Omicron’s rapid spread are bringing new restrictions and concerns daily. Get the latest news here
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The rapid spread of the COVID-19 variant Omicron across Canada brings more restrictions, curtailments of services and concerns about shortages daily.
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This morning chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam will join Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the first federal COVID-19 update of the new year.
Watch here for the latest on this and other news that affects us all in the Omicron outbreak.
9:48 a.m. Wednesday
Starting today, Ontario rolls out tighter public health restrictions in response to what the province calls “an alarming increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations.”
- School classes will run remotely until at least Jan. 17.
- Several kinds of business including cinemas, gyms, theatres and restaurants must close for indoor activities for at least 21 days.
- Retail stores and malls are open at 50 per cent capacity.
- Hospitals are ordered to pause all non-urgent surgeries to free up staff to cover absences and the rising number of hospitalized virus patients.
- Social gatherings are limited to five people indoors and 10 people outdoors.
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10 a.m.
Canadian manufacturers are bracing for staff shortages either from COVID restrictions imposed by the government or from sickness.
Some are already reporting staff down between six and nine per cent, reports the Financial Post’s Jake Jake Edmiston , though it’s too early to call a trend.
Unlike previous COVID waves where restrictions weighed on economic growth, the bigger risk this time is people not showing up because they have contracted Omicron as it spreads more quickly than earlier variants.
“Suddenly, people are calling in sick,” said Dennis Darby, chief executive of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters. “If this persists, we’re actually going to see an effect on output.”
Additional reporting by the Canadian Press
