Category: Covid-19

Newly reported Covid-19 deaths are starting to decline in the U.S., driven by drops in the Northeast and Midwest, offering the latest sign that the surge fueled by the highly transmissible Omicron variant is fading.

Cases and hospitalizations have already fallen sharply from record-breaking peaks, including in places such as New York, New Jersey and Illinois where Omicron spread widely late last year. Deaths, which tend to follow cases by several weeks, appear to be following the same pattern by declining in the places hit hard early on.

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Covid-19 Death Reports in U.S. Begin to Drop as Omicron Surge Fades - The Wall Street Journal

Last modified on February 17, 2022

Dear Stanford community,

We hope you are well as we enter the latter stages of the winter quarter. We are writing today to provide an update on our COVID-19 testing program, as well as a preview of our plans for students returning to campus from travel during the upcoming spring break. The bottom of this message also provides some reminders about when you need to update Health Check.

TESTING

Based on the current status of the pandemic, we are now planning to transition to a more targeted COVID-19 testing program that focuses on those who are experiencing symptoms, concerned about possible exposure or returning to campus from travel.

For faculty, staff and postdoctoral scholars who are vaccinated for COVID-19, Stanford will suspend the requirement of weekly asymptomatic surveillance testing beginning March 1. For fully vaccinated and boosted students (undergraduates, graduate students and students enrolled in professional school programs), required weekly testing will continue through the end of winter quarter and the first two weeks of spring quarter, then likewise will be suspended.

We strongly recommend that you test whenever you are experiencing symptoms, concerned about possible exposure or returning to campus from travel. Over the coming weeks, in addition to Color testing kits, we will be making available a limited supply of rapid test kits to supplement those available from the government and retail sources. More information is available here.

Twice-weekly testing will continue to be required for faculty, staff and postdoctoral scholars who are not fully vaccinated, and for students who are not fully vaccinated and boosted. And, Color testing will continue to be available, up to two tests per week, for anyone who wishes to continue to use Color for regular asymptomatic testing.

Why this shift? Our Testing and Vaccine Committee has continually monitored the trajectory of the pandemic and now advises that the best way to manage spread at this point in the pandemic is by using a risk-based approach with rapid diagnosis and response for individuals who are displaying symptoms or are in settings with higher risks of exposure. The phased drawdown of surveillance testing, with required testing lasting a little longer for students, is based on the on-campus living situation for much of our student population and the large number of students we expect to be returning to campus from spring break in a compressed period of time.

We are fortunate to have a highly vaccinated community, and we also have gained greater experience with the Omicron variant, which among vaccinated individuals has generally resulted in fewer serious cases and hospitalizations than previous variants. While we are moving from asymptomatic to symptomatic testing for our vaccinated population, we will continue to monitor conditions, including future variants that may have different characteristics, and will be prepared to further adjust testing protocols as needed.

RETURN FROM SPRING BREAK

We are planning to return from spring break to in-person instruction for the spring quarter. To support the return process for students who travel during the break, the university plans to distribute rapid tests to students prior to the start of spring break.

Students who travel during the break should complete a rapid test before beginning their return trip. (Details on obtaining test kits will be provided in a follow-up email.) Those who test positive should delay their return travel and update their status on Health Check.

Then, students returning from travel should test twice using Color during their first week back on campus in spring quarter and once during the second week of the quarter. Students who do not travel during the break should test once during the first week of the quarter and once during the second week. Color turnaround times are expected to be much shorter than following the winter break, with fewer tests being processed in Colors system. More information will be provided to students as we get closer to the break.

As we did in the autumn and winter quarters, we also expect to have limitations on student gatherings for the opening weeks of the spring quarter. We want to get back to in-person engagement as quickly as possible. However, we have seen many recent positive cases attributable to social gatherings, and with large numbers of students returning from spring break travel all at once, we want to take reasonable steps to minimize the numbers who test positive and need to go into isolation. We will send details on social gatherings in a subsequent communication.

OTHER REMINDERS

For faculty, staff, and postdoctoral scholars, please update Health Check with your booster details and documentation if you havent already done so.

Unvaccinated employees should continue to complete Health Check every day before coming onsite and reporting to work.

If you are vaccinated, please update Health Check any time you:

Also as a reminder, Santa Clara County recently announced that masking requirements will remain in place until certain conditions are met, which could come in the next few weeks. We will continue to monitor the situation and will let you know when changes to campus protocols on face coverings are possible.

Thank you for your understanding, your flexibility, and the many ways you are supporting the work and wellbeing of our university community.

Sincerely,

Persis DrellProvost

Lloyd MinorDean, Stanford School of Medicine

Russell FurrAssociate Vice Provost, Environmental Health & Safety

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Testing and other COVID-19 updates - COVID-19 - Stanford Health Alerts

CLEVELAND As soon as early next week, the CDC is expected to update its mask guidance and other COVID-19 precautions, as infections and hospitalizations continue to sharply fall.

Johns Hopkins University reports the seven day rolling average for new cases is now 136,000, compared to more than 455,000 two weeks ago.

The Ohio Department of Health reports new coronavirus cases continue to fall, with under 2,000 reported Thursday, compared to about 12,000 new cases three weeks ago.

On January 1st, Cuyahoga County had the highest case rate in the state of Ohio for covid-19, Cuyahoga County Board of Health Commissioner Terry Allan said during a Feb. 16 Board of Health briefing. By January 24th, we had the lowest case rate in the state and around us, communities continue to drop as well.

Nearly 65% of Americans are fully vaccinated.

For Summit County Health Commissioner Donna Skoda, this drop in new COVID-19 cases, still in the midst of winter, marks a shift from the past.

This drop has been so rapid that we want to make sure it's going to come down and stay down, she said. I think what we're looking at here is we have a lot of folks who have been vaccinated. We have a lot of folks who have had the disease and so we're seeing this sort of drop off like omicron was famous for around the world.

With the pandemic in the rearview mirror, and an endemic COVID-19 ahead of us, Skoda told News 5 her team is focused on trying to vaccinate parts of the population not vaccinated or not boosted.

On top of that, the waiting game continues for preparing for whenever those under 5 become eligible, which she says likely wont come until the nations top experts determine whether a booster should become standard or not.

If you remember when it came out, one dose for Johnson & Johnson, two for adults and then all of a sudden there's a booster, she said. Look at all the confusion that was created. I really think it's wise to wait until, you know, if in fact, you need that third dose.

As for how to shift away from whats been a two year long alternate universe, Skoda said that will vary.

You really have to evaluate your situation personally, know about the vulnerable folks in your lives and really try to take care of yourself, she said. Be careful, protect yourself, but I think were going to see the risk slowly go down.

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Are we approaching the end of the COVID-19 pandemic? - News 5 Cleveland

Media Advisory

Thursday, February 17, 2022

After studying blood samples from 244 patients hospitalized for COVID-19, a group of researchers, including those who work at the National Institutes of Health, identified rogue antibodies that correlate with severe illness and may help explain mechanisms associated with severe blood clotting. The researchers found circulatingantiphospholipid antibodies, which can be more common among people with autoimmunedisorders, such as lupus. However, these autoantibodies, which target a persons own organs and systems,canalso be activated in responseto viral infections and activate other immune responses.

Scientists compared the blood samples to those from healthy controls and found the COVID-19samples contained higher levels of the antibody IgG, which works with other immunecells,such as IgM, to respond to immune threats. Higher levels of IgG werealso associated with COVID-19 disease severity, such as in patients who required breathing assistance. The researchers observed similar patterns, but to a lesser extent,after analyzing blood samples from 100 patients hospitalized for sepsis, which can leavethe body in inflammatory shock following a bacterial or viral infection.

IgG helps bridge a gap between innate and adaptive immune responses a process that helps the body recognize, respond to, andremember danger. In normal cases, these features help protect the body from illness and infection. However, in some cases, this response can become hyperextended or altered and exacerbate illness. A unique finding from this study is that when researchers removed IgG from the COVID-19 bloodsamples, they saw molecular indicators of blood vessel stickiness fall. When they added thesesame IgG antibodies to the control samples, they saw a blood vessel inflammatory response that can lead to clotting.Since every organ has blood vessels in it, circulating factors that lead to the stickiness of healthy blood vessels during COVID-19 may help explain why the virus can affect many organs, including the heart, lungs, and brain. A query of this study was evaluating upstream factors involved with severe blood clotting and inflammation among people with severe COVID-19 illness.

The researchers note future studies could explore the potentialbenefitsof screeningpatients with COVID-19 or other forms of critical illness forantiphospholipidsand otherautoantibodies and at earlier points of infection. This mayhelp identify patientsat risk forextreme blood clotting, vascular inflammation, and respiratory failure.Corresponding studies could then assess the potential benefits ofproviding these patientswith treatmentsto protect blood vessels or fine-tune the immunesystem.

Yogen Kanthi, M.D.,a co-corresponding author,is available to discuss this research. Dr. Kanthi is a cardiologist, Clinical Lasker Research Scholar, and leads theLaboratory of Vascular Thrombosis and Inflammationat the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.He is alsoan assistant professor of cardiovascular medicine at theUniversity of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Endothelial cell-activating antibodies in COVID-19. Arthritis & Rheumatology, 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/art.42094.

About the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI):NHLBI is the global leader in conducting and supporting research in heart, lung, and blood diseases and sleep disorders that advances scientific knowledge, improves public health, and saves lives. For more information, visithttps://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH):NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

NIHTurning Discovery Into Health

###

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Scientists pinpoint mechanisms associated with severe COVID-19 blood clotting - National Institutes of Health

Story

With dropping hospitalization rates, improving vaccination rates, and broad access to masks and tests, Gov. Jay Inslee today announced the state can soon move into a less restrictive phase of the COVID-19 response. The lifting of statewide measures does not prohibit local governments from the ability to enact measures in response to COVID-19 activity in their communities.

"The virus has changed significantly over the past two years, and so has our ability to fight it. While caution is still needed, we are entering a new phase of the pandemic," Inslee said at today's press conference.

Inslee and leaders from the state Department of Health said the combination of dropping COVID-19 hospitalization rates and efficacy of vaccines in preventing severe illness and hospitalization are important indicators that statewide requirements can begin to loosen.

"Vaccination remains our most essential protection against severe illness and death from COVID-19. It's also crucial to prevent our hospitals from being overwhelmed again," Inslee said. "If you've been procrastinating, now is the time to get the shot."

UpdatedProclamation 21-08.01 COVID-19 Safe Workers.

UpdatedProclamation 20-25.18 COVID-19 Washington Ready.

UpdatedProclamation 20-03.07 Face Coverings - Statewide.

Read the rest of the story on the governor's Medium page.

Public and constituent inquiries | 360.902.4111Press inquiries | 360.902.4136

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COVID-19 trends give leaders confidence to look towards next phase of pandemic response | Governor Jay Inslee - Governor Jay Inslee

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 have passed 418 million globally, according to Johns Hopkins University. The number of confirmed deaths has now passed 5.85 million. More than 10.42 billion vaccination doses have been administered globally, according to Our World in Data.

Hong Kong SAR's coronavirus battle intensified on Thursday as authorities reported new cases had multiplied by 60 times so far this month. Hospitals are overwhelmed with some patients being treated on beds in the open air.

New COVID-19 infections have continued to decline across the Americas region. They were down by 31% in the last week but deaths rose by 5.6%, the Pan American Health Organization said on Wednesday. Half of the region's 34,000 deaths were reported in the United States.

Top US infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci said on Wednesday it is time for the United States to start inching back towards normality, despite remaining risks from COVID-19. Fauci said US states face tough choices in balancing the need to protect citizens and the growing fatigue with the pandemic.

Germany will ease COVID-19 restrictions as a wave of infections from the Omicron coronavirus variant seems to have passed its peak, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday, but he warned that the pandemic was not over yet.

Switzerland has lifted almost all its coronavirus pandemic restrictions as fears wane that a spike in infections fuelled by the Omicron variant would overwhelm the healthcare system.

A drop in COVID-19 testing rates is likely contributing to a decline in reported cases even as deaths are rising, the World Health Organization's technical lead on COVID-19 Maria Van Kerkhove said on Wednesday. The WHO earlier this week urged governments to improve vaccination rates and rapid testing.

Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people in selected countries

Image: Our World in Data

Germany's BioNTech has developed a vaccine factory made from shipping containers that it plans to ship to Africa as assembly kits to ease what the World Health Organization has described as huge disparities in global COVID-19 vaccine access.

The factory prototype will be instrumental in helping the biotech firm deliver on a pledge made last year to Rwanda, South Africa, Senegal and the African Union to secure mRNA vaccine production on the continent, where inoculation rates are far behind other parts of the world.

Work on the first mRNA manufacturing facility in the African Union is due to begin in mid-2022 and the first container module is expected to arrive on the continent in the second half of the year, BioNTech said in a statement.

The factory, housed in two groups of six 40-foot-containers, should kick off vaccine production about 12 months after the delivery of the assembly kit.

BioNTech on Wednesday presented a prototype of one six-container module to the presidents of Senegal, Ghana and Rwanda, and other dignitaries including the WHO's director general and the German development minister, at its main vaccine production site in Marburg, Germany.

Efforts to strengthen global health security in a future health crisis will only succeed if the role of the World Health Organization is also enhanced, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Thursday.

Speaking via a video link at a G20 meeting of finance leaders in the Indonesian capital, Tedros was responding to proposals to establish a separate global health fund tasked with delivering emergency funds, vaccines and other medical needs.

"It's clear that at the centre of this architecture, the world needs a strong and sustainably financed WHO ... with its unique mandate, unique technical expertise and unique global legitimacy," Tedros told a panel discussion at the meeting.

"Any efforts to enhance the governance, systems and financing of global health security can only succeed if they also enhance WHO's role," he said.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 17 February - World Economic Forum

LONDON, Feb 17 (Reuters) - The United Kingdom reported 51,899 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, leaving the seven-day tally down by 26.6% on the previous week.

It reported 183 deaths of people who had tested positive for the disease within the previous 28 days. The seven-day total for deaths was down 25.6% on the week before.

Register

Reporting by William Schomberg; Editing by Alistair Smout

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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UK seven-day COVID-19 infections down nearly 27% on week before - Reuters

Connecticuts COVID-19 positivity rate Thursday is 4.71%, down slightly from 4.87% on Wednesday, and there have been an additional 105 deaths in the last week, according to the governors office.

An additional 544 cases were reported out of an additional 11,542 tests.

The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 is 325, which is 15 less than on Wednesday, and the governors office said 154 of these patients, or 47.4%, are not fully vaccinated.

The state Department of Public Health is reporting that as of Feb. 16, a total of 167,783 cases of COVID-19 among fully vaccinated persons in Connecticut have been identified.

Of the more than 2.6 million people in Connecticut who are fully vaccinated, 6.35% have contracted the virus, according to the governors office.

There have been a total of 10,324COVID-19 associated deaths in the state overall, according to the governors office.

According to the Connecticut Department of Public Healths weekly COVID-19 Alert Map, 153 of Connecticuts 169 cities and towns are currently in the red zone alert level, the highest of the states four alert levels.

Full coverage of the COVID-19 outbreak and how it impacts you

The only municipalities not in the red zone this week are Bethlehem, Essex, New Fairfield, Sharon, Washington, and Woodbury which are all in the orange level and Bridgewater, Canaan, Colebrook, Hartland, Morris, Roxbury, Scotland, Sherman, Union, and Warren which are all in the gray level.

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CT's COVID-19 Positivity at 4.71%; 105 Deaths Reported in Last Week - NBC Connecticut

KN95, N95, surgical, cloth mask: Which protects best against COVID-19

Not all Face masks are created equal. Heres a breakdown of how each mask works against COVID-19.

Just the FAQs, USA TODAY

COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths are all declining and federal health officials could ease guidance on masks soon, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, speaking at a White House briefing on COVID-19,said her agency was assessing data and "will soon put guidance in place" thatencourages prevention measures while protecting public health and hospitals.

The CDC recommends indoor masking in areas with substantial or high transmission. Thatincludes 97% of U.S. counties, Walensky said.

"We want to give people a break from things like mask wearing when these metrics are better," Walensky said. "And then have the ability to reach for them again should things worsen."

Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, provided an update on the Biden administration program to ship free coronavirus tests to American households.Fifty million orders 200M tests have been shipped, he said.

Also in the news:

Vaccination before contracting the coronavirus appears to diminish the chances of developing symptoms of long COVID among those who get infected, according to six of eight studies examined by the UK's National Security Agency.

A judge blocked Boston Mayor Michelle Wu from imposing a COVID-19 vaccination mandate on certain classes of firefighters and police officers.

The Biden administration is telling Congress that it needs an additional $30 billion to press ahead with the fight against COVID-19, officials told the Associated Press onTuesday.

Today's numbers:The U.S. has recorded more than 78 millionconfirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 928,000 deaths,according toJohns Hopkins University data.Global totals: More than 417million cases and over 5.8million deaths. More than 214million Americans 64.5% are fully vaccinated,according totheCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.

What we're reading:Research during the COVID-19 pandemic has shown Americans are enjoying the health benefits of being outdoors more than ever butoutdoor recreation is still largely dominated by white Americans, and nearly all other races continued to lag, or even stopped getting outdoors during the pandemic in disproportionate numbers.

Keep refreshing this page for the latest news. Want more?Sign up forUSA TODAY's freeCoronavirus Watch newsletterto receive updates directly to your inbox andjoin ourFacebook group.

The U.S. is reporting fewer than 1 million new coronavirus infections per week for the first time in two months, with the seven-day average dropping from about 453,000 two weeks ago to about 136,000 Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

The declining numbers in cases, hospitalizations and deaths are prompting more governments, businesses and sports and entertainment venues to start lifting restrictions, allowing for more of asense of normalcy than the country has enjoyed in months.

In Philadelphia, a vaccination requirement for indoor dining was removed Wednesday, and in Seattle proof of vaccination atrestaurants, bars, theaters and gyms will no longer be necessary starting March 1.In Salt Lake City, the arena that's home to the Utah Jazz will stop requiring fans to show proof of vaccination or a negativeCOVID-19 test to attend games, effective Feb. 25.

Several states that had indoor mask mandates, including California and New York, have rescinded them, although local officials and businesses can impose their own requirements.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the U.S. -- where nearly 75% of adults are fully vaccinated -- is "moving in the right direction,'' while still urging caution.

We all share the same goal to get to a point where COVID-19 is no longer disrupting our daily lives, a time when it wont be a constant crisis rather something we can prevent, protect againstand treat, Walensky said.

California removed its mask mandate for indoor public places Wednesday, but two of its three largest cities will still require face coverings.

The state allows local health officials to impose stricter measures, and Los Angeles County -- home to its namesake city -- and Santa Clara County -- where San Jose is located -- have opted to keep masking in place.The city of Palm Springs and Mendocino County are doing likewise.

Statewide, masks are still required in certain settings, such as indoors at K-12 schools, at transportation hubs and inpublic transit.

L.A. County did make an accommodation Wednesday by lifting anoutdoor mask mandate as its rate of coronavirus infections dropped sharply and hospitalizations dwindled by 29% compared to the previous week.

We remain very encouraged by the steady declines that are seen across so many of our metrics, county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrersaid, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Vaccine maker BioNTech unveiled a plan Wednesday for modular manufacturing facilities that could dramaticallyboost production of vaccines and medicines in Africa. The German firm's "BioNTainers" are shipping containers equippedwith state-of-the-art production technology. Eachfacility would require about a dozen containers and could provideup to 50 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine each year, the companysaid. Other medicines and vaccines also could be produced at the sites.

The company said the containers could be available later this year,although it could take another year for mass production to be fully underway.BioNTech has drawn criticismfor refusing to suspendpatentsso other manufacturers could make the vaccine more widely available in developing nations.

Today represents a momentous day for Mother Africa," said Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo. "Another step in the process towards self-reliance has been taken."

Ottawa Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said new emergency measures could result in protest "no-go" zones around monuments and legislatures to help quell three weeks of chaos in Canada's capital city.Police Chief Peter Sloly was ousted amid criticism overhis handling of trucker-inspired protests against COVID-19 measures.

The protests have spread across much of Canada. The Ambassador Bridge recently reopened after a blockade halted traffic between Detroit and Ontario for a week. But this week several protestersarrested in connection with a blockade at the bordercrossing between Coutts, Alberta, and Montana face charges of conspiracy to commit murder against Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers.

Even as the latest COVID surge recedes, doctors and patientadvocates warn that the virus could leave a new epidemic in its wake: millions more cases of the rare, mysterious condition known aschronic fatigue syndrome.

Researchers increasingly see parallels between chronic fatigue syndrome, which affects 1.5 million Americans, andlong COVID, the barrage of symptoms including exhaustion, persistent pain and cognitive impairment that can lingerfor months in some patients.

The connection between the two disorders is still being studied, but some research suggests the pandemic could more than triple the prevalence of chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME.

Whileresearchinto COVID's long-term impact is still in its infancy, there's evidence thatone in 10 infections may develop symptoms of chronic fatigue. That would equate to about 7.7 million cases in the U.S.

Gene Myers, NewJersey.com

Starting Thursday,vaccinated guests willno longer need to mask upindoorsacross most ofWalt Disney WorldandDisneyland. Face coveringswill still be required for all guests ages 2 and olderon enclosed Disney transportation at both resorts, such asshuttles and monorails.

We expect guests who are not fully vaccinated to continue wearing face coverings in all indoor locations, including indoor attractions and theaters, Disney World's website said. However, guests arenot required to provide proof of vaccination.

There will be no vaccination, testing or masking requirements at theCoachellaValley Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach Country Music Festival when theyreturnin April to theEmpire Polo Clubin Indio, California, organizers announced.

Britt Kennerly and Eve Chen

The New Jersey state Supreme Court rejected a last-minute appeal by the state's largest police union to block Gov. Phil Murphy's vaccine mandate for workers in high-risk settings, meaningmore than 11,000 county and state corrections officers have until Wednesday to show proof of vaccination or risk losing their jobs.

Chief Justice Stuart Rabner wrote that the New Jersey Policemen's Benevolent Associationdid not deserve a stay pending appeal because it had not shown that its claimrested on settled law orhad a reasonable probability of success, or that relief was consistent with the public interest, among other things.

The high court's ruling extinguishesthe union's hope that a judge would step in toblock Murphy's mandate, which requires that workers in high-risk environments, including hospitals and jails, get the COVID-19 vaccine or face discipline.

Steve Janoski, NorthJersey.com

Instructional aidesmay continue to substitute teachin multiple classrooms once Iowa's emergency pandemic proclamation expires this week after lawmakers met Tuesday to approve an emergency rules change.Iowa public schools were worried that the expiration ofGov. Kim Reynolds' public health disaster proclamationthis week would worsen their staffing shortages since the proclamation relaxed the rules for some school staffing, like allowing the aidesknown as paraeducators to substitute teach in multiple classrooms.

The rule allows paraeducators with substitute teaching authorizations to work as a substitute in multiple classrooms with emergency permission if the school shows a documented need for them to fill that role. Normally, paraeducators' work involves assisting teachers in the classroom, and theyare only authorized to substitute teach if they are assigned to a specific special education classroom.

Stephen Gruber-Miller, Des Moines Register

Contributing: The Associated Press

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CDC chief wants to 'give people a break' from mask wearing once transmission rates improve: COVID-19 updates - USA TODAY

CNN

A nearly three-week protest in Ottawa over mandated Covid-19 precautions in Canada may be approaching its end as police tell demonstrators to either leave immediately or face legal consequences.

The action is imminent, said Steve Bell, Ottawa Police Service interim chief. In the past few days, we have been communicating directly with the unlawful protestors. We have told them they must leave, and we have warned them the consequences of disobeying these rules.

Officers began erecting barriers and fencing throughout the capital citys downtown core Thursday in an effort to clear the area of demonstrators, according to a series of tweets from Bell. The secured area encompasses most of Ottawas downtown and is far larger than the protest footprint to date.

Only those with lawful reason to enter the core, such as residents, businesses, and others with lawful reasons, will be allowed in the area, the chief said. The unlawful protesters must leave the area and will not be provided access.

Bells statement was an attempt to assure residents that the city was restoring order by removing vehicles and people that are blocking traffic.

We know you have been through a lot and we are committed to returning your streets back (to) normal, he told residents. We know that the increased police presence may be distressing to some. They are here to keep you safe and complete our mission.

Many demonstrators have vowed to hold out for as long as necessary, and the federal government has moved to enact emergency powers to freeze financial support of the protests despite opposition in Parliament.

During a news conference, Bell was asked about a timeline for removing protesters and concerns regarding demonstrations over the weekend.

What I can tell you is this weekend will look very different from the past three weekends, he said.

Bell maintained that authorities would like the protests to end peacefully and that theyve considered many different circumstances that could exist within the footprint of the demonstration and in and around it, and were actually planning for several different eventualities.

We want people to peacefully leave, the chief said. But I can tell you that if they do not peacefully leave, we have plans, strategies and tactics to be able to get them to leave.

Beginning with a group of truckers arriving in Ottawa in late January objecting to a vaccine mandate, the protest has morphed into a general airing of grievances against all Covid-19 safety protocols.

The incessant noise, shutting down of area businesses and reports of hate crimes and vandalism by protesters have exacerbated the nerves of many residents.

Following criticism for the prolonged situation and the recent stepping down of the chief, Ottawa police said in a statement Wednesday that anyone coming to the capital to join the protest could have their vehicles seized. A charge or conviction may lead to denial in crossing the USA border, the statement said.

The Childrens Aid Society of Ottawa, a nonprofit organization that gets funding from the Ontario government, is urging demonstrators to make care arrangements for their children as police move forward with ending the protest.

If parents and children are separated following police efforts in ending the demonstration in the downtown core, CASO will work to reunite families as soon as possible, the organization said in a statement.

The latest moves from police come as border crossing blockades along the Canadian-US border have winded down this week.

There were no delays at the Emerson checkpoint in Manitoba Thursday morning, according to the Canadian Border Services Agencys website, after the peaceful departure of protesters Wednesday ended the last remaining border disruption. No one was charged, no vehicles were towed and no injuries occurred, officials said.

As authorities work to clear demonstrations in Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus plan to invoke the Emergencies Act to end the protest and cut off the financial support is being criticized by opposition leadership in Parliament.

Candice Bergen, interim leader of the Conservative Party, said Wednesday the party wont be supporting a motion by the federal government to use those powers, according to CNN newsgathering partner CTV.

Bergen said Trudeau didnt do enough to bring an end to the demonstrations before invoking the act, CTV reported.

The first act that he does when he has a chance to do something he doesnt go through step one, two, three he goes straight to 100 and invokes the Emergencies Act, Bergen told CTV News. I dont think anything that we will see will change our mind, we will be opposing it.

The act, passed in 1988 and never utilized before, can temporarily suspend citizens rights to free movement or assembly. It can also provide for the use of the military, but Trudeau has said this would not be necessary.

Trudeau defended his decision to invoke the Emergencies Act during an address to Parliament on Thursday.

We did it to protect families and small businesses. To protect jobs and the economy. We did it because the situation could not be dealt with under any other law in Canada, Trudeau said. For the good of all Canadians, the illegal blockades and occupations have to stop, and the borders have to remain open.

The Prime Minister told Parliament that about half of the funding for the demonstrations is being supported by people in the United States.

These illegal blockades are being heavily supported by individuals in the United States and from elsewhere around the world, he said. We see that roughly half of the funding that is flowing to the barricaders here is coming from the United States. The goal of all measures, including financial measures in the Emergencies Act, is to deal with the current threat only and to get the situation fully under control.

To invoke powers under the Emergencies Act, the government must propose a motion in the House and Senate explaining why federal officials need the powers and specifying what actions will be taken, then both the House and Senate must confirm the motions, according to CTV.

Debate on the House motion was to begin Thursday and a vote will be held soon, said Government House Leader Mark Holland, a member of Trudeaus Liberal Party.

Trudeau said invoking the act is about keeping Canadians safe, protecting peoples jobs and restoring faith in our institutions.

While the Ottawa shutdown is ongoing and the Manitoba blockade dissolved without confrontation, authorities who ended other border demonstrations earlier this week were met with some resistance.

Police in Ontario announced the arrest of up to 30 protesters while clearing out a blockade Sunday in Windsor, near the Ambassador Bridge, a critical link for US and Canadian commerce that connects to Detroit.

Police seized five protester vehicles Sunday and seven vehicles were towed Saturday, according to Windsor Police Chief Pamela Mizuno.

In Coutts, Alberta, police obtained a warrant and searched three trailers Monday associated with a small, organized group within a larger protest at the Alberta-Montana border. More than a dozen firearms, multiple sets of body armor and a large quantity of ammunition and high-capacity magazines were seized, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said.

Four people have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder in connection to the Coutts border blockade, the RCMP said Tuesday. Other charges include possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and mischief over $5,000, police said.

Mondays weapons seizure and subsequent arrests speak to the serious criminal activities taking place during this protest and illegal blockade, Alberta RCMP Deputy Commissioner Curtis Zablocki said in a video statement issued Tuesday. The dangerous, criminal activity occurring away from the TV cameras and social media posts was real and organized, and it could have been deadly for citizens, protesters and officers.

Nine other people were arrested and charged with possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and mischief over $5,000.

The crossing, which connects Coutts with Sweet Grass, Montana, is now open, Zablocki said.

I am happy to share with Albertans that the border is fully open, traffic is moving through smoothly and all protestors have moved out of the area, he said. We are maintaining a presence at this time to ensure the border remains a safe passageway for Albertans.

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Ottawa police chief says 'action is imminent' in the plan to clear the area of Covid-19 demonstrators - CNN