Coronavirus (COVID-19) National News

Compared with asymptomatic patients, symptomatic patients were at double the risk of preterm birth and a 50 per cent increased risk of caesarean delivery.

In addition to the well-documented economic consequences, particularly among communities near the border, the year-long travel restrictions are taking a mental toll, the task force heard.

There have been nearly 4,500 variant cases of COVID-19 in Canada, with 90 per cent of those related to the variant first detected in the U.K., Tam said, adding that in parts of Canada, variants of concern are making up a higher proportion of all new cases.

Defence Research and Development Canada is interested in ways of addressing "high impact, low frequency" events – disasters that don't happen often but have deep and long-lasting effects when they do occur.

The new advice comes as authorities debate whether Canada is moving into a third wave of the pandemic, and investigate concerns about blood clots and AstraZeneca's vaccine.

The Public Health Agency says this coming week will be the last in which Canada will receive fewer than 1 million doses over a seven-day period.

He said some Canadians cannot be vaccinated because of medical conditions, and noted people who are not prioritized for shots will have to wait much longer than others.

The province's health delivery agency issued a statement Saturday that it was nearing the maximum number of bookings it could schedule for the current supply of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

Almost 100,000 women aged 20 and up have exited the labour market entirely, compared with fewer than 10,000 men, says a report co-authored by Desjardins and RBC.

At least nine European countries hit pause on their use of AstraZeneca's doses – some entirely, and others only on specific batches – pending further investigation of blood clots, though none suggested there is a link between the clots and getting the vaccine.