CTV National News: How the measles are spreading across Canada
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Prince Edward Island is the latest province to report two possible cases of measles as the busy summer travel season gets underway. John Vennavally-Rao reports.
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CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
How to keep your home bug-free this summer
How to keep your home bug-free in the summer. Summer has officially arrived and that means it's an important time to stay protected from ticks and mosquitoes. While it's important to protect yourself from bugs while hiking or camping in the woods, they could also be lurking in your backyard. Ticks and mosquitoes are the most common critters that bring not only bites, but illnesses and viruses as well. CTV Morning Live spoke with Dr. Paul Roumeliotis to talk about ways to protect your backyard from bugs this season. Ticks Roumeliotis says personal protection is key when preventing ticks, including long sleeves and insect repellent, but knowing how they move and breed is equally important in keeping them away. Lyme disease can be transmitted by ticks, an infection that is spread to humans from bites. Ticks can also carry other diseases. 'There's a lot of things we need to do to understand where ticks live. Ticks like to live in the dark, foresty, grassy areas,' he said. Homeowners living by a forest or grassland are most at risk of being affected by ticks on their property. Roumeliotis recommends building a barrier of mulch or gravel to surround your property. 'You can prevent the ticks from entering your property because they don't fly,' he said. 'If there's a lot of shrubbery, old branches, get rid of them too because they like to hide in there.' Ticks How to keep ticks off your property from Dr. Paul Roumeliotis. (CTV Morning Live) The higher the grass, the more likely they will lurk in that area, he says. Making sure your grass is mowed properly is also important. 'If you have picnic tables, you can put gravel or sand or keep the grass as low as possible,' he said. Roumeliotis says reports of tick bites are increasing in the summer months. He says it doesn't just impact kids, but those working in shrubbery and landscaping as well. 'The amount of ticks that we see in the area has risen. Right now, we see them across eastern Ontario, Ottawa, between the St. Lawrence River and the Ottawa River.' Mosquitoes Outside of an itchy and painful bite, mosquitoes can also carry diseases such as West Nile virus, making it even more important to prevent them from growing near your home. Roumeliotis says knowing their habits and where they thrive is important in learning how to prevent them. 'When we talk about personal protection, it's great, but you need to be aware of these mosquitoes and ticks and where they breed and then we can actually diminish the amount of them in our backyard,' he said. Roumelitois says mosquitoes like to lay their eggs in pooled water. He recommends checking your property to limit areas that collected water, including pales and tires. 'Similarly, pots, wheelbarrows, recycle bins, all those things left out in the rain that create a puddle or a pool, can actually promote mosquito growth in your area,' he said. Roumeliotis says some may have noticed an increase in mosquitoes this year, linked to higher amounts of rain in the region this year.
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
What's open and closed in Ottawa on Canada Day 2025
Social Sharing Canada Day in Ottawa will be filled with free activities and fireworks, but make sure to check ahead to see what's open and what's closed. Most businesses and public facilities won't be open on the federal holiday, barring a few exceptions. Here's a look at what's opened and closed in Ottawa on Canada Day this Tuesday, July 1. Retail Stores in certain areas of the city such as the Glebe and ByWard Market can open on holidays under the province's Retail Business Holidays Act. This also applies to grocery stores. The Rideau Centre will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bayshore Shopping Centre, St. Laurent Shopping Centre and Place d'Orléans will be closed. Groceries Most grocery stores in the city will be closed, but there are a few exceptions. Alcohol All LCBOs will be closed. Select Beer Stores around the city will be open, but check here for details on your nearest location. What to know ahead of Canada Day in Ottawa 2 days ago Duration 1:34 From transit to fireworks, Jodie Applewaithe breaks down what you need to know as Canada Day nears in the nation's capital. Transportation There will be parking restrictions near Parliament Hill, the Supreme Court of Canada and LeBreton Flats, according to the City of Ottawa. Buses, O-Trains and Para Transpo are free all day. All OC Transpo stations will be open. Pimisi Station is the closest station to the main event at LeBreton Flats but passengers can also get off at Lyon or Bayview stations. Rural Shopper Route 301 will not run. Trail and road closures The City of Ottawa has released this handy map outlining closures: The following streets will be closed from 6 a.m. on July 1 until 2 a.m. on July 2: Wellington Street between Elgin Street and Vimy Place. Sparks Street between Lyon Street North and Bronson Avenue. Queen Street between Elgin Street and Bronson Avenue. Metcalfe Street between Albert Street and Wellington Street. O'Connor Street between Wellington Street and Albert Street. Bank Street between Wellington Street and Albert Street. Kent Street between Wellington Street and Albert Street. Lyon Street North between Wellington Street and Albert Street. Bay Street between Albert Street and Wellington Street. Bronson Avenue between Sparks Street and Albert Street. Commissioner Street between Albert Street and Wellington Street. Booth Street between Chaudière Crossing and Albert Street. Fleet Street between Booth and Lett Street. Lloyd Street between Fleet Street and Lett Street. Lett Street between Lloyd Street and Wellington Street. Onigam Street between Lemieux Island and Kichi Zībī Mīkan. Slidell Street between Bayview Station Road and Kichi Zībī Mīkan. Affected roads from Tuesday, July 1 at 7 pm to Wednesday, July 2 at 2 am include: Albert Street between Elgin Street and City Centre Avenue; and Slater Street between Bronson Avenue and Elgin Street. Affected bridges include: Alexandra Bridge, open to pedestrians and northbound vehicles; the southbound lane will be closed from Tuesday, July 1 at 6 am to 11 pm. Chaudière Crossing, closed in both directions to vehicles and pedestrians from Tuesday, July 1 at 6 am to Wednesday, July 2 at 2 am. Portage Bridge, open to pedestrians; closed to vehicles in both directions from Tuesday, July 1 at 6 am to Wednesday, July 2 at 2 am. Affected pathways from Monday, June 30 at 8 pm to Wednesday, July 2 at 2 am include: Chief William Commanda Bridge. Preparations ramping up for Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa 3 days ago Duration 2:57 Recreation Outdoor pools, wading pools and splash pads will be open with modified schedules. Many recreation centres will be closed but others will have altered hours and changes to drop-in schedules. The city suggests checking each each facility's page for more details. City-operated museums, Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe, and Shenkman Arts Centre will be closed. City services There will be no curbside green bin, recycling, garbage or bulky item collection on Tuesday, July 1. Pick up will take place on Wednesday, July 2. In addition, the collection will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the week. Multi-residential garbage containers will be collected on the regular scheduled day. Collections of multi-residential recycling containers, bulky items and green bins will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the week. The Trail Waste Facility Landfill will be open on Tuesday, July 1 from 9 am to 5 pm. All branches of Ottawa Public Library will be closed. All services at Ottawa City Hall, Ben Franklin Place in Nepean, 255 Centrum Blvd. in Orléans and the Provincial Offences Court at 100 Constellation Dr. will be closed. The Business Licensing Centre at 735 Industrial Ave. will be closed. The City of Ottawa Spay and Neuter Clinic at 26 Concourse Gate will be closed. The City of Ottawa Archives and Gallery 112 at the James Bartleman Centre will be closed from Saturday, June 28 to Tuesday, July 1. Health, dental and child-care services The Site program office and supervised consumption services at 179 Clarence St. will be closed. The Site mobile van will operate from 5 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. The Sexual Health Clinic and satellite clinics will be closed. The city's dental clinics will be closed. The Health811 line will be open. The city's immunization program telephone line will be closed. All city child-care centres and Parenting-In-Ottawa drop-ins will be closed.
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
What charging for COVID-19 vaccines means for Albertans going forward
When the province announced that most Albertans will have to pay for COVID-19 vaccines themselves going forward, the phones at Mohamed Elfishawi's two Edmonton pharmacies started ringing. "People are scared," Elfishawi said during an interview at his south Edmonton location, describing the calls he's had from clients – especially seniors. Earlier this month, the province announced it would only cover vaccines for particular high-risk groups: people living in care homes and group settings, those receiving home care, people on social programs such as AISH, and immunocompromised individuals. Everyone else will have to pay an estimated $110 if they want the vaccine. Accessing the shot will also be more limited: in the near future, pharmacists like Elfishawi will no longer be allowed to administer them, they will only be available at health clinics. Alberta's new path makes it an outlier in Canada, prompting questions about why the province has diverged from national recommendations on vaccines, what the timeline is for rolling out the new distribution system and whether or not the vaccine can be added to group health benefit plans. Will group benefits offer coverage? The United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) is already in talks with employers, seeking to get COVID immunization coverage added to group health benefits. "But even if they do, what that means is that it will fall onto the insurance companies, which will mean increased premiums both for employees and employers," said Heather Smith, UNA's president. UNA is also looking into benefits covering the cost for its staff. If it can't get sorted out in time for the fall rollout of vaccines, Smith said they plan to offer reimbursement for employees who pay to get immunized. Jason Schilling, president of the Alberta Teachers' Association, said they are exploring options through insurance, but he has also written to ministers asking them to reverse the decision. "We have policy around this that teachers should get vaccinations provided to them because they're working in congregated settings with students," Schilling said. "We know we have overcrowded classrooms." Alberta Union of Public Employees vice-president Bonnie Gostola calls the plan to charge for the shots a "slap in the face" to members working in roles like hospital porters, housekeeping, and other service roles. "Workers that barely make above minimum wage — $110 is one day pay for those members – it's excessive, especially when they are also responsible for looking after other people," she said. Gostola said AUPE has been telling workers this is an occupational health and safety issue, and that it believes the employer needs to take on the responsibility of covering the cost of vaccines. Some employers are suggesting other avenues for staff. The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority said in a statement that its workers will be able to use their employee health care spending account to pay for the shot. A complex change For people who do have health benefits, getting COVID vaccines added to group benefit coverage won't be simple. Alberta Blue Cross – a non-profit insurance provider that runs government coverage programs as well as private plans – has been getting inquiries from both employers and plan members about covering the vaccines. "We are waiting for more information on the COVID vaccines — including the cost and specific details on the way Albertans will access and be charged for the COVID vaccine — before we can make a decision regarding private plan coverage," said Blue Cross spokesperson Sharmin Nault Hislop in a statement. "The change is complex and there are a lot of factors at play." Hislop explained that it's not a simple internal decision as private plans have many different designs, some including vaccine coverage and some that don't. The organization also has an internal drug review process that needs to be done to determine if and how it can add COVID-19 vaccines to its roster of covered medications. U.S. comparison There is variability in the types of health care and medications publicly covered province-to-province. For example, shingles vaccines are free for older adults in some jurisdictions but not others. But changing access to COVID-19 shots, which were freely available across the country for so long, creates a compelling case study, said Jamie Daw, an assistant professor at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. "I think it's not something that anyone expected access would be taken away," Daw said. "I think that's sort of part of this broader conversation about sort of privatization in the Canadian health-care system more generally, and how we should grapple with it and what policies and regulations might be needed in cases like this." Daw said that in the United States, about 90 per cent of Americans can still get COVID vaccines for free — covered by private insurance, and Medicare and Medicaid programs. Unlike Canada where following the isn't required, the U.S. has federal regulations requiring that certain vaccines be fully covered by public and private coverage. Diverging from NACI's recommendations The province said in the 2023-2024 respiratory virus season, 135 million worth of doses went to waste. For the upcoming season, Alberta has ordered 500,000 doses – some of which will be given for free to the identified high-risk groups, and the rest available for purchase to help Alberta recoup the coast. Most Albertans will soon pay about $110 for a COVID shot 1 day ago Duration 2:43 With Alberta soon to end free COVID-19 vaccines for most residents, there's growing concern about cost, coverage and access — especially for vulnerable seniors. When provincial funding ends, most Albertans will have to pay an estimated $110 per dose. A statement from Minister of Primary and Preventive Health Services Adriana LaGrange's office this week said the decision still offers protection to vulnerable Albertans, and takes low uptake of the vaccine by the general population into account. And while Lagrange's office said the province was informed by NACI's recommendations on vaccines, it decided not to offer free vaccines to a number of high risk, priority groups that NACI identifies because of "Alberta's specific needs," such as uptake trends. Those high-risk groups not being offered free vaccines include all people over 65, pregnant people, Indigenous people, members of racialized and other equity-denied communities, and health-care workers and other care providers in community settings. The exclusion of people over 65 is particularly concerning to Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of Alberta. She said it's a major deviation from NACI's recommendations, which do take cost to provinces into consideration. "It doesn't really endorse using the vaccine very strongly from a public health perspective if they're not covering it," Saxinger said.
