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As Covid deaths rise, Sweden reconsiders its lockdown approach
Sweden was famous - or infamous - for its largely voluntary guidelines to stop the spread of coronavirus. It encouraged its citizens to practice social distancing and handwashing, but not mask wearing while it's never imposed lockdowns. But now it's reconsidering as deaths and infections rise sharply.
This week the government proposed a measure that would give authorities sweeping powers to close down gathering places like shops and restaurants. In the capital, Stockholm, intensive care units have reached capacity and there's even talk of sending coronavirus patients to other Nordic countries for treatment.
The BBC's Julian Marshall has been speaking to Dr Andreas Lundin, an emergency care physician at a hospital in Stockholm.
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Why leaving your nose hanging out of your mask could spread COVID and land you hefty fines
Rule-breakers could be fined $1,000 per ticketed offence and up to $100,000 through courts
We've all seen them. Albertans who ignore public health recommendations and the law by wandering around indoor spaces like grocery stores with their noses hanging out above their masks, potentially spreading COVID-19 everywhere they go.
Some are blatant scofflaws who refuse to follow health laws set out to protect the public in a province that has had more active new cases, more total cases and the highest rate of infection of all provinces on many days in recent weeks.
Others may have "forgotten" to pull their masks up or think their noses don't need to be covered if their mouths are.
Either way, if your mask is slipping down or not covering your nose, you're putting yourself and others in danger, medical experts warn.
"Most people breathe through their nose and so that's what we're worried about … when you're breathing through your nose, that's where the viral particles are coming out of," said Dr. Tehseen Ladha, a pediatrician and assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics in the University of Alberta's Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry.
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Why the 'sucker's payoff' is one of B.C.'s biggest obstacles this Christmas
Bonnie Henry is asking families to make smart choices — but that can mean different things to different people.
"I've been inundated with hundreds of 'what about my specific situation?'" said Henry, her voice hinting at a bit of frustration.
"The intent is to reduce transmissions that we can have when people get together. Bottom line is, we want to, as much as possible, stick with our households."
And yet, just a minute later, Henry acknowledged that seniors could visit their children and grandchildren — at least some of them.
"People need to find what they need to do for themselves … but not each of your children, not going to multiple houses. Pick one," she said.
It's much the same mix of broad advice and specific caveats the government has been giving us for nine months: look at the guidelines, use common sense, err on the side of caution.
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Ontario reports 1,873 new cases of COVID-19 with record 65,300 tests completed
522 of the new cases are in Toronto, 436 in Peel, 185 in York Region and 109 in Hamilton
Ontario is reporting 1,873 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday with a record 65,300 tests completed.
Health Minister Christine Elliott said 522 of the new cases are in Toronto, 436 in Peel, 185 in York Region and 109 in Hamilton.
There were also 17 more deaths over the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of people who have died of COVID-19 in Ontario to 3,933.
The province says there are currently 855 people hospitalized with COVID-19. Of this number, 237 are in intensive care units and 143 are breathing with the help of a ventilator.
There are 1,918 more cases marked as resolved, Elliot said.
Ottawa recorded 19 new cases, 40 less than the 59 cases reported on Friday. Other areas which saw a decrease in the number of new cases included Durham region with 80 cases, down from 91 on Friday, and Halton with 47, a decrease a 10 from the previous day.
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