Coronavirus isolation mandate ends
Ontario’s chief medical officer of health says people who come down with COVID-19 no longer need to isolate themselves for five days before returning to work or school.
Doctor Kieran Moore says, instead, they should stay home until their symptoms have eased and they should wear a face mask for ten days.
Moore says he doesn’t expect a return to restrictions, saying our high vaccination rates should head off any explosion in the number of cases this fall.
But he adds that, if infection numbers grow too quickly, he may impose a mask mandate.
Moore also says parents of children aged 5 to 11 can start booking COVID-19 booster shots as of today.
Omicron-Variant vaccination soon available
Reports say the federal government will announce its approval today of a new vaccine designed specifically to battle the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
The vaccine, produced by Moderna, will target the original strain, plus the strain that’s most widespread in the country.
It’s aimed at those 12 years of age and older.
The federal government has already purchased 12 million doses of the new bivalent vaccine, with shipments expected to arrive this fall.
Inspection of nuclear power plant
A team from the International Atomic Energy Agency has set out to inspect Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, despite a flair-up in fighting around the facility in southern Ukraine.
The agency’s director, Raphael Grossi, says they believe they have the “minimum conditions” necessary to cross the front lines into Russian-occupied territory.
Ukraine and Russia have traded accusations that the other side has been attacking the plant, increasing the risk of a nuclear disaster.
Russia visas delayed
The European Union has suspended an agreement that speeds up visa applications from Russian citizens.
But there won’t be a complete ban on their entry.
Several countries in the 26-member organization had been pushing to keep all Russian citizens out, as a penalty for that country’s invasion of Ukraine.
Four E-U member states that border Russia say they may impose extra restrictions on their own.
