Canadian COVID-19 News

[Montanan]

U.S.-Canada Border Set To Remain Closed Until At Least August 21

The border between Canada and the U.S. is set to remain closed to all non-essential travel until at least August 21, Canadian network CTV is reporting.

Talks have been ongoing between the two countries, with the current closure set to expire on July 21. Justin Trudeau and Donald Trump had a call yesterday to discuss the situation and the Canadian PM said afterwards that his administration was “going to continue to work hard to keep Canadians safe and to keep our economies flowing.”

https://deadline.com/2020/07/u-s-can...21-1202985102/

[CruisingCouple]

Another casualty of the Corona thing was BRP (not the same as Bombardier Canada - BRP is a highly successful spinoff) discontinued production of the Evinrude outboard engines. Those engines were built here in Wisconsin for the last 113 years.
https://www.boatingmag.com/story/boa...-discontinued/

This was a shocker in the marine industry and came out of the blue. Every marina up and down the coast handles Evinrude. They were almost the standard in the Australian commercial fishing industry. Admittedly not too popular on offshore yachts once the horsepower wars started and everybody wanted 450's and 627's. But still a pretty significant player in marine power. Heck, we had an Evinrude Yachtwin on our very first ever sailboat many years ago, and it was one of the nicest and quiet-running outboard engines a person would possibly want.

Pretty sad, really.

[CruisingCouple]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

You really are missing the point. While it is abundantly evident that you think we should move forward to open the border, using whatever science and testing that is at our disposal, you just don't seem to understand that the Canadian will to do so is missing. As you rightly point out, the science is more "stabbing in the dark" than 100% guaranteed. So why take the chance?

In this area it is huge for the economy. Especially in marine and fly-in and drive-in fishing in Canada. And Canadian access to Lake Superior. It's like, you're working on your boat and need parts, can't find the parts. Call up to Thunder Bay and they got 'em. Let's go to Thunder Bay and get the parts.

It's basically like the border isn't there, just a formality when you drive thru. Except you find the Canadian Customs are always really nice and no problems. US Customs is a bunch of p&**s some days.

[Stu Jackson]

It is truly difficult, if not impossible, to explain things to people who have their minds made up that they are always right because they got tested, can get tested and their wife is a nurse.


The reality, as our friend in Montana explained, is that potentially sick people are moving all across the USA. Gee, Arizona folks vacationing in Montana. What could go wrong?


Most reports I've seen indicate that testing simply isn't happening to the extent required, regardless of the propaganda being spewed out of DC.


While CC may have had personal success, his experiences are simply NOT being replicated all over the rest of his country.


We Canadians are not unreasonably jealous of our health, and should and hopefully would do nothing to jeopardize it.


Why should we?


IIRC, some bozo returned to PEI from visiting the US and infected a lot of people. No reason to do that ever again.


I truly feel for those who can't visit their relatives. Not so sure I feel the same way for the skipper and his boat - that was his choice. I imported my boat when I moved here and obtained reasonably low prices for my boat and used them for paying my import tax (12.5%) a few years ago. It can be done. But boats are non-essential travel.


I miss my many friends from WA State, and miss going to the San Juans. They miss visiting here, too.


As Dr. Henry says:

wear a mask, wash Your hands, watch Your distance

be kind be calm be safe

“Respect science, respect nature, respect each other.”

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by CruisingCouple

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


...you find the Canadian Customs are always really nice and no problems. US Customs is a bunch of p&**s some days.

US Customs is a bunch every day, every minute, and twice on Tuesday. They are thugs at the Peace Arch, not so bad at Port Angeles. But never, ever, welcoming.

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by CruisingCouple

In this area it is huge for the economy. Especially in marine and fly-in and drive-in fishing in Canada. And Canadian access to Lake Superior. It's like, you're working on your boat and need parts, can't find the parts. Call up to Thunder Bay and they got 'em. Let's go to Thunder Bay and get the parts.

It's basically like the border isn't there, just a formality when you drive thru. Except you find the Canadian Customs are always really nice and no problems. US Customs is a bunch of p&**s some days.

Trust me, I get it. The border closure has cost me close to $10,000 so far — an expense that I wasn't expecting and doubt I will recoup. But the border is the border, all across the 49th parallel and its impossible to open only a small bit of it. So I predict it's going to stayed closed until Canadian confidence in the US's medical health starts to improve.

[NaClyDog]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

IIRC, some bozo returned to PEI from visiting the US and infected a lot of people. No reason to do that ever again.

US traveller with a student visa;


https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/p-e-i-he...ster-1.5017495

The cluster of cases are tied to a U.S. traveller with a student visa to study in P.E.I. That person was turned back at the Confederation bridge and is now being quarantined in Nova Scotia.
The traveller infected a P.E.I. resident when they were both in Nova Scotia and the Islander infected others upon returning to the Island.

The good news is the contact tracing is working because of the handle on things.

[Montanan]

Confirmed infections in the U.S. have now reached nearly 3.5 million, with 138,500 deaths, while Canada by contrast has close to 108,105 cases and under 8,790 deaths.

The population of the USA is nine times that of Canada.

So if one was to multiply Canada by nine one would have 973,000 cases and 79,100 deaths.

Cases per million Deaths per million Tests per million
Canada 2,865 233 86,287
USA 10,855 419 131,308

Canada's mortality rate to positive Covid cases ratio seems comparatively quite high at 8.1% versus 3.8%, and the USA has a considerably higher testing of its population, 13% versus 8.6%

Statistics,

[redhead]

Here's a look under a Washington/British Columbia/Alaska microscope.

I'm in Washington. A friend of mine, a commercial fisherman, just stopped by and here's his position -

He's American citizen, his wife is Canadian. His boat is here, they have a
house in Point Roberts, WA and a house in Victoria, BC. They have been quarantining themselves since February in Victoria which is taking the virus very seriously. He said he was very uncomfortable at how close we are getting to each other.

He must go fishing. He has loans he has to repay, or at least show that he is attempting to repay. Alaska season opened about 3 weeks ago and everyone from our harbor is already gone (8-9 boats) so he's already behind the 8 ball.

He will transit Canadian waters without stopping if nothing breaks down. Alaskans are not really keen on having so many mainlanders up there, but they need the money too.

I was surprised at his observations about Washington, I thought we were doing very well, mask wise, but he said in Victoria, rightly or wrongly, they are trying to keep about 10 feet between themselves. That will go in my data bank. Interesting to see it from another's viewpoint.

[CruisingCouple]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

US Customs is a bunch every day, every minute, and twice on Tuesday. They are thugs at the Peace Arch, not so bad at Port Angeles. But never, ever, welcoming.

We go to Thunder Bay and pick up a brass valve. The Canadian Customs ask where we're going, how long there, etc.. No problem. Enjoy your visit, please spend all your money.

Come back and it's "what did you get in Canada this time?" Well, this brass valve, see? They look at it and examine it, look thru it. Like it's got contraband in it, or maybe cast into the brass. "How much did this cost?" Ah, it was only $35 bucks? "You got paperwork on that?

But then the next time, you get a different agent that sees you going thru all the time, and it's "ok - see ya' - hope you get your boat fixed."

[NaClyDog]

Originally Posted by redhead

Here's a look under a Washington/British Columbia/Alaska microscope.

I'm in Washington. A friend of mine, a commercial fisherman, just stopped by and here's his position -

He's American citizen, his wife is Canadian. His boat is here, they have a
house in Point Roberts, WA and a house in Victoria, BC. They have been quarantining themselves since February in Victoria which is taking the virus very seriously. He said he was very uncomfortable at how close we are getting to each other.

He must go fishing. He has loans he has to repay, or at least show that he is attempting to repay. Alaska season opened about 3 weeks ago and everyone from our harbor is already gone (8-9 boats) so he's already behind the 8 ball.

He will transit Canadian waters without stopping if nothing breaks down. Alaskans are not really keen on having so many mainlanders up there, but they need the money too.

I was surprised at his observations about Washington, I thought we were doing very well, mask wise, but he said in Victoria, rightly or wrongly, they are trying to keep about 10 feet between themselves. That will go in my data bank. Interesting to see it from another's viewpoint.

Per the rules, if he entered the US after being in Victoria, he will have to quarantine for 2 weeks if he stops anywhere in Canada for any reason.


That could put a damper on his plans if he runs into problems.


https://www.canada.ca/en/public-heal...hout_symptoms:

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by CruisingCouple

That's what they suspected with us because of our positive anti-body tests when we went in. We're supposed to go back on Aug 5 and get another serum test. But my wife is not convinced they are even testing for the right thing with those serum tests. She thinks they are basically experimenting and making stabs in the dark. There are other coronaviruses, including the common cold and seasonal flu, that might stimulate production of those same proteins because they have similar genome.

So CDC can estimate all they want. But they really have no clue.

The one test that is pretty definitive is the viral test. And IMO that could be used for a medical pass to cross country borders. They would have to set up a system to do it on both sides to get the results back right away. But for cripes sakes, if they can send spaceships into orbit you'd think they'd be able to figure out something simple like that. Right?

The tests are not perfect but they are what is available.

Snipet from Today's news report.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/14/us/te...rnd/index.html

An ICU nurse in Texas has found herself in the position of some of the very same patients she's spent the last few weeks treating -- hospitalized with Covid-19 even after testing negative for the virus.

Heather Valentine, 24, isn't exactly sure whom she may have picked it up from and told CNN on Tuesday that she was reluctant to even accept that she had symptoms.
Valentine was exhausted a week ago after her third daily hospital shift in a row in Houston, she said, but didn't think much of it until the body aches, a fever and a small cough surfaced.
On Wednesday, Valentine said she took a rapid antibody test, which came back negative. Antibody tests can help identify recent past infections, not current ones, though even when antibodies are present, the tests can be wrong up to half the time, the US Centers for Disease Control noted in May.

The next day, she took a viral test that also came back negative. Issues with samples, testing or timing of tests can all lead to false negatives. It's not clear whether she was tested yet again. On Saturday, her doctor, Joseph Varon, called and asked Valentine to go in for a CT scan, she said. Between the CT scan results indicating the virus' effect on her lungs and other lab results, Valentine said Varon told her he was certain she had Covid-19, even though her swab test had come back negative.

[redhead]

Originally Posted by NaClyDog

Per the rules, if he entered the US after being in Victoria, he will have to quarantine for 2 weeks if he stops anywhere in Canada for any reason.


That could put a damper on his plans if he runs into problems.


https://www.canada.ca/en/public-heal...hout_symptoms:

It normally takes 5ish days to get to Ketchikan from here. He has done this trip for 35 years so I'm guessing that he's aware. If he encounters problems I believe they stay on the boat and have parts delivered to the dock. He carries his own mechanic/engineer with him. He seems hyper aware of all the risks, he would not go at all if it weren't for that damn loan.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by NaClyDog

Per the rules, if he entered the US after being in Victoria, he will have to quarantine for 2 weeks if he stops anywhere in Canada for any reason.


That could put a damper on his plans if he runs into problems.


https://www.canada.ca/en/public-heal...hout_symptoms:

I'm sure you meant he has to quarantine since he has been in Canada, in Victoria.


Right?

[NaClyDog]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

I'm sure you meant he has to quarantine since he has been in Canada, in Victoria.


Right?

Well, the poster said he had been in Victoria and met them in WA state so that counts as leaving Canada. I was just saying if they stop in Canada during transit to AK they will be subject to the 14 day quarantine.