WHAT TO KNOW
Global COVID-19 cases have reached 69,281,963 up from 66,051,260 at 3:30 p.m. on
December 4, 2020. Canada now reports 442,069 cases, up from 400,023 cases of COVID-19 on December 4. Ontario reports 136,631 cases, up from 123,526 cases on December 4.
The Province reports 1,848 (1.4%) new cases since yesterday. Of the province’s total cases, 116,432 have been resolved (85.2%) and there have been 3,916 deaths (2.9%). The province has now completed 6,839,193 tests and reports 69,280 tests are currently under investigation. More information here.
A province-by-province breakdown of Canada’s COVID-19 case count can be found here.
FEDERAL
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that the federal government will be covering the cost of COVID-19 vaccines for Canadians. Trudeau told reporters on Thursday that his government would be footing the bill for the incoming immunizations as well as the supplies needed to administer them, rather than the provinces and territories using their funding to pay for the vaccine. More information here.
On December 10, the Government of Canada announced it will implement a pan-Canadian no-fault vaccine injury support program for all Health Canada approved vaccines, in collaboration with provinces and territories. Building on the model in place in Québec for over 30 years, the program will ensure that all Canadians have to have fair access to support in the rare event that they experience an adverse reaction to a vaccine. More information here.
As the Canadian economy recovers from the impact of COVID-19, workers are facing new challenges. That is why the federal government announced an investment of an additional $1.5 billion in the Workforce Development Agreements (WDAs) with provinces and territories. Supports include skills training, on-the-job training, employer-sponsored training, financial assistance and benefits, employment counselling and services, and job opportunities. More information here.
The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, announced on December 7, that following successful negotiations, Canada will receive up to 249,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in December 2020. Health Canada has determined that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine meets the Department’s stringent safety, efficacy and quality requirements for use in Canada. More information here.
PROVINCIAL
Today, The Ontario government has developed a three-phase implementation plan to receive, store and administer COVID-19 vaccines to Ontarians as soon as they are received. Phase One will begin on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 with a pilot project in Toronto and Ottawa which will include the vaccination of over 2,500 health care workers with the Health Canada approved Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. More information here.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford will no longer be giving his daily COVID-19 briefings. No specific reason has been given but his office says Ford will be available when there is an important update to provide. More information here.
The Governments of Canada and Ontario are investing over $3.5 million to help more than 700 businesses in the Ontario agri-food sector establish or expand their online presence. This initiative will provide consumers with more local food choices when shopping from home during the COVID-19 outbreak. By focusing more resources online, Ontario agri-food businesses are broadening their marketing channels, increasing online sales and providing consumers with greater access to a wide variety of food and agriculture products. More information here.
To help kick-start the Canadian economy during the pandemic, the Ontario government is investing an additional $21 million in pre-apprenticeship training programs for up to 2,000 people, including at-risk youth, new Canadians, Indigenous peoples and women, to help them pursue the hands-on experience they need to begin rewarding careers in the skilled trades. Eligible organizations can apply for the funding now, with the call for proposals ending on January 5, 2021. More information here.
The Ontario government is supporting jobs at local restaurants, bars, breweries, wineries and distilleries during the COVID-19 pandemic by expanding opportunities in alcohol sales, including making the sale of alcohol with food takeout and delivery orders permanent. More information here.
The Ontario Government announced it is ready to distribute COVID-19 vaccines as soon as they are received, beginning with vaccinating vulnerable populations and those who care for them. As recommended by the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force and in alignment with the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, the province has identified key populations to receive the vaccine first, including long-term care and retirement home residents and the staff who provide care to these groups. More information here.
TORONTO
Today, Ontario has announced York Region and Windsor-Essex are moving into lockdown effective 12:01 Monday, Dec. 14, as the province tries to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. More information here.
The province will begin inoculating health-care and long-term care workers at two hospitals in Toronto and Ottawa on December 15. More information here.
Yesterday, the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (FAO) released a report detailing the financial hardships that municipalities like the City of Toronto are facing due to COVID-19. More information here.
INTERNATIONAL
| Country | Total cases at 3:30 p.m. | Total cases Dec 4 at 3:30 p.m. | Increase from previous | Active Cases (Increase decrease) | Cases per million | Total recovered | Total deaths |
| Global | 71,237,163 | 66,051,260 | 5,185,903 | 20,191,399 | 8,474 | 49,447,787 | 1,597,977 |
| United States | 16,190,984 | 14,700,916 | 1,490,068 | 6,500,119 | 44,303 | 9,389,105 | 301,760 |
| India | 9,826,031 | 9,606,810 | 219,221 | 362,164 | 6,933 | 9,321,249 | 142,618 |
| Brazil | 6,794,910 | 6,496,050 | 298,860 | 683,236 | 30,469 | 5,931,777 | 179,897 |
| Russia | 2,597,711 | 2,402,949 | 194,762 | 491,978 | 16,463 | 2,059,840 | 45,893 |
| Spain | 1,741,439 | 1,699,145 | 42,294 | — | 36,336 | — | 47,624 |
| United Kingdom | 1,809,455 | 1,690,432 | 119,02 | — | 24,846 | — | 63,506 |
| Italy | 1,805,873 | 1,688,939 | 116,934 | 690,323 | 27,952 | 1,052,163 | 63,387 |
| Germany | 1,296,298 | 1,146,641 | 149,657 | 332,425 | 13,652 | 942,100 | 21,773 |
| Mexico | 1,217,126 | 1,144,643 | 72,483 | 208,670 | 8,839 | 896,130 | 112,326 |
| Iran | 1,092,407 | 1,016,835 | 75,572 | 252,827 | 12,041 | 787,853 | 51,727 |
| Peru | 979,111 | 968,846 | 10,265 | 28,012 | 29,212 | 914,600 | 36,499 |
| Chile | 567,974 | 557,135 | 10,839 | 10,847 | 29,039 | 541,345 | 15,782 |
| Canada | 446,100 | 400,023 | 46,077 | 73,350 | 10,560 | 359,529 | 13,221 |
| Saudi Arabia | 359,583 | 358,336 | 1,247 | 3,452 | 10,226 | 350,108 | 6,023 |
| China | 86,688 | 86,584 | 104 | 292 | 60 | 81,762 | 4,634 |
| Australia | 28,011 | 27,949 | 62 | 1,438 | 1,091 | 25,665 | 908 |
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