Cortes Currents

Max Thaysen/ Cortes Currents - Around the globe, people are dealing as best they can with the novel coronavirus outbreak, SARS-CoV-2, also known as Covid-19.

After we wash our hands, don a facemask and avoid non-essential travel and socialization – many of us are looking for ways to maximize our immune function.

A quick internet search will reveal an assortment of advice on what foods, lifestyle and supplements may increase your resistance to contracting the virus, and your resilience to illness if you do.

But there are internet resources that say the opposite – supplements are unproven and those peddling them are pseudoscientists.

Cortescurrents sought to shed light on the importance of the immune system and how we can support it.

We connected with Dr Jenna Creaser from the Cortes Community Health Centre and Dr Philip Calder.

Photo credit: Chantrelle jackpot by Suzanne LaGasa via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)

Max Thaysen/ Cortes Currents - Around the globe, people are dealing as best they can with the novel coronavirus outbreak, SARS-CoV-2, also known as Covid-19.

After we wash our hands, don a facemask and avoid non-essential travel and socialization – many of us are looking for ways to maximize our immune function.

A quick internet search will reveal an assortment of advice on what foods, lifestyle and supplements may increase your resistance to contracting the virus, and your resilience to illness if you do.

But there are internet resources that say the opposite – supplements are unproven and those peddling them are pseudoscientists.

Cortescurrents sought to shed light on the importance of the immune system and how we can support it.

We connected with Dr Jenna Creaser from the Cortes Community Health Centre and Dr Philip Calder.

Photo credit: Chantrelle jackpot by Suzanne LaGasa via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)

Max Thaysen/ Cortes Currents - Around the globe, people are dealing as best they can with the novel coronavirus outbreak, SARS-CoV-2, also known as Covid-19.

After we wash our hands, don a facemask and avoid non-essential travel and socialization – many of us are looking for ways to maximize our immune function.

A quick internet search will reveal an assortment of advice on what foods, lifestyle and supplements may increase your resistance to contracting the virus, and your resilience to illness if you do.

But there are internet resources that say the opposite – supplements are unproven and those peddling them are pseudoscientists.

Cortescurrents sought to shed light on the importance of the immune system and how we can support it.

We connected with Dr Jenna Creaser from the Cortes Community Health Centre and Dr Philip Calder.

Photo credit: Chantrelle jackpot by Suzanne LaGasa via Flickr (CC BY SA, 2.0 License)

Roy L Hales / Cortes Currents - Two months have passed since Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) announced that “nine peer-reviewed, scientific risk assessments” find that salmon farms pose a ‘minimal risk’ to salmon migrating through the Discovery Islands. This finding is important because the Canadian Government has until December 18th to decide whether to renew the licenses of the 18 salmon farms operating in that region.

Roy L Hales / Cortes Currents - Two months have passed since Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) announced that “nine peer-reviewed, scientific risk assessments” find that salmon farms pose a ‘minimal risk’ to salmon migrating through the Discovery Islands. This finding is important because the Canadian Government has until December 18th to decide whether to renew the licenses of the 18 salmon farms operating in that region.

Roy L Hales / Cortes Currents - Two months have passed since Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) announced that “nine peer-reviewed, scientific risk assessments” find that salmon farms pose a ‘minimal risk’ to salmon migrating through the Discovery Islands. This finding is important because the Canadian Government has until December 18th to decide whether to renew the licenses of the 18 salmon farms operating in that region.

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Dr Bonnie Henry announced that British Columbia’s first COVID 19 vaccine should roll out in January.

BC’s first COVID 19 vaccine

“As vaccines become available, they will become our first step to protect people who are most at risk from severe illness and from death. And to protect our health care system,” she said in yesterday’s daily statement.

“We know that we will have limited amounts at first. So we won’t be able to broadly achieve what we’ve been calling community immunity, or herd immunity, right off the bat – but that will come.”

“Our first priority will be protecting those who are most at risk. We know that is our seniors and elders in our communities, and long term care homes in particular and in hospitals here is British Columbia.”

Dr Bonnie continued, “Once we have more vaccine available, we will be making it available to all of us in BC. and that is when we can get to the point of managing and controlling this pandemic.”

The supply of vaccines should increase by April and by the end of the year anyone in the province who wants a vaccine should be able to get it.

Good news from the Klahoose village

Good news from the Klahoose village, on Cortes Island, where Chief Kevin Peacey reports, “There are currently NO active cases of COVID here on the reserve. 3 cases are recovered. All symptomatic testing came back negative. This is a big relief. However we are not letting our guard down as we are not out of the woods just yet. We are still going to be on lockdown until December 7th. “Lockdown” includes the ability for our Emergency Operation Center (EOC) team being able to leave the reserve for essential or emergency purposes. Please respect our people. The last two days have been very disappointing. Look out for further updates and thanks again for those that have been supporting us. There is too many to name right now. Emote.”

Good News from Campbell River

Good news from Campbell River, where a staff member at Discovery Harbour long-term care home tested positive two weeks ago. Island Health declared that COVID outbreak over on Wednesday.

Not good news

However this morning’s news is not all good.

As Dr Bonnie Henry pointed out, “Many of our communities around this province are affected right now. Many of whom went through the first months of this pandemic without having any cases. Without having it touch close to home.”

The Island Health Dashboard shows 41 Active cases in North Vancouver Island as of yesterday. We do not know how many of these are in the Greater Campbell River Health Area, or the three other Health Areas in North Vancouver Island, let alone specific communities or islands.

As of 4:30 PM the British Columbia COVID 19 Dashboard states there were 277 throughout Vancouver Island. Twelve of these are now in hospitals and four in critical care.

Photo credit: Needle drop 2 by ZaldyImg via Flickr (CC BY SA. 2.0 License)

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Dr Bonnie Henry announced that British Columbia’s first COVID 19 vaccine should roll out in January.

BC’s first COVID 19 vaccine

“As vaccines become available, they will become our first step to protect people who are most at risk from severe illness and from death. And to protect our health care system,” she said in yesterday’s daily statement.

“We know that we will have limited amounts at first. So we won’t be able to broadly achieve what we’ve been calling community immunity, or herd immunity, right off the bat – but that will come.”

“Our first priority will be protecting those who are most at risk. We know that is our seniors and elders in our communities, and long term care homes in particular and in hospitals here is British Columbia.”

Dr Bonnie continued, “Once we have more vaccine available, we will be making it available to all of us in BC. and that is when we can get to the point of managing and controlling this pandemic.”

The supply of vaccines should increase by April and by the end of the year anyone in the province who wants a vaccine should be able to get it.

Good news from the Klahoose village

Good news from the Klahoose village, on Cortes Island, where Chief Kevin Peacey reports, “There are currently NO active cases of COVID here on the reserve. 3 cases are recovered. All symptomatic testing came back negative. This is a big relief. However we are not letting our guard down as we are not out of the woods just yet. We are still going to be on lockdown until December 7th. “Lockdown” includes the ability for our Emergency Operation Center (EOC) team being able to leave the reserve for essential or emergency purposes. Please respect our people. The last two days have been very disappointing. Look out for further updates and thanks again for those that have been supporting us. There is too many to name right now. Emote.”

Good News from Campbell River

Good news from Campbell River, where a staff member at Discovery Harbour long-term care home tested positive two weeks ago. Island Health declared that COVID outbreak over on Wednesday.

Not good news

However this morning’s news is not all good.

As Dr Bonnie Henry pointed out, “Many of our communities around this province are affected right now. Many of whom went through the first months of this pandemic without having any cases. Without having it touch close to home.”

The Island Health Dashboard shows 41 Active cases in North Vancouver Island as of yesterday. We do not know how many of these are in the Greater Campbell River Health Area, or the three other Health Areas in North Vancouver Island, let alone specific communities or islands.

As of 4:30 PM the British Columbia COVID 19 Dashboard states there were 277 throughout Vancouver Island. Twelve of these are now in hospitals and four in critical care.

Photo credit: Needle drop 2 by ZaldyImg via Flickr (CC BY SA. 2.0 License)

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Dr Bonnie Henry announced that British Columbia’s first COVID 19 vaccine should roll out in January.

BC’s first COVID 19 vaccine

“As vaccines become available, they will become our first step to protect people who are most at risk from severe illness and from death. And to protect our health care system,” she said in yesterday’s daily statement.

“We know that we will have limited amounts at first. So we won’t be able to broadly achieve what we’ve been calling community immunity, or herd immunity, right off the bat – but that will come.”

“Our first priority will be protecting those who are most at risk. We know that is our seniors and elders in our communities, and long term care homes in particular and in hospitals here is British Columbia.”

Dr Bonnie continued, “Once we have more vaccine available, we will be making it available to all of us in BC. and that is when we can get to the point of managing and controlling this pandemic.”

The supply of vaccines should increase by April and by the end of the year anyone in the province who wants a vaccine should be able to get it.

Good news from the Klahoose village

Good news from the Klahoose village, on Cortes Island, where Chief Kevin Peacey reports, “There are currently NO active cases of COVID here on the reserve. 3 cases are recovered. All symptomatic testing came back negative. This is a big relief. However we are not letting our guard down as we are not out of the woods just yet. We are still going to be on lockdown until December 7th. “Lockdown” includes the ability for our Emergency Operation Center (EOC) team being able to leave the reserve for essential or emergency purposes. Please respect our people. The last two days have been very disappointing. Look out for further updates and thanks again for those that have been supporting us. There is too many to name right now. Emote.”

Good News from Campbell River

Good news from Campbell River, where a staff member at Discovery Harbour long-term care home tested positive two weeks ago. Island Health declared that COVID outbreak over on Wednesday.

Not good news

However this morning’s news is not all good.

As Dr Bonnie Henry pointed out, “Many of our communities around this province are affected right now. Many of whom went through the first months of this pandemic without having any cases. Without having it touch close to home.”

The Island Health Dashboard shows 41 Active cases in North Vancouver Island as of yesterday. We do not know how many of these are in the Greater Campbell River Health Area, or the three other Health Areas in North Vancouver Island, let alone specific communities or islands.

As of 4:30 PM the British Columbia COVID 19 Dashboard states there were 277 throughout Vancouver Island. Twelve of these are now in hospitals and four in critical care.

Photo credit: Needle drop 2 by ZaldyImg via Flickr (CC BY SA. 2.0 License)

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - On October 24th, more than 50% of North Island’s electorate chose Michele Babchuk to represent them in the Provincial Legislature. Though more than a month has passed, she has only just stepped down from her previous roles as a Campbell River councillor and Chair of the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) Board. Though yet to sit in parliament, she has been made the Deputy Government Whip and a member of the Appointment Orders Committee. I recently asked Michele what becoming our MLA is like.

She attended her last SRD Board meeting, as a director rather than Chair, on November 4th.

Last Monday, she attended her last meeting of the Campbell River City council.

“It has gone relatively smoothly. I think I have accomplished everything that I wanted to do with those organizations before I move on. The transition into the legislature is still ongoing and we’ll see what that looks like because the Premier is going to call the session back in order on December 7th,” said Babchuk.

She has not gone to Victoria yet and, thanks to COVID, may be be attending the next session virtually from her home in Campbell River.

“We haven’t seen the schedule for the schedule for next year, but with COVID, and the way the legislature is working on a hybrid model right now, we’ll see what the legislature is going to look like on December 7th,” said Babchuk.

Only a minimal number of people actually went to Victoria during the last session. Most meetings were on ZOOM.

Babchuk wants to visit the legislature, to ‘learn who’s who in the zoo,’ but does not intend to rent an apartment just yet. A hotel room will suffice for occasional visits. She can always find something more permanent accommodation should it become obvious it is needed.

She will have constituency offices in Campbell River and Port Hardy.