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Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 (nCoV-2019)

lenaitch said:
I imagine they are acquiescing to cottagers because they know they really can't stop them and they are a massive tax base for them. Some of the cottage associations are quite politically engaged.

Enjoy your stay on the wave-smoothed rocks of the Bay. One problem with Muskoka is there is virtually no public waterfront land. Although Crown Land is still covered under the emergency order, I'm not sure who is going to be able to enforce it (watch where you park, though). Interestingly, the entire province is a restricted fire zone (where fire zones exist). I thought it was for fire prevention reasons but the website says it's Covid-related.

Seems the weather will be, well, at least warmer.
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If you look at this site, there are a couple of high-risk fire zones in Ontario.

But most shows as low risk, with some intermediate.

Only one of the high risk zones are in the near-north, none in the central or southern zones.

Ontario Map Viewer

www.lioapplications.lrc.gov.on.ca www.lioapplications.lrc.gov.on.ca
 
The US was offered millions of masks in January. The Trump administration turned the offer down.

A Texas medical supply company told the federal government it could make 1.7 million N95 masks for the US per week — but no order came.

By Riley Beggin May 10, 2020, 1:30pm EDT

www.vox.com

The US was offered millions of masks in January. The Trump administration turned the offer down.

A Texas medical supply company told the federal government it could make 1.7 million N95 masks for the US per week — but no order came.
www.vox.com www.vox.com
 
Feds sending seniors one-time payment of up to $500 as part of new COVID-19 aid

From link.

Old Age Security (OAS) pension will receive a $300 payment

An additional $200 is being sent to seniors eligible for the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)

The federal government is unveiling more support for seniors, including spending $2.5 billion on a one-time tax-free payment of up to $500 for eligible seniors.

Any senior who is eligible for the Old Age Security (OAS) pension will receive a $300 payment, and an additional $200 is being sent to seniors eligible for the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS).

The federal government estimates there are currently 6.7 million seniors who are eligible for the OAS pension and 2.2 million who are eligible for the GIS.
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Seniors Minister Deb Schulte and Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos are announcing the new measures ahead of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s address from Rideau Cottage.

Seniors are a demographic that continues to be hardest hit from a health standpoint by COVID-19 and is also facing additional economic challenges. Many seniors live on a fixed income, and are facing other stresses at this time, including uncertainty around their retirement savings.

In addition to these one-time cheques, the government is increasing funding to community support programs by $20 million to bolster projects including those aimed at reducing isolation and temporarily extending the GIS payments to seniors if their 2019 income information has not yet been assessed, allowing those people to continue to receive their benefits.

The government is encouraging seniors who have yet to do so, to submit their 2019 income information as soon as possible and no later than by October 1, 2020 in order to avoid an interruption in their benefits.
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Schulte said the pandemic has made life more expensive and more difficult for the oldest Canadians, as many are facing higher costs for services, higher medication dispensing fees, are paying premiums for deliveries – all while their life savings have “taken a beating.”

In order for these funds to roll out the door, legislative changes will be required, Dulcos said.

Trudeau is then also expected to speak to the long-awaited and continually-promised additional support for “the seniors who built us this extraordinary country,” as the prime minister has put it.

These new measures come as older Canadians continued to express concerns about their ability to make ends meet during this time.

Earlier on in the outbreak, the government took steps to assist seniors with funds for seniors-focused community programs like grocery delivery, and by reducing required minimum withdrawals from Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs) by 25 per cent for 2020.

The government also spent $1.3 billion in a one-time special payment through the Goods and Services Tax (GST) credit in April. More than four million seniors received this top-up, giving an average of $375 for single seniors and $510 for senior couples.
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Dentists gearing up for new normal of wearing full protective gear amid COVID-19

Posted: May 12, 2020

Dr. Peter Nkansah, a Toronto dentist and anesthesiologist, isn't sure when his clinic will reopen for non-urgent dentistry. When it does, he expects to be wearing protective gear from head-to-toe.

"Your dentist, unfortunately, is not going to look the same way your dentist did," he says.

Much of Nkansah's work involves being just inches from patients' open mouths. He's now among the dental professionals preparing to don full personal protective equipment (PPE) once they're allowed to see patients again regularly — including equipment like an N95 respirator, gown, and full face shield.
Click to expand...



Disinfectant and face masks: GTA salon chain makes plans to reopen in new reality

Posted: May 12, 2020

"A lot of things have changed," said Ray Civello, president and CEO of Civello salons, in an interview with CBC Radio's Here and Now on Monday.

"We really have to start with safety first."

Gone are the drinks from the coffee bar or the chance to flip through a magazine in a waiting area before your cut.

He says clients will instead be asked to arrive just a few minutes before their appointment, and will be questioned on their way in about how they're feeling and "possibly even [have their] temperature taken," said Civello.

The number of people inside the salon will be limited and spaced far apart. Disposable robes, towels and neck strips will also be used.

"We're using the disinfectants for every tool, for every station, so cleanliness is number one," Civello said.

Clients will also be asked to wear masks, and staff will wear both masks and face shields.

The pre-cut shampoo will also be scrapped for everyone besides people having their hair coloured, he said.

"We're going to be cutting hair dry, asking people to come in with their hair clean."
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Anyone receiving OAS shouldn't have had much of their portfolio in equities, and should hardly have to touch that principle. Incomes should be relatively unaffected.
Increase in costs is minimal - I'm seeing this as a vote-buying measure from the feds, to make sure the seniors don't feel left out by the alphabet-soup of programs aimed at businesses and labour force. Sad. But hey, what's another $2.3B in payments, why not.
 
Regigate said:
Anyone receiving OAS shouldn't have had much of their portfolio in equities, and should hardly have to touch that principle. Incomes should be relatively unaffected.
Increase in costs is minimal - I'm seeing this as a vote-buying measure from the feds, to make sure the seniors don't feel left out by the alphabet-soup of programs aimed at businesses and labour force. Sad. But hey, what's another $2.3B in payments, why not.
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I disagree. Food costs are higher. I see seniors every day on a care mongering group who have had to pay high delivery fees because they can’t get to a store or a pharmacy. Seniors who have someone to help them out are doing better but those without support are facing challenges, including monetarily.
 
PinkLucy said:
I disagree. Food costs are higher. I see seniors every day on a care mongering group who have had to pay high delivery fees because they can’t get to a store or a pharmacy. Seniors who have someone to help them out are doing better but those without support are facing challenges, including monetarily.
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That's a) anecdotal, and b) if planned carefully shouldn't be a material expense for most seniors.

Not to mention the fact that we are all going to have to suffer a little bit here. I've kept my job, but am facing challenges - I had to re-arrange my budget to make this work, and I don't see any reason a majority of seniors couldn't do the same. Maybe there's an argument to be made for those on the GIS, but this goes far beyond that. I suspect because it was never meant to address actual gaps in seniors' budgets that couldn't be resolved another way, but to make sure they know who to vote for in 2023.
 
Everything is anecdotal at this point. Just as your personal example is. Based on your logic, all of the supports offered are just to get votes.
 
PinkLucy said:
Everything is anecdotal at this point. Just as your personal example is. Based on your logic, all of the supports offered are just to get votes.
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CERB is based on people losing their income. Not anecdotal.
CEWS is based on businesses losing 15%/30% of their revenues. Not anecdotal.
$300 payment to seniors because "delivery costs, probably". Anecdotal.
 
CERB was a quick response before we knew the extent of layoffs and their impacts. So not data based. You don’t need to demonstrate need. You apply and they’ll figure out later if you qualified and you might or might not have to pay some of it back. Fact is, many people are facing economic impacts and governments have rolled out quick responses. Some people have been missed. Some may have got money they didn’t really need. A few extra dollars for seniors who aren’t getting a lot as it is isn’t going to be a game changer at this point. OAS is taxable so some may even have to pay tax on it.
 
PinkLucy said:
CERB was a quick response before we knew the extent of layoffs and their impacts. So not data based. You don’t need to demonstrate need. You apply and they’ll figure out later if you qualified and you might or might not have to pay some of it back.
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If someone loses their job, it's pretty certain that there is going to be a financial impact to their household. We didn't need data on the entire working population to know that. Seniors on OAS have had no change to their income, and we don't know what, if any change, to expenses they've had or if that change is likely material enough to warrant support (in my view, it is unlikely that it is).

PinkLucy said:
A few extra dollars for seniors who aren’t getting a lot as it is isn’t going to be a game changer at this point.
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Is this really the standard we want to hold our government to? "Ahh, whatever, it's just another $2B to the deficit, not a gamechanger". I, for one, hope to do better than that.
 
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