COVID-19

Ross Wightman has been approved for compensation after falling ill due to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (Ross Wightman/Facebook)

Lake Country man one of 1st in Canada to be approved for COVID vaccine injury compensation

The program will pay up to $284,000 for pain and suffering

  • Jun 2, 2022
Ross Wightman has been approved for compensation after falling ill due to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (Ross Wightman/Facebook)
Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus addresses delegates during the first day of the 75th World Health Assembly at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Sunday, May 22, 2022. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

WHO chief: COVID pandemic is ‘most certainly not over’

‘We lower our guard at our peril’

Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus addresses delegates during the first day of the 75th World Health Assembly at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Sunday, May 22, 2022. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
Dozens display signs at the BC Health Care Matters rally on May 19, 2022, at the legislature for World Family Doctor Day. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)

B.C. family doctor shortage sees hundreds rally in Victoria

1 in 5 lack general practitioner in B.C., 100,000 in Greater Victoria

Dozens display signs at the BC Health Care Matters rally on May 19, 2022, at the legislature for World Family Doctor Day. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)
The City of Colwood has set priority actions for the year as part of its Business Retention, Expansion and Attraction Strategy. (Black Press Media file photo)

Colwood council sets priorities for business strategy

Business Retention, Expansion and Attraction Strategy aims to guide business support and growth

The City of Colwood has set priority actions for the year as part of its Business Retention, Expansion and Attraction Strategy. (Black Press Media file photo)
(Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedom graphic)

Fraser Valley woman has $5,750 COVID violation ticket dropped by Crown

Alberta’s Justice Centre defended ‘Ms. C’ who refused PCR test at U.S. border crossing

(Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedom graphic)
In this photo provided by Pfizer, a lab technician visually inspects COVID-19 Paxlovid tablet samples in Freiburg, Germany in December 2021. As more doctors prescribe Pfizer’s powerful COVID-19 pill, new questions are emerging about its performance, including why a small number of patients appear to relapse after taking the drug. (Pfizer via AP, File)

Rare cases of COVID returning pose questions for Pfizer pill

U.S. government has spent more than $10 billion to purchase pills

In this photo provided by Pfizer, a lab technician visually inspects COVID-19 Paxlovid tablet samples in Freiburg, Germany in December 2021. As more doctors prescribe Pfizer’s powerful COVID-19 pill, new questions are emerging about its performance, including why a small number of patients appear to relapse after taking the drug. (Pfizer via AP, File)
A rat crosses a Times Square subway platform in New York on Jan. 27, 2015. So far this year, people have called in some 7,100 rat sightings — that’s up from about 5,800 during the same period last year, and up by more than 60% from roughly the first four months of 2019, the last pre-pandemic year. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

Oh, rats! As New Yorkers emerge from pandemic, so do rodents

Through April, people have called in some 7,400 rat sightings

A rat crosses a Times Square subway platform in New York on Jan. 27, 2015. So far this year, people have called in some 7,100 rat sightings — that’s up from about 5,800 during the same period last year, and up by more than 60% from roughly the first four months of 2019, the last pre-pandemic year. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
Parents in Kelowna lack confidence in the vaccination (Metro Creative Graphics Photo)

Majority of B.C. parents vaccinated, but most kids are not

Parents in B.C. say they are wary of mRNA vaccination technology when it comes to their kids

Parents in Kelowna lack confidence in the vaccination (Metro Creative Graphics Photo)
Families embrace after a flight from Los Angeles arrived at Auckland International Airport as New Zealand’s border opened for visa-waiver countries Monday, May 2, 2022. New Zealand welcomed tourists from the U.S., Canada, Britain, Japan and more than 50 other countries for the first time in more than two years as it dropped most of its remaining pandemic border restrictions. (Jed Bradley/New Zealand Herald via AP)

New Zealand welcomes back tourists as COVID-19 pandemic rules eased

Visitors will need to be vaccinated

Families embrace after a flight from Los Angeles arrived at Auckland International Airport as New Zealand’s border opened for visa-waiver countries Monday, May 2, 2022. New Zealand welcomed tourists from the U.S., Canada, Britain, Japan and more than 50 other countries for the first time in more than two years as it dropped most of its remaining pandemic border restrictions. (Jed Bradley/New Zealand Herald via AP)
Bill Singer checks for proof of vaccination at the doors of the Rumrunner Pub, which he owns and manages in Sidney. His decision to keep the vaccination requirement in place has sparked online criticism but also earned praise from customers. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Sidney restaurant still checking vaccine passports receives support from patrons

Owner Bill Singer thought other establishments would make the same decision

Bill Singer checks for proof of vaccination at the doors of the Rumrunner Pub, which he owns and manages in Sidney. His decision to keep the vaccination requirement in place has sparked online criticism but also earned praise from customers. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Wildland firefighter Ty Feldinger works on steep terrain to put out hot spots remaining from a controlled burn the B.C. Wildfire Service conducted to help contain the White Rock Lake wildfire on Okanagan Indian Band land, northwest of Vernon on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

Vaccine policy to remain in place for B.C. Wildfire Service

All B.C. government employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19

  • Apr 28, 2022
Wildland firefighter Ty Feldinger works on steep terrain to put out hot spots remaining from a controlled burn the B.C. Wildfire Service conducted to help contain the White Rock Lake wildfire on Okanagan Indian Band land, northwest of Vernon on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
Jim Townley, president of Fresh Cup Roastery Cafe in Central Saanich, stands behind the counter of the business’ expanded service and production area. The business closed for a month in January to undergo renovations. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Fresh Cup Roastery Cafe in Central Saanich brews up improvements

$80,000 in improvements invested for post-pandemic return of coffee house culture

Jim Townley, president of Fresh Cup Roastery Cafe in Central Saanich, stands behind the counter of the business’ expanded service and production area. The business closed for a month in January to undergo renovations. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Travelers wait in a security line at Love Field in Dallas, Tuesday, April 19, 2022. The major airlines and many of the busiest airports dropped their mask requirements after a Florida judge struck down the CDC mandate and the Transportation Security Administration announced it wouldn’t enforce its 2021 security directive. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Most people in U.S. want masks for travellers: AP-NORC poll

Polling shows a wide partisan divide on the mask issue

Travelers wait in a security line at Love Field in Dallas, Tuesday, April 19, 2022. The major airlines and many of the busiest airports dropped their mask requirements after a Florida judge struck down the CDC mandate and the Transportation Security Administration announced it wouldn’t enforce its 2021 security directive. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
Mickey and Minnie Mouse perform during a parade as they pass by the Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The theme park resort announced Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, that face coverings will be optional for fully-vaccinated visitors in all indoor and outdoor locations, with one exception. Face masks still will be needed for visitors ages 2 and older on enclosed transportation, such as the resort’s monorail, buses and the resort’s sky gondola. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)

Walt Disney World in Orlando lifts last of its facemask requirements

Masks now only optional for all areas of resort

Mickey and Minnie Mouse perform during a parade as they pass by the Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The theme park resort announced Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, that face coverings will be optional for fully-vaccinated visitors in all indoor and outdoor locations, with one exception. Face masks still will be needed for visitors ages 2 and older on enclosed transportation, such as the resort’s monorail, buses and the resort’s sky gondola. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
Everything for Ewe sells wool products like, yarn, sweaters, knitting, crotchet and weaving supplies. (Everything for Ewe/Facebook)

Northern B.C. business fined $5,000 over COVID-19 safety compliance

Northern Health also issued a warning to the business last year over failure to comply with the provincial order for face coverings

Everything for Ewe sells wool products like, yarn, sweaters, knitting, crotchet and weaving supplies. (Everything for Ewe/Facebook)
What do we know about ‘stealth omicron’ so far? (AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin)

SCIENCE: What do we know about ‘stealth omicron’ so far?

Now the dominant coronavirus version in the U.S.

What do we know about ‘stealth omicron’ so far? (AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin)
Princess Cruises vessel Caribbean Princess is seen in this promotional image. The ship was scheduled to dock in Victoria on April 6, marking the first time a cruise ship has docked in Canadian waters since the pandemic began, but maintenance schedule changes cancelled the visit. (Photo Courtesy of Princess Cruises)

Greater Victoria Harbour Authority unfazed by first cruise cancellation

COVID regulations won’t hamper 2022 season, says CEO

Princess Cruises vessel Caribbean Princess is seen in this promotional image. The ship was scheduled to dock in Victoria on April 6, marking the first time a cruise ship has docked in Canadian waters since the pandemic began, but maintenance schedule changes cancelled the visit. (Photo Courtesy of Princess Cruises)
West Kelowna resident Ben Orritt was unable to attend his first-ever Vancouver Canucks game in January because of “surprise” COVID-19 ticket cancellations. (Photo courtesy of Ben Orritt) West Kelowna resident Ben Orritt was unable to attend his first-ever Vancouver Canucks game because of COVID-19 ticket cancellations in January. (Photo courtesy of Ben Orritt)

B.C. man denied refund on Canucks tickets after ‘surprise’ COVID-19 cancellations

Ben Orritt was hoping to take his family to Vancouver in January to attend their first game

West Kelowna resident Ben Orritt was unable to attend his first-ever Vancouver Canucks game in January because of “surprise” COVID-19 ticket cancellations. (Photo courtesy of Ben Orritt) West Kelowna resident Ben Orritt was unable to attend his first-ever Vancouver Canucks game because of COVID-19 ticket cancellations in January. (Photo courtesy of Ben Orritt)
Gordon Viberg of Victoria was Royal Jubilee Hospital’s COVID-19 patient number five in spring 2020, and one of the earliest to recover from the coronavirus after being treated in hospital. (Megan Atkins-Baker/News Staff)

Victoria man, ‘patient 5’ at Royal Jubilee, recounts early pandemic diagnosis

As B.C. slowly puts pandemic in rear view mirror, Gordon Viberg tells his recovery story

Gordon Viberg of Victoria was Royal Jubilee Hospital’s COVID-19 patient number five in spring 2020, and one of the earliest to recover from the coronavirus after being treated in hospital. (Megan Atkins-Baker/News Staff)
Bruce Orydzuk talking to security guard in July. (Video: InfoTel)

Kelowna anti-vax protester charged with uttering threats against reporter

Bruce Orydzuk is charged following a July 13 incident outside a vaccine clinic

Bruce Orydzuk talking to security guard in July. (Video: InfoTel)