COVID-19

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)
Island Health has a supply of Pfizer COVID-19 Paxlovid pills, one of two new therapeutic treatments being used for high-risk patients and people not fully vaccinated. The drug was approved by Health Canada on Jan. 17. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-HO, Pfizer)

New COVID therapies make a world of difference for Island Health patients

Outpatient clinics in Victoria, Nanaimo, Port Alberni and Campbell River offering treatments

Island Health has a supply of Pfizer COVID-19 Paxlovid pills, one of two new therapeutic treatments being used for high-risk patients and people not fully vaccinated. The drug was approved by Health Canada on Jan. 17. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-HO, Pfizer)
(Photo - @ubcokanagan Twitter)

UBC drops weekly COVID testing for students and faculty

The weekly testing quietly ended on March 1

(Photo - @ubcokanagan Twitter)
COVID-19 cases have doubled in prisons nationwide in recent months, according to University of Ottawa research. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

COVID cases have doubled in Canadian prisons as uptick in vaccination across prisoners lull

Total of 16,111 prisoners contracted COVID-19 during this wave, 11 deaths

COVID-19 cases have doubled in prisons nationwide in recent months, according to University of Ottawa research. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)
Iron Energy will not going to comply with the orders in the civil suit from Interior Health (file photo)

West Kelowna gym closes doors after Interior Health files lawsuit over COVID concerns

Iron Energy does not consent to the orders in the civil claim served by Interior Health on Feb. 15

Iron Energy will not going to comply with the orders in the civil suit from Interior Health (file photo)
The first ‘freedom convoy’ in Penticton was Jan. 29. (Logan Lockhart Western News)

Journalist allegedly spat on at COVID protest along Osoyoos border sparks RCMP probe

The anti-government protests were ramped up through South Okanagan Saturday

The first ‘freedom convoy’ in Penticton was Jan. 29. (Logan Lockhart Western News)
Anti-mandate protesters returned to the B.C. legislature Saturday, leading VicPD to warn motorists of traffic disruptions in the downtown core. (Randi Page/Black Press Media)

VicPD warn of downtown traffic disruptions due to protest

Vehicles were seen heading to the B.C. Legislature Saturday to join an anti-mandate demonstration

Anti-mandate protesters returned to the B.C. legislature Saturday, leading VicPD to warn motorists of traffic disruptions in the downtown core. (Randi Page/Black Press Media)
A nurse draws the vaccine into a syringe at the Saskatoon Tribal Council run vaccination clinic inside SaskTel centre in Saskatoon, Sask., on Thursday, April 15, 2021. Saskatchewan has lifted its public health order that required residents to show a proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test to enter most businesses. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Kayle Neis
A nurse draws the vaccine into a syringe at the Saskatoon Tribal Council run vaccination clinic inside SaskTel centre in Saskatoon, Sask., on Thursday, April 15, 2021. Saskatchewan has lifted its public health order that required residents to show a proof of COVID-19 vaccination or negative test to enter most businesses. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Kayle Neis
The “3rd Lower Mainland Freedom Convoy” arrived in South Surrey Saturday (Feb. 12) after starting in Chilliwack earlier in the morning. (Photo: Lauren Collins)

Protesters break through RCMP barricade, block Surrey border crossing

The convoy took off from Chilliwack earlier on Saturday (Feb. 12) for the third week of protest

The “3rd Lower Mainland Freedom Convoy” arrived in South Surrey Saturday (Feb. 12) after starting in Chilliwack earlier in the morning. (Photo: Lauren Collins)
Three local restaurants, including Lake Cowichan’s Farm Table Inn, are calling for an end to COVID-19 restrictions in their businesses. Pictured are Farm Table Inn owners George Gates and Evelyn Koops. (Alec Wheeler photo)

Cowichan Valley restaurants call for end of COVID-19 restrictions

Operators say industry has borne an unfair level of onus and responsibility during pandemic

Three local restaurants, including Lake Cowichan’s Farm Table Inn, are calling for an end to COVID-19 restrictions in their businesses. Pictured are Farm Table Inn owners George Gates and Evelyn Koops. (Alec Wheeler photo)
A child is caught between two parents with conflicting opinions on whether they should be vaccinated (Adobe stock)

Kelowna dad loses parental custody until son is vaccinated, judge rules

Parents have polarized opinions on the COVID-19 vaccine

A child is caught between two parents with conflicting opinions on whether they should be vaccinated (Adobe stock)
A police member stands in front of trucks blocking downtown streets as a rally against COVID-19 restrictions, which began as a cross-country convoy protesting a federal vaccine mandate for truckers, continues in Ottawa, on Wednesday, February 9, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle
A police member stands in front of trucks blocking downtown streets as a rally against COVID-19 restrictions, which began as a cross-country convoy protesting a federal vaccine mandate for truckers, continues in Ottawa, on Wednesday, February 9, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle
Screenshot of Twitter post of a trucker accused of hit and run of cyclist in Vancouver on Feb. 6, 2022. (Twitter)

VIDEO: Chilliwack trucking company fires driver over cyclist hit-and-run caught on camera

‘We do not support or condone the actions of that driver’

Screenshot of Twitter post of a trucker accused of hit and run of cyclist in Vancouver on Feb. 6, 2022. (Twitter)
Freya Keddie holds a sign at the B.C. legislature to show her support for vaccination, amidst demonstrators against mandates. (Megan Atkins-Baker/News Staff)

Anti-mandate rally met with counter-demonstrators in front of B.C. legislature

Saturday’s counter-demonstration was organized on Reddit, receiving wide support from respondees

Freya Keddie holds a sign at the B.C. legislature to show her support for vaccination, amidst demonstrators against mandates. (Megan Atkins-Baker/News Staff)
BC School Sports tournaments can now resume after a Feb. 3 decision from the Ministry of Education. (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)

‘It’s official’: BC School Sports gets green light to resume tournaments

The Ministry of Education initially prevented such events from happening, amid the pandemic

BC School Sports tournaments can now resume after a Feb. 3 decision from the Ministry of Education. (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)