The latest on the coronavirus outbreak for April 27
- Ford 'won't set hard dates' for reopening Ontario, says province must see drop in new COVID-19 cases first.
- Minister says COVID-19 is empowering domestic violence abusers as rates rise in parts of Canada.
- $73B wage subsidy program opens, 1st payments expected May 7.
- Quebec moves forward with plan to begin opening schools; global number of COVID-19 cases surpass 3 million, according to Johns Hopkins University.
- Read more: Find the COVID-19 benefits and programs relevant to you.
Almost 'war-like' conditions prompt resignations at Laval nursing home
At least four front-line staff at a Laval, Que., long-term care home beset by a severe outbreak of COVID-19 have quit their jobs in recent days.
"I'm raising the white flag, I admit defeat," Valérie Gilbert, an auxiliary nurse who had been working at CHSLD Fernand-Larocque since March 2018, wrote on Facebook. "You won't see me cry all the tears in my body because I have already shed them for my patients who died. The same patients I've known for two years, whom I have cared for and, until now, whom I have ensured a quality of life."
There are 70 cases of COVID-19 in the home, representing 85 per cent of the residents. To date, 20 people have died, according to the latest figures from the CISSS de Laval, the regional health authority that oversees the home. In an interview, Gilbert described conditions inside the CHSLD as almost "war-like." She said there's a shortage of staff and a shortage of medical equipment. The result, she said, is that staff are not able to give adequate care.
In a statement, the CISSS de Laval did not deny the conditions were poor, saying it understands there are challenges in long-term care homes. "The impact on employees should not be minimized," wrote spokesman Pierre-Yves Séguin, adding that workers have access to an employee assistance program and are encouraged to use it. Séguin said more than 150 people have been hired over the last two weeks and clinical staff from other departments are being redeployed to long-term care homes.
Other nurses described similar conditions in Quebec long-term care homes that have been hard-hit by COVID-19, while the Quebec federation of nurses (FIQ) said that it has been lobbying the government for improvements inside long-term care homes for years. The Quebec government has made efforts to bring on more staff in recent weeks; Premier François Legault has also enlisted the help of the Canadian Forces, and requested that any able-bodied Quebecer volunteer to work.
Click below to watch more from The National
IN BRIEF
Ford 'won't set hard dates' for reopening Ontario
Ontario must see a "consistent two-to-four week decrease in the number of new daily COVID-19 cases" before the government can start to loosen restrictions and begin reopening the economy, a new framework released by the province said.
The province will reopen its economy through a three-stage process in the coming weeks and months, but the government document offers no firm date and few details about when that effort will begin. "The framework is about how we're reopening, not when we're reopening," Premier Doug Ford said at a news conference. While Ontario is believed to be at its peak in terms of the outbreak, how long that peak lasts remains a question, he said.
Dr. David Williams, Ontario's chief medical officer health, said last week that the province would need to see fewer than 200 new cases daily for an extended stretch before relaxing COVID-19 emergency measures would be feasible. With the province still falling somewhat short of its goal of processing 13,000 tests per day, whether the number of new cases being reported daily reflects the true number of new infections remains a question.
Read more about Ontario's plan
Minister says COVID-19 is empowering domestic violence abusers as rates rise in parts of Canada
Canada's minister for women and gender equality said the COVID-19 crisis has empowered perpetrators of domestic violence as consultations reveal that abuse rates are rising in parts of the country. Climbing rates of domestic violence have been reported around the world amid orders to stay indoors and limit social interaction. Closures of some shelters and reduced capacity at others is worsening the problem, with the United Nations calling for immediate global action to halt the surge.
After the pandemic's onset, Maryam Monsef said her department consulted with front-line organizations, provinces and territories and MPs from across Canada to better understand the impact of the crisis. The discussions uncovered a 20 to 30 per cent increase in rates of gender-based violence and domestic violence in some regions of the country, although data on where the uptick is occurring is not yet available.
So far, the federal government has pledged $50 million to assist women's shelters, sexual assault centres and similar facilities in Indigenous communities throughout the crisis. But not everyone is aware that shelters — which have been deemed an essential service — are still an available option, said Wanda McGinnis, CEO of the Wheatland Crisis Society in rural Alberta. "A pandemic doesn't make [violence] stop," she said. "A pandemic just makes that silent."
$73B wage subsidy program opens, 1st payments expected May 7
Applications opened today for a $73-billion wage subsidy program to help businesses that have seen a drop in revenue because of COVID-19, while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the first payments should begin to arrive May 7.
The support program covers up to 75 per cent of wages for businesses affected by COVID-19. Businesses of all sizes, along with charities and non-profits, are eligible if they have experienced a drop in revenue of at least 30 per cent. The subsidy is available for three months, retroactive to March 15, and provides up to $847 a week per employee. But Trudeau warned that Canadians can receive the wage subsidy or the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) — not both.
Some business groups say many firms don't qualify for the subsidy because of the rule on revenue loss. Others have had to close down already. Meanwhile, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) said many still aren't clear on how the program works and who is eligible. "Unfortunately, the subsidy has already come too late for some businesses, who are not currently in a position to rehire laid-off staff," CFIB president Dan Kelly said in a statement.
Read more about the wage subsidy program
THE SCIENCE
What should I do if both of my parents catch COVID-19?
CBC News readers, viewers and listeners have sent in countless questions about the COVID-19 pandemic, including this one from a 12-year-old in Fredericton. If you have one of your own, reach out at covid@cbc.ca.
As for the issue at hand https://www.cbc.ca/news/parents-covid-questions-kids-edition-1.5545788: Health Canada advises anyone with COVID-19 symptoms to self-isolate, and in this scenario, Toronto-area pediatrician Dr. Dina Kulik recommends giving your parents space so you don't get the virus, too. "It depends on your age," said Kulik, a pediatric emergency medicine physician and the founder of Kidcrew Medical, a pediatric clinic in Toronto. "If you are old enough to take care of yourself, cook your own meals and don't need your parents to care for you day-to-day, I would suggest isolating from them."
However, every family should have a plan, and if the parents and child feel as though the child would be better off living with a friend or relative, then that's an option, too. But Kulik cautions that it's possible the child could be asymptomatic, meaning a person has the virus but is not showing any symptoms, and that could put the other caregivers at risk.
If you are sharing a space with someone who's sick, Kulik also recommends wiping down all high-traffic surfaces such as counters, door handles and even the refrigerator with products approved for use against the coronavirus, including: alcohol, peroxide or a bleach solution. She also advises using a different washroom if possible, which should help contain the spread. If you are a youth who needs support during the COVID-19 pandemic, contact Kids Help Phone.
AND FINALLY...
Eyebrow-shaving B.C. couple takes on another isolation trend: at-home haircuts
Remember the B.C. couple who shaved their eyebrows off in the spirit of forcing themselves to stay at home during the pandemic? Well, Justin Young and Justine Manuel are back to tackle another isolation challenge — home haircuts.
"I remember our elders bugging me when I was a kid, and hearing elders talk about putting a bowl on your head and shaving around it," Young said. "I kind of thought that might be funny."
So Manuel, Young's fiancée, offered him the choice of three styles: bowl one, bowl two or bowl three. "I just laughed because I was like: 'Oh my God, I can't believe that happened,' " Manuel told CBC News. The two posted their bowl cut video to Facebook, after receiving hundreds of thousands of views for their previous video shaving off their eyebrows to make themselves stay home.
In addition to eyebrow shaving and haircutting, the pair have been doing drive-by parades for the students Young works with at Four Directions Secondary School in Kamloops.
Read the full story about the at-home haircuts
Send us your questions
Still looking for more information on the outbreak? Read more about COVID-19's impact on life in Canada, or reach out to us at covid@cbc.ca.
If you have symptoms of the illness caused by the coronavirus, here's what to do in your part of the country.
For full coverage of how your province or territory is responding to COVID-19, visit your local CBC News site.
To get this newsletter daily as an email, subscribe here.
Click below to watch CBC News Network live
With files from CBC News, The Canadian Press, The Associated Press and Reuters
