Health Canada approved on Friday the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster vaccine that targets the BA.4 and BA.5 strains of the Omicron variant. The vaccine, which is approved for people at least 12 years old, can be given three to six months after a second dose of the primary vaccine series, or the most...
Category: Health
Fact sheets about COVID-19 and booster uptake for Fall Vaccination campaigns
Canada has achieved high levels of primary series vaccination, in part due to the strong collaboration and innovative support provided by industry partners during the rollout last year. The COVID-19 pandemic remains dynamic and new variants may emerge, especially as people return to in-person workplaces and we head into the Fall when more time is...
Dangerous fungus detected at Montreal-area hospital, health officials say
A dangerous fungus known for its resistance to treatment was detected earlier this month at a hospital in Longueuil, Que., on Montreal’s South Shore, health authorities said Thursday. Since Sept. 8, officials have identified two cases involving patients carrying Candida auris at Hôpital Pierre-Boucher. Neither of them, however, have developed a dangerous yeast infection tied...
Health-care labour shortage a long time coming, requires shift to team-based care
Statistics Canada says about one million jobs sit empty, but the shortages in health care are the most pronounced.
Marcos renews vow to improve living conditions of Filipino nurses
MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday said his administration is committed to raising the profile and improving the working conditions of nurses here and abroad. He made this commitment in a speech while attending the 100th-anniversary celebration of the Philippine Nurses Association, Inc. at The Manila Hotel. “As part of our goal to...
Canada to implement 988 suicide crisis line starting in fall 2023
Canadians will be able to call 988 to be connected to a mental health crisis or suicide prevention service, free of charge in November 2023.
Ontario, Maritimes premiers meet to talk health care but offer no details, solutions
A “Team Canada” approach is needed to fix the country’s health-care problems, the premiers of the Maritimes and Ontario said Monday, but they offered no specifics. Following a meeting with Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc in Moncton, N.B., the four premiers held a joint news conference and said the country’s leaders need to come together...
Health minister appoints chief nursing officer to address health crisis
The appointment could not come at a better time, Canadian Nurses Association president Sylvain Brousseau said at the news conference, as nursing shortages threaten the sustainability of Canada's health systems.
Ontario’s Plan to Stay Open hires up to 6,000 additional health care workers, frees up 2,500 hospital beds, and more
TORONTO — The Ontario government introduced its Plan to Stay Open: Health System Stability and Recovery, a five-point plan to provide the best care possible to patients and residents while ensuring the resources and supports are in place to keep the province and economy open. The plan further bolsters Ontario’s health care workforce, expands innovative...
Why is ArriveCan still mandatory, and what is Ottawa’s plan for the contentious app?
The glitch-prone app touted as an efficient border tool early in the pandemic has become a punching bag for critics who question its utility — but ArriveCan may be here to stay. The government insists it’s a useful tool. Critics say it has outlived its use, if it ever had one. Here’s a quick...