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MY RESPONSE TO THE COVID19 PANDEMIC:
To all my Amazing Blog Readers, I want to address the current COVID19 PANDEMIC. I am hoping that everyone who reads this is taking the situation very seriously.
Please only leave your homes if it is absolutely necessary. If you do have to go out, make sure you are wearing gloves, and/or use hand sanitizer as often as possible.
We are living through something that will be talked about in the future just as much as The Great Depression and hundreds of thousands of people will die (and many already have.)
Please respect the fact that this virus is killing our seniors and is also deadly to those who have underlying health issues. Please. Please.
STAY SAFE!
STAY HEALTHY!
STAY HOME!
AND READ MORE BOOKS!!!
(Patricia Treble and Lauren Cattermole)
Information from Maclean’s article
Coronavirus in Canada: how to get tested, what the symptoms are, where to get help
A province-by-province breakdown of advice, requirements and who to call if you think you might have it, along with information on who is most vulnerable
April 9, 2020
NOTE: This post was originally published on March 12, and is being updated frequently with the most recent information from official federal and provincial sources. Because events are changing quickly, we are drawing not only from government websites but also Twitter feeds, press conferences and other sources. Last update was Thursday, April 9 at 12 p.m.
In addition to all provinces having declared emergencies to deal with the coronavirus, cities are doing the same. On April 1, Toronto declared an emergency, cancelled all non-essential services and upcoming events and closed many facilities. It won’t be the last municipality to do so. In addition to checking this post for the latest federal and provincial guidance. Maclean’s recommends that readers check their own municipal websites for specific local information.
As the coronavirus known as COVID-19 spreads in Canada, the sheer volume of information and misinformation about it can make it difficult to know exactly what is going on, and what to do if you think you or someone near you could have the virus.
So Maclean’s has compiled information about the current situation in Canada, symptoms of COVID-19, who is most vulnerable to the virus, as well as self-isolation and notification details for each province and territory. We combed through the official coronavirus webpages of the federal, provincial and territorial governments, as well as of the World Health Organization (WHO), which published a preliminary report on the outbreak in China. Sources are noted throughout.
As each province and territory has its own health terminology—Telehealth Ontario vs. Health Link 811 in Alberta, for example—much of the wording is taken directly from their sites to avoid confusion.
An important note: this information is frequently revised and updated by authorities. This post, too, is being updated regularly, but we urge readers to click on the links, especially the official sites, for the latest.
Also, wash your hands with soap. Often.
To skip directly to information and instructions for your home province on this post, follow the applicable link below:
British Columbia
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Ontario
Quebec
New Brunswick
Prince Edward Island
Nova Scotia
Newfoundland and Labrador
Northwest Territories
Yukon
Nunavut
Symptoms
Symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure to the virus while the average is 5-6 days after infection (PHAC and WHO).
According to a World Health Organization report from the end of February on COVID-19 in China, symptoms in confirmed cases included:
- Fever (88%)
- Dry cough (68%)
- Fatigue (38%)
- Sputum production (33%)
- Shortness of breath (19%)
- Muscle or joint pain (15%)
- Sore throat (14%)
- Headache (14%)
- Chills (11%)
April 9, 11 a.m. update: According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, commonly reported symptoms among confirmed cases in Canada include:
cough (77%)
headaches (56%)
and weakness (55%)
The WHO report on COVID-19 in China found that:
- 80% of patients experienced mild to moderate effects (fever, cough, maybe pneumonia—but not needing supplemental oxygen)
- 14% suffered severe symptoms (requiring supplemental oxygen, including via a ventilator)
- 1% were critical (respiratory failure, septic shock and/or organ dysfunction/failure)
Who is most vulnerable?
There is increased risk of more severe outcomes for those:
- Aged 65 and over
- With compromised immune systems
- With underlying medical conditions or chronic diseases including:
- diabetes
- cancer
- heart, renal or chronic lung disease (Ont.)
Those warnings follow the findings of that February WHO report on COVID-19 in China. According to the research team, the age difference among those affected was stark: 21.9 per cent of those over 80 years died, while just 2.4 per cent of all reported cases were children aged 18 and under (only 0.2 percent of those became critically ill).
As well, while 1.4 percent of COVID-19 patients with no other underlying conditions died, those with other conditions experienced much higher death rates:
- cardiovascular disease (13.2%)
- diabetes (8.4%)
- hypertension (8.4%)
- chronic respiratory disease (8%)
- cancer (7.6%)
In more severe cases, public health authorities believe infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death (Sask). Yet, unlike the nature of influenza, pregnant women do not appear to be at a higher risk for the severe form of COVID-19, according to the WHO report.
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