronto Blue Jays players and staff test positive for COVID-19. It is not known which players or staff members tested positive, but the number is reported to be 20. On Tuesday, MLB issued a 60-game schedule beginning July 23 and 24 in empty ballparks as the league tries to push forward amid the COVID-19 pandemic. At least seven players on the Philadelphia Phillies have also tested positive for the disease and one player on the Colorado Rockies.

From the "Good luck on the good old hockey game" file, after reports on the weekend that the NHL planned to come back from the coronavirus shutdown in Las Vegas and Vancouver, Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman reported late Tuesday that Vancouver’s bid to host 12 teams had hit a “snag.” A source indicates discussions between the NHL, Canucks and provincial and regional health officials to finalize plans for Vancouver are stuck on a key concern: contingency plans should a player or players test positive for COVID-19 within the “bubble” the league wants established around teams.

Speaking of hockey, remember when Ron McLean stabbed Don Cherry in the back and sold out Grapes to keep his job? He used to be my favourite journalist, now I can't even read his articles or watch his fluff interviews.

I don't miss patio's as much as I thought I would, but damn do I miss Mexican Hot flavour chicken wings from FJ's.

Think back to what the world looked like this time last year. Now, think ahead to what it will look like this time next year. Looking ahead, were your first thoughts optimistic or pessimistic?



Today, is National Handshake Day. I suspect Few are going to put that celebration into actual practice.
Clarington Tourism Businesses and Attractions Directory can be found here.
CERB abuse reporting https://apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/bscs/l3adz/internet/initial.do?target=login&lang=en&program=qa">can be done here.
To book a COVID-19 test in Durham Region, click here.
Lakeridge Health Mental Health Clinic 905-440-7534 or toll free at 1-833-392-7363 (Monday-Friday 9am-4pm)
Live coronavirus map of Canada: Tracking every case of COVID-19 in the country.
Hunting/fishing related updates in Ontario can be found here.

Lygenztia *512 (Today, Windsor is all alone......) Wednesday June 24, 2020

Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 9,381,392. (Deaths: 480,401 and Recovered: 5,068,567) I emphasize reported because there is a wide variance in testing and manner of reporting from country to country and place to place.

As of 6:00 a.m. ET on Wednesday June 24, 2020:
From Global News, Canada reported 101,947 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 33,853 total confirmed cases and 2,619 total deaths. Currently, there are 288 people are in hospital with 75 in ICU. 29,107 cases have been resolved. There are some really cool tracking charts in this article. The number of COVID-19 tests conducted had dipped slightly yesterday, with 16,189 tests processed.

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 54,884.

The Region of Durham reported 1,672 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site also reports 2 current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 32 outbreaks having been "concluded." Currently, Clarington remains at 94 cases, where we have sat for over a week.

In international news,
From Brazil, (where there is a lot of crazy shit happening) A Brazilian federal judge on Tuesday ordered President Jair Bolsonaro to comply with local rules to wear a face mask whenever he is outdoors in the capital of Brasilia. In recent weekends, a sometimes unmasked Bolsonaro has joined throngs of people protesting against Brazil's Congress and Supreme Court and he has visited bakeries and outdoor food stalls, drawing crowds around him. Since the end of April, Brazil's federal district requires people to wear face masks in public to help control the spread of the new coronavirus. Failure to comply carries a possible daily fine of $390.

Americans may be among those blocked from visiting European Union countries once they reopen their borders to visitors outside of the continent starting July 1. Kasper Zeuthen, a senior media adviser for the EU’s delegation to the US, said the European Commission will recommend progressively lifting travel restrictions based on objective criteria that measure the scope of the pandemic in each country. EU officials will determine which countries' visitors are allowed by looking at the trend in new infections, testing capacity, contact tracing and other steps countries across the globe have taken to contain the virus outbreak inside their borders. Zeuthen said the European Commission is now considering which countries meet the criteria to lift travel restrictions, with another meeting set for Wednesday.

In national news,
It really effing irks me that the main source of national news is the CBC; of which, I am not a fan. (insert CBC cheer for justin here)

From Chris Selley at the National Post, an opinion piece. Why are we giving Canada's politicians a free pass on COVID-19? "It is one of the strangest aspects of Ontario’s and Quebec’s COVID-19 nightmares that politicians have seemed almost entirely immune from criticism. Indeed, their popularity has soared in stride with the body count: An Angus Reid poll conducted in late May found Quebec Premier François Legault’s approval rating had shot up 19 points, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s 38."

From the "No shit!" file, Canada’s Employment Minister admits the government could have “picked better words” to scare off would-be COVID-19 relief program cheats, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. What's the big deal? It's just a few billion more so people can take the summer off, let's face it nobody on the CERB is rushing back to work. Votes bought by justin, good to go.

In Ontario,
All of Ontario goes to Stage 2, today. Except Windsor. The migrant worker situation is complex and a difficult spot for farmers to be in. It's interesting, with COVID-19 it now seems everyone is concerned with the conditions on farms for migrant workers. Prior to COVID-19 what was the level of concern? Just wondering....(Now, eat your tomatoes and shut up) Of course the workers should be treated fairly and humanely, but all the virtue signalling is so.....scripted.

Toronto, Canada’s financial capital, was set for a muted reopening on Wednesday following a three-month shutdown for the coronavirus pandemic, as several of its biggest employers said they would keep staff working from home over the summer.
With Toronto’s reopening, Canada’s three biggest lenders, Royal Bank of Canada (RY.TO), Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD.TO) and Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS.TO), and second-biggest life insurer Sun Life Financial (SLF.TO) told Reuters they don’t intend to bring staff back to offices until at least September.

From London, South Bruce Peninsula is temporarily closing all of its beaches, including the popular Sauble Beach, after the town's mayor said Monday that "day-trippers flagrantly defied our restrictions." Janice Jackson said council decided to temporarily close the beaches after they were overwhelmed with day-trippers over the last two weekends. “Council is incredibly worried at the thought of 60,000 visitors to our tiny beach over the long weekend and how that would inevitably affect our community during this global pandemic,” said Jackson on Facebook. I don't know why, but this story reminds me of the Simpson's episode "Homer vs. the 18th amendment" where Springfield set up roadblocks on their bridges to enforce prohibition.

From the "Get out your wallet" file, As private health services such as dentists, chiropractors and physiotherapists begin to reopen, some have opted to tack on a COVID-19 surcharge in an effort to recoup money spent on new sanitation. However, some experts warn that the move may deter clients. University of Toronto finance professor Lisa Kramer explained that these "COVID fees" are designed to help cover the cost of personal protective equipment (PPE), increased sanitation measures and income lost from reduced customer capacity due to physical distancing.

From Sault Ste. Marie, there are no new cases in the Algoma Region to report. The last case in Algoma was reported on June 19. Currently, there are two active cases in the Algoma region.

In local happenings,
As Clarington enters Stage 2 of Ontario's framework to reopening the Province, they are taking a cautious approach to reopening its amenities and services to protect staff and public health. Clarington has prepared a list of services and amenities showing what is opening:

-Splash Pads - most will open on June 19; some will be active on June 20, except for the Orono splash pad, which is closed for park construction.
-Modified Summer Camps will start on July 20.
-Bowmanville Indoor Soccer.
-Swimming pools will not reopen at this time.
-Indoor facility permits will be cancelled up until Labour Day as our facilities remain under a Provincial closure order. Outdoor field permits will also not be issued at this time. Fields are open for residents to use following all Provincial orders, especially physical distancing. Limited team training is allowed, including small-scale drills based on physical distancing. Team practice and scrimmages are not permitted.
-Town Hall will reopen to the public on July 13.
-Other buildings will slowly follow reopening protocols.

Community-transmitted COVID-19 in Clarington appears considerably higher than other Durham municipalities and Health Department epidemiologists are trying to find out why. Across Durham, 20 per cent of COVID-19 cases are from community exposure. Meanwhile in Clarington, 41 per cent of the cases were from community exposure, according to the region’s COVID-19 Data Tracker. “This is something they are looking into,” said Glendene Collins, a spokesperson for the Durham Region Health Department. “I know it is something they have seen and they want to do a further analysis.” The community-transmission rate of coronavirus in Durham municipalities ranges from a low of approximately four per cent (Uxbridge) to the second highest of 29 per cent (Whitby). Clarington’s community-transmitted virus cases appear to be an outlier.

In most Durham municipalities, the majority of COVID-19 cases are from institutional outbreaks at long-term-care homes. Durham-wide, 56 per cent of case sources are from institutional outbreaks (24 per cent staff and 32 per cent residents). Long-term-care facilities in Clarington have largely been spared, with only one outbreak declared after one resident tested positive for COVID-19. The data tacker suggests Clarington’s institutional outbreaks account for only 25 per cent of the local COVID-19 cases (23 per cent staff, and almost two per cent resident).

Musing,
Punching is just like a golf swing. You ain't gotta swing for the fences, you just gotta connect.

MLB baseball is back! MLB sets a 60-game schedule, opens July 23 or 24. A dramatically altered season with games full of new rules was the final result of failed financial negotiations. But for fans eager to see any baseball this year, at least now they can look forward to opening day. Each team will play 10 games against each of its four division rivals and 20 total games against the five clubs in the corresponding regional division in the other league.

From Wired Magazine, here is how the phone tracking apps are going to work. Click here.

Prior to the prolonged work from home we are now experiencing, I had no idea how critical it was to ensure that an entire house was being cleaned (loudly) all day long. Everyday. Constantly.

Environment Canada confirmed a tornado touched down near Sturgeon Lake yesterday. For some really good video, click here. This is an actual photo that was taken of the tornado:

Today, is National Pralines Day. Good to know.
Clarington Tourism Businesses and Attractions Directory can be found here.
CERB abuse reporting https://apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/bscs/l3adz/internet/initial.do?target=login&lang=en&program=qa">can be done here.
To book a COVID-19 test in Durham Region, click here.
Lakeridge Health Mental Health Clinic 905-440-7534 or toll free at 1-833-392-7363 (Monday-Friday 9am-4pm)
Live coronavirus map of Canada: Tracking every case of COVID-19 in the country.
Hunting/fishing related updates in Ontario can be found here.

Lygenztia *511 (WFH....is gonna be a thing, bet on it) Tuesday June 23, 2020

Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 9,210,302. (Deaths: 474,818 and Recovered: 4,957,253) I emphasize reported because there is a wide variance in testing and manner of reporting from country to country and place to place.

As of 6:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday June 23, 2020:
From Global News, Canada reported 101,621 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 33,637 total confirmed cases and 2,609 total deaths. Currently, there are 265 people are in hospital with 76 in ICU. 28,933 cases have been resolved. There are some really cool tracking charts in this article. If you follow the hospitalizations and ICU beds currently occupied in Ontario, the numbers are decreasing very quickly. If you look at the numbers from one week ago today, there were 419 in hospital and 108 in ICU.

++UPDATE++ 12:00 p.m.
GODDAMIT. Ontario records a slight spike in new COVID-19 cases, and confirms the first death under age 20. Ontario has recorded a slight spike in the number of new COVID-19 cases and logged 10 more deaths, including the province’s first fatality under the age of 20. Health officials logged another 216 patients infected with the novel coronavirus on Tuesday. (78 per cent are from Toronto, York, Peel and Windsor)

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 54,835.

The Region of Durham reported 1,674 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site also reports 2 current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 32 outbreaks having been "concluded." Currently, Clarington remains at 94 cases, where we have sat for over a week.

In international news,
An alarming announcement from the W.H.O. yesterday, "every day we reach a new and grim record. Yesterday, more than 183,000 new cases of COVID-19 were reported to WHO – easily the most in a single day so far."

One day after a record number of new COVID-19 cases was reported worldwide, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the pandemic is being worsened by political opposition. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday that "the pandemic is still accelerating" and that "the lack of global solidarity and global leadership" represents a greater threat to the world than the virus itself.

From the "Scary as F**k" file, Mexico's novel coronavirus cases mounted and added their youngest infections Monday, when triplets tested positive for the virus on the day they were born. Monica Rangel, the health secretary of the northern state of San Luis Potosi, said the triplets were born May 8 to a mother who was also positive but asymptomatic. Rangel said the triplets are not believed to be in danger. She said the case was being studied to see whether the triplets were infected before or after birth was being conducted, but said it appeared improbable they could have been infected outside the womb so quickly. It is not the first time newborns have tested positive for the virus, but it is rare.

From Vice News, Yemen was already facing the world's worst humanitarian crisis, then the Coronavirus came. At least half of the country could be infected with the coronavirus, which is a crushing blow to its' already-depleted healthcare system. I think most Canadians are losing sight of just how catastrophic COVID-19 is in other parts of the world, which is understandable. In times of crisis, we incubate and stay safe by staying in (and relying on) our smaller cells of family and close friends.

The reproduction rate of the coronavirus in Germany has risen to 1.55, significantly higher than what is needed to contain the outbreak. The reproduction rate, or 'R' value, estimates how many people an infected person passes the virus on to. Experts say that number needs to stay below one for the spread to remain low. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious disease reported that its average reproduction rate over the past seven days was 1.55, while the four-day average stood at 1.79. Both numbers are much higher than the rates published on Friday, which were 1.17 and 1.06 respectively.

In national news,
The Royal Canadian Legion is in big trouble in many communities and this is sad news for many communities in Canada. Royal Canadian Legion halls across the country have been shuttered for months due to COVID-19, and now a number of them are facing the prospect of never being able to reopen. With most ineligible for the host of federal aid programs being offered to help keep other businesses and charitable organizations afloat, hundreds of these facilities could be forced to shut their doors forever without federal intervention. Legions are often seen as the heart of many communities, where Remembrance Day celebrations are held and meals are made and delivered to those in need, but because the pandemic has put a pause on events, it’s cut off crucial income streams like facility rentals that allow legions to keep their doors open to veterans and others.

For people in larger communities, this may not cause a ripple. But, people have no idea how important the Legion is in small and remote communities. Having visited many small community Legions I can tell you, they are generally the social hub and an integral part of the community. You can join the Legion by clicking here. It's only $50 bucks to help save a Canadian institution.

The federal government is taking a close look at the amount of office space it will need in the coming years as it considers how some of Canada's hundreds of thousands of federal public servants could end up working from home permanently. The review was revealed Monday by Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos, who oversees the bureaucracy as a workforce, as the government released a guide for the eventual return of public servants to their normal workplaces. The vast majority of federal public servants have been working from home since mid-March as COVID-19 saw offices and other workspaces across the country shuttered to slow transmission of the illness.

From the "C'mon, give me a hug" file, Two-thirds of Canadians don't want to relax physical distancing rules imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19, a new poll suggests. And even if they were relaxed, a strong majority wouldn't be comfortable taking part in activities that would bring them closer to other people, like going to a movie theatre. Sixty-six per cent of respondents to the poll, conducted by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies, said two metres should remain the safe distance kept between people, as recommended by Canada's public health authorities. Just 12 per cent favoured reducing the distance to 1.5 metres, as is required in many European countries, and only 10 per cent favoured a reduction to one metre, the minimum recommended by the World Health Organization.

Canada's top central banker says there will be long-term economic damage from the COVID-19 pandemic as the country charts a "prolonged and bumpy" course to recovery. In his first speech as governor, Tiff Macklem says the central bank expects to see growth in the third quarter of this year as people are called back to work and households resume some of their normal activities as restrictions ease. But he warns that Canadians shouldn't expect the short and sharp economic bounce-back expected over the coming months to last.

In Ontario,
Big problems with the Windsor/Essex farming community. Farmers are not cooperating and sending migrant workers out to get tested for COVID-19. The premier clearly is not happy and said "We are going to have to pull out other tools" and look at stronger measures. At one farm, all 216 migrant workers tested positive. Justin said "we need to do a better job" at following the rules, whatever they are. Premier Doug Ford said farmers have to cooperate, “I’m begging for your support…please cooperate.”

In local happenings,
The Region of Durham says they will open the child care centres they operate on June 29. Staff reached out to families to confirm their current service needs. For child care centres not operated by the Region of Durham, families should contact their child care centre directly for information regarding reopening of programs.

Clarington has a "one stop PPE shop" for local business owners. As local businesses begin to reopen, the Clarington Board of Trade has stepped up to help owners struggling to find protective supplies to keep their staff and employees safe. “In preparing to reopen our business, the safety of our clients is of utmost importance and I am very grateful that it was made much easier by CBOT to access the PPE supplies needed to prepare,” Snips Hair Design Owner Jane Browning said in a press release. Items like hand sanitizer, surface disinfectant, gloves and masks have become essential — often difficult to source — personal protective equipment (PPE) for the local economy. The CBOT teamed up with Canadian Tire Bowmanville and Greeley to provide single sourcing of PPE essentials. Buying the items and selling to businesses at cost, CBOT drops the PPE at Greeley in Bowmanville, where their team coordinates each order.

Musing,
Where the hell is Don Cherry? Haven't heard from/about him for an eternity.

There are only two types of COVID-19 people left, those that are terrified of it and those that are over it.

We may have MLB baseball again, as it looks like the union and owners are trying to come to an agreement for a 60 game season to start on July 22. I'm not holding my breath, as we should never underestimate the power of greed.

COVID-19 cases worldwide are skyrocketing. Canadian cases, which are more or less all in Ontario and Quebec are rapidly declining. In my observations, most people I know are "over it." Will the second wave hit, or will life slowly evolve into the "new normal?" Nobody knows, but when cold and flu season hits us in the Fall, we are sure going to find out.

I have talked with people about the risk of isolation and how it may hurt our ability to fight off colds and flu, especially with kids who have been "locked up" for months. From what I can glean, the answer is that it's not a concern. Experts say new theories being shared online that physical distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic is making people’s immune systems weaker because of a lack of exposure to germs are "absolutely not true." Dr. Eleanor Fish, an immunology professor at the University of Toronto, told CTVNews.ca that there is no medical or scientific evidence to support these claims. She says people’s immune system do not change because they aren’t being exposed to germs. "That really is rubbish and there's zero evidence for it," Fish said in a telephone interview on Thursday. "Your immune system develops over decades in response to exposure to all kinds of pathogens and antigens. This doesn’t occur over a period of two months so you're not going to suddenly be vulnerable to all kinds of pathogens."

From the "super cool" file, scientists find huge rings of ancient shafts near Stonehenge. Archaeologists said Monday that they have discovered a major prehistoric monument under the earth near Stonehenge that could shed new light on the origins of the mystical stone circle in southwestern England. Experts from a group of British universities led by the University of Bradford say the site consists of at least 20 huge shafts, more than 10 metres (32 feet) in diameter and 5 metres (16 feet) deep, forming a circle more than 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) in diameter.

Today, is National Pink Day and National Hydration Day. (So, have a drink)
Clarington Tourism Businesses and Attractions Directory can be found here.
CERB abuse reporting https://apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/bscs/l3adz/internet/initial.do?target=login&lang=en&program=qa">can be done here.
To book a COVID-19 test in Durham Region, click here.
Lakeridge Health Mental Health Clinic 905-440-7534 or toll free at 1-833-392-7363 (Monday-Friday 9am-4pm)
Live coronavirus map of Canada: Tracking every case of COVID-19 in the country.
Hunting/fishing related updates in Ontario can be found here.

Lygenztia *510 (9 million and counting.........) Monday June 22, 2020

The world has surpassed 9 million reported cases of COVID-19.

Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 9,072,642. (Deaths: 471,176 and Recovered: 4,854,950) I emphasize reported because there is a wide variance in testing and manner of reporting from country to country and place to place.

As of 6:00 a.m. ET on Monday June 22, 2020:
From Global News, Canada reported 101,320 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 33,476 total confirmed cases and 2,606 total deaths. Currently, there are 286 people are in hospital with 86 in ICU. 28,719 cases have been resolved. There are some really cool tracking charts in this article.

++UPDATE++ 12:00 p.m.
The number of new COVID-19 cases in Ontario again dipped below 200 today following a slight uptick in cases on Saturday. The province is reporting 175 new cases today, down from the 206 confirmed yesterday. The total number of lab-confirmed cases of the virus now stands at 33,476, including deaths and recoveries.

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 54,776.

The Region of Durham reported 1,667 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site also reports 2 current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 31 outbreaks having been "concluded." Currently, Clarington remains at 94 cases, where we have sat for over a week.

In international news,
Apparently there was some kind of rally in Tulsa? I'm not really sure, because it appears nobody went to it. Bah, fake news.

From Puerto Vallarta, the city continues to be in the ‘red’ warning issued by the Federal Government for the COVID-19 pandemic, but that didn’t seem to discourage weekend beach-goers over the Father’s Day weekend as people packed the beaches and flaunted regulations for face masks and social distancing. So COVID-19 must not bother people very much, as the State of Jalisco has found itself moving to the top five states for COVID-19 infections after ranking near the bottom for the last two months. More cases have been detected in the past two weeks than the total 2 months prior. Jalisco is reporting a total of 8,383 as of yesterday, however, the Federal Government is only reporting 4,791 cases in the state, an under-reporting of 3,592 cases.

Here's the rub....the Mexican government (for a time) stopped sending migrant workers to Canada, until we increased protection(s) and conditions for the workers. So, Mexico is concerned about what Canada does, but as far as their own country, not so much?

Brazil hit a grim milestone of 50,000 COVID-19 deaths. Staggering. Brazil now has a total of 1,085,038 confirmed cases and 50,617 deaths, up from 49,976 on Saturday, the Health Ministry said. Experts say the true numbers are a lot higher because of a lack of widespread testing. Latin America's largest country has typically recorded more than 1,000 deaths a day, but usually registers fewer on the weekends. Brazil's population in 2018 was 209.5 million people. Photos of mass graves in Brazil show the stark toll of the coronavirus, as experts predict that it will surpass 125,000 deaths by August.

The Parque Taruma cemetery:

Florida is being hit hard by COVID-19. Florida reported 97,291 Covid-19 cases on Sunday, up 3,494 from a day earlier when the state registered its most new cases. Total cases rose 3.7% in the past day, compared with an average increase of 3.5% in the previous seven days. The state reported a 4,049 cases on Saturday. Deaths among Florida residents reached 3,161, an increase of 0.5%, the state health department reported.

In national news,
Quebec, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are easing into lightening their COVID-19 restrictions. Restaurants can open again in the greater Montreal and Joliette areas while indoor gatherings of up to 10 people from three households are now permitted in these regions, as they have been elsewhere in Quebec since last week. Meanwhile, Saskatchewan moves to Phase 4.1 of its reopening strategy today, which allows camping in national parks to resume, but by reservation only. Youth camps can reopen, but for day use only. Manitoba moved to relax more of its restrictions yesterday. Restaurants and bars no longer have to operate at half capacity, however, tables must be two metres apart or have a physical barrier between them. Non-smoking bingo halls and video lottery terminal lounges can also reopen at half capacity. Wait a second....Manitoba has "smoking" Bingo Halls? For real? Gross........

From the "numbers mean money" file, Alberta and B.C. have reported hundreds of 'excess deaths' that weren't linked to COVID-19. "Excess death" statistics have been used in some parts of the world to suggest the true toll of COVID-19 is much higher than what has officially been recorded, and the latest data suggests that the same trend could be playing out on a smaller scale in Western Canada. Put simply, excess deaths are the number of deaths recorded in an area during a period above and beyond what would be considered normal for that place and time.

Like it or not, COVID-19 means big money and revenue in some circles. The "news" is enjoying a surge in viewership like never seen before in modern times. Lots of viewers, mean lots of advertisers, right? So, is it in their best interests to keep COVID-19 in the forefront of the news cycle to keep us watching? I'm not sure, but the cynical side of me wonders.....

In Ontario,
Will the Premier announce today that Toronto will go to Stage 2 on friday? My guess, is "no". Ford so far has taken a "better safe than sorry" approach and the numbers look like they need to hold off for another week. But, i've been wrong before and i'll be wrong again. I'll update the blog after his daily presser.

++UPDATE++ 1:29 p.m.
I was (thankfully) wrong! Toronto goes to Stage 2 on Wednesday says Premier Ford.

It's interesting because we have been conditioned to watch the daily numbers. But, when you take those daily numbers and average 200/day over 7 days = 1400 per week. So, Ontario is still registering about 1400 confirmed/reported cases per week. Then again, does it really matter? Experts agree that the second wave of COVID-19 is just around the corner....

Ontario is planning for schools to re-open in September. Premier Doug Ford and Education Minister Stephen Lecce unveiled the three scenarios school boards are being asked to plan for to get kids back to school:

1) Normal school day routine with enhanced public health protocols – Students going to school every day, in classes that reflect standard class size regulations.

2) Modified school day routine – Based on public health advice, an adapted delivery model has been designed to allow for physical distancing and cohorts of students. Under this model, school boards are asked to maintain a limit of 15 students in a typical classroom at one time and adopt timetabling that would allow for students to remain in contact only with their classmates and a single teacher for as much of the school day as possible. This model would require an alternate day or alternate week delivery to a segment of the class at one time.

3) At home learning – Should the school closure be extended, or some parents choose not to send their child back to school, school boards need to be prepared to offer remote education. Remote education should be delivered online to the greatest extent possible, including the establishment of minimum expectations for students to have direct contact with their teacher at the same time on a regular basis, also known as synchronous learning. Synchronous learning can be used as part of whole-class instruction, in smaller groups of students, and/or in a one-on-one context.

School boards must be shuddering at the spectre of scenario 2. Can you imagine the logistics of that? The scheduling of the students and teachers; it boggles the mind how they are going to make that work. I predict that, no matter what the scenario, Ontario parents are not going to be happy.

Drive Test Centres are reopening today in Ontario with limited services. Drive Test is slowly returning services and some are based on birthdate. Ontario Parks are also allowing campers starting this week. Darlington Provincial Park in Courtice is now open, but the shower facilities won’t be open for the season. (I'm not sure about the toilets, so you may have to pee and poop in the woods.) More details on the campground reopenings can be found here.

In local happenings,
From the "Don't panic (unless you are paranoid)" file, a number of military vehicles will be hitting the streets this week, as they make their way home back to C.F.B. Borden. These troops were gathered to help deal with the outbreaks at some long-term care homes in the GTA. However, their mission has ended and God bless every one of them.

As the Region eases into reopening, Durham Region Transit will begin collecting bus fares again on Thursday, July 2 and the 2020 fare rates will come into effect, meaning riders should be prepared for cash fares to go up by $0.25 and PRESTO single ride taps by $0.05. DRT suspended bus fares on Monday, March 23 to support the physical distancing measures required by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March, bus passengers have been entering through the rear door and the number of passengers on a bus has been limited to support physical distancing.

Musing,
Why is it that everybody that rides a Harley Davidson looks really angry? Isn't it fun? Is your big, loud, mean bike not running well? Or, is that they are going for the "I want to look like i'm a bad ass" look?

I think we are putting too many workers in the position of "COVID cops" to enforce social distancing. The retail workers, life-guards, servers...(the list goes on and on) are now in the position of having to confront COVID scofflaws. My guess is, few of them signed up for those duties, but it has now been shifted to them.

Have you ever noticed in justin's daily sunny ways briefings that it's almost always the same reporters that get chosen to ask questions of the drama king? Others in the press are quietly complaining because they are not getting chosen. It works like this, about half of the questions are asked by members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery who attend Rideau Cottage in person. The rest are chosen from reporters who call into a teleconference run by the PMO under an agreement with the Press Gallery to balance English and French questions from parliamentary reporters, with a few slots made available to regional reporters during the course of each week. Don't ask the tough questions, though. Because if you do, you may not get "chosen" again.

A very interesting perspective on Canadian air travel and what we have to look forward to, from someone that recently flew. A great read...."The dystopian experience of COVID-19 travel".


Today, is National Chocolate Eclair Day.
Clarington Tourism Businesses and Attractions Directory can be found here.
CERB abuse reporting https://apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/bscs/l3adz/internet/initial.do?target=login&lang=en&program=qa">can be done here.
To book a COVID-19 test in Durham Region, click here.
Lakeridge Health Mental Health Clinic 905-440-7534 or toll free at 1-833-392-7363 (Monday-Friday 9am-4pm)
Live coronavirus map of Canada: Tracking every case of COVID-19 in the country.
Hunting/fishing related updates in Ontario can be found here.

Lygenztia *509 (Citizen tracing apps, what could go wrong? Ya, it'll be fine.) Friday June 19, 2020

Almost all of Ontario will enter Stage 2 today. (Sorry, not sorry Toronto) Let's hope it goes well and we don't see any spikes.

Worldwide stats provided by worldometers put the global COVID-19 number of reported cases today at 8,607,850. (Deaths: 456,943 and Recovered: 4,557,804) I emphasize reported because there is a wide variance in testing and manner of reporting from country to country and place to place.

As of 6:00 a.m. ET on Friday June 19, 2020:
Well, Canada surpassed 100,000 cases today. From Global News, Canada reported 100,203 confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The official Province of Ontario website is reporting 32,917 total confirmed cases and 2,553 total deaths. Currently, there are 351 people are in hospital with 84 in ICU. 28,004 cases have been resolved. There are some really cool tracking charts in this article.

Quebec continues to have the highest reported cases in the country with 54,383.

The Region of Durham reported 1,650 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The site also reports 2 current outbreaks at Hospitals, LTCF's and Retirement Homes with 31 outbreaks having been "concluded." Currently, Clarington remains at 94 cases. Durham is ding really well and for the past couple of days, new cases have been only 2 or 3 per day.

In international news,
Apparently some book was released about a President? Caused a bit of chatter, i'm told.

To lock down, or not to lock down....that is the question. (with apologies to Hamlet) One study shows COVID-19's economic destruction followed a similar path either way. A group of economists studying how South Korea fought the COVID-19 outbreak without stay-at-home orders found that the country still experienced significant job losses in a pattern similar to that of countries that imposed lockdowns. The study, from economists at Seoul’s Myongji University, Queen Mary University of London and St. Louis’s Washington University, also suggests that Canada’s slowly reopening economy may not go back entirely to normal as long as the virus is still prevalent.

Switzerland avoided a coronavirus 'catastrophe' by protecting cross-border workers. Foreign citizens are very important to Switzerland's economy and particularly to its health service, especially in border cities like Geneva. In 2019, an estimated 325,000 people crossed the border into Switzerland every day to work – 177,000 from France, 76,000 from Italy and 60,000 from Germany. In mid-March Switzerland did close dozens of its small border crossings and reduced others to rush-hour opening times, but the government as well as cantonal authorities, private businesses and hospitals quickly implemented measures to ensure cross-border workers and therefor the economy and health system were protected. Switzerland did not categorise workers as essential and inessential. Instead all cross-border permits remained valid. Even seasonal workers in the agriculture industry, shut out of other European nations and sometimes unable to leave their own, faced no such restrictions in Switzerland. Farmers were allowed to drive their tractors across national borders. Cross-border workers were protected by Swiss labour law. Those who were furloughed under the Swiss government’s ‘Kurzarbeit’ scheme had their wages guaranteed, regardless of where they lived. The private sector got in on the act too, with some firms giving cross-border employees paid leave if they could not find replacement childcare in their home countries.

A pair of Canadian men who’ve been held in China for more than 18 months have been formally charged with spying for state secrets and intelligence. In a brief statement posted to social media, Chinese prosecutors say Michael Kovrig faces charges of suspicion of spying for state secrets and intelligence, while Michael Spavor is charged with suspicion of spying for a foreign entity and illegally providing state secrets.
Although they didn’t offer any details, the Chinese foreign ministry says the “facts are clear” and there is enough evidence to prosecute the Canadians. But, we quickly returned our Panda's to China as soon as they asked for them and sent 16 tonnes of OUR PPE to China back in February as soon as they asked for it. (Causing Canada to later go into shortage and crisis.)

In national news,
Canada's courts could see a surge in divorce proceedings once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, according to family lawyers. Toronto law firm Nussbaum Family Law said it is experiencing a 20 per cent increase in inquiries from people looking to split from their spouses than before the novel coronavirus outbreak, and one of its lawyers predicts that Canada's divorce rate will soar after the health crisis. "There will definitely be an increase in divorce, and an increase in separation," senior family lawyer Barry Nussbaum said in a phone interview on Wednesday. "We're following the similar lines of Italy and China where COVID hit first, and they're already showing statistics of increasing separation."

In a good news/bad news story, The National Post reported the Canadian economy is headed for a 'significant rebound' as provinces reopen, but roadblocks remain. The Canadian economy is showing green shoots and is poised for a sharp recovery as provincial governments gradually lift COVID-19 restrictions, chief economists at Canada’s major banks said. BUT, it could be years before the economy returns to pre-pandemic levels, as some battered sectors continue to drag on overall growth, several economists told the House of Commons finance committee on Thursday.

The federal government will begin testing a “completely voluntary” mobile contact tracing app in Ontario, to eventually be used nationwide, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday. The app will compile confirmed positive COVID-19 cases and notify Canadians when they’ve been in proximity to someone who has the virus. The government intends to make the free app available for download in early July and said that the program will be compatible with 30 million smartphones in Canada, meaning a significant portion of the population could use the app and be notified directly if they’ve come into contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 14 days.

In Ontario,
From the "Hmmm....i'm not so sure i'd install it" file, and further to the previous article, Ontario is enhancing COVID-19 case management with ‘exposure notification app’. The government says the app works on an opt-in basis in order to protect the privacy of users, and the province has consulted with the Information and Privacy Commissioner on its development. The app has been developed by the Ontario Digital Service (ODS), the federal government and a group of volunteers from Shopify. The government is also bringing Blackberry volunteers on board to ensure privacy and security are a top priority. Users will be able to voluntarily download the app and be notified anonymously if they’ve been exposed to someone who has tested positive for the virus in the last 14 days. It will also provide users with quick access to the province’s public health advice and resources on things like: getting tested, self-isolation tips and symptoms.

Starting on July 6, Humber College will be restarting some on-campus activities and begin allowing students to complete in-person requirements from the winter and summer terms. A limited number of students and apprentices will gradually be allowed to visit campus again throughout July and August. The school says the Centre for Trades and Technology, the Education and Training Solutions facility and some sections of the North Campus will reopen on July 6, with enhanced safety measures and guidelines to keep everyone safe.

The Ontario government is providing beef and hog farmers with $10-million in order to offset the costs of keeping animals ready for the market. The money will be split evenly between the two groups and is meant to provide farmers with money to keep market-ready animals fed. Called a set-aside program it allows beef farmers up to $2.00 per day to feed cattle that should be sent to processing plants. Ontario has seen a shortage in processing plant capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic and that means farmers have to hold on to their animals longer than normal. In addition, the province is giving $1.5-million dollars to process and package surplus pork for food banks allowing pork processing plants to manage capacity.

In local happenings,
Some families say a Pickering long-term care and retirement home that’s been ravaged by COVID-19 told them Lakeridge hospitals wouldn’t accept their loved ones who had the virus. Orchard Villa, which has confirmed dozens of cases and deaths due to the coronavirus, says it routinely sent sick residents and patients to the hospital. Lakeridge Health says it would never refuse patients who need medical care and the provincial government says it has never suggested that long-term care homes avoid sending residents to the hospital. (NOTE- these are allegations by the families and they have not been proven.)

Musing,
Is it just me, or are these contact tracing apps not a tad scary???

MLB baseball has really dropped the ball (pardon the pun) on not being able to come to an agreement on a 2020 season. I don't know who is right, the union or owners but they have missed a golden opportunity to draw sports starved viewers. Remember the strike of 1994? I love baseball but I stopped watching after the strike and I didn't go back to watching until about 2016.

I went golfing with my brother and some friends after work yesterday. The banter, teasing and chatting with other groups can really make the day when you have the right group, like we did. Given the times we live in, golf is going to surge in popularity and that can already be seen. Tried to book Stonehenge, lately? Ya, good luck with that.

Speaking of Stonehenge, it is the Summer Solstice on saturday night, which is the longest day of the year. Stonehenge will be webcasting the Solstice for the first time ever, which is very cool.

Today, is National flip flop and National Martini Day.
Clarington Tourism Businesses and Attractions Directory can be found here.
CERB abuse reporting https://apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/bscs/l3adz/internet/initial.do?target=login&lang=en&program=qa">can be done here.
To book a COVID-19 test in Durham Region, click here.
Lakeridge Health Mental Health Clinic 905-440-7534 or toll free at 1-833-392-7363 (Monday-Friday 9am-4pm)
Live coronavirus map of Canada: Tracking every case of COVID-19 in the country.
Hunting/fishing related updates in Ontario can be found here.