The National Advisory Committee on Immunization issued guidance today allowing for people who received the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine as their first dose to get an mRNA vaccine for their second. A study in the United Kingdom reported last month that mixing AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech as first and second doses led to more reports of short-lived side-effects like fevers and fatigue but was otherwise safe. The Spanish study concluded a second dose of Pfizer after a first dose of AstraZeneca produced more than twice the antibodies as a second dose of AstraZeneca. All provinces paused the use

It seems Justin Trudeau has picked up a new accessory, though this one is not by choice. The prime minister known for his snazzy socks and styled hair was spotted Monday walking with a cane after leaving an event announcing federal loans for Black entrepreneurs. Spokesman Alex Wellstead says Trudeau sprained his ankle while playing Frisbee with his children at home over the Victoria Day long weekend. There was no word on the severity of the sprain or how long the prime minister will need to use the device, which was nowhere to be seen during the actual announcement. However, Wellstead says th

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is signalling he supports N-D-P Leader Jagmeet Singh's call for an emergency debate on the discovery of Indigenous childrens' remains. The remains of more than 200 children were found on the grounds of a former residential school in Kamloops, BC. Trudeau also says he will speak to the three cabinet ministers who oversee Indigenous policy. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he was appalled at hearing of the discovery of at least 215 Indigenous children's bodies found on the grounds of a former residential school in British Columbia. Trudeau says Canadians cannot hi

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has asked that flags on all federal buildings be flown at half-mast in honour of the lives of 215 children whose remains were found at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C.Trudeau says he has made the request, which will include the Peace Tower flag, to honour all Indigenous children who "never made it home", the survivors of the school and their families.Chief Rosanne Casimir of the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc First Nation in British Columbia said the remains of 215 children, some as young as three years old, were confirmed last weekend with the help of groun

Procurement Minister Anita Anand says Canada has confirmed shipments of 15 million more doses of COVID-19 vaccines from three suppliers. She says every eligible Canadian will have access to a second dose by the end of the summer. She says 2.4 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech will arrive each week over five weeks in June and nine million more will arrive in July. As announced yesterday, she says Moderna has provided an updated delivery schedule for the first part of June, with 500,000 doses in two shipments starting next week. She also says 1.5 million doses of Moderna are arriving the week of

Canada's chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says the COVID-19 situation has taken a turn for the better in the country over the past month. She says more than 22 million doses of vaccines have been administered across the country and Canada's efforts have gotten it over the peak of the third wave nationally. Dr. Tam says average case counts are now less than half of what they were during the peak of the third wave in mid-April, with under 3,400 cases being reported daily over the past seven days. Dr. Tam says the number of people experiencing severe or critical illness is also decrea

Canada's expert advisory panel on vaccines says increased supply of COVID-19 vaccines means that people should be offered a second dose as soon as possible. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization says priority for second doses should be given to those who are at the highest risk of getting seriously ill or dying from the virus. NACI has also issued new guidance recommending that people who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have an autoimmune condition be vaccinated against COVID-19. It says mRNA vaccines, such as Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, are preferred for pregnant people. Since the

The federal government says its preliminary deficit for the last fiscal year was $314 billion, an unprecedented figure caused by an equally unprecedented economic shock.The early deficit figure for the 12-month period between April 2020 to March 2021 compares to a deficit of $21.8 billion over the preceding fiscal year.The government says in its monthly fiscal monitor that the deep deficit reflects the unexpected shift in economic activity and emergency spending in response to the pandemic.The government said in its April budget that the deficit in the last fiscal year would be $354.2 billion,

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he supports the call by the United States and others to better understand the origins of COVID-19. He says these efforts will not only ensure accountability but also full understanding of how to protect the world from any future pandemics. Trudeau says he knows there are ``a lot of theories out there,'' but a full and complete airing of the facts is necessary to actually understand what happened and prevent it from happening again. President Joe Biden has ordered U.S. intelligence officials to ``redouble'' their efforts to investigate the origins of COVID-19