Let's call it physical distancing, not social distancing Welcome to the Maclean's daily newsletter. As the coronavirus disrupts life in Canada, and Canadians get used to the notion of "social distancing" and "flattening the curve," Maclean's has expanded this newsletter to include everything you need to know about the global pandemic. You'll still find our best stories of the day at the bottom of the newsletter, but we'll also catch you up on news and notes from around the world. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Ye worste aspect of the plague so far hath beene the antiquarians who, suddenlye possessed with the belief they understande ye natural sciences, have been spoutinge off their pens, thinking they can perceive the causes of our lamentable contagion”—British diarist Samuel Pepys, writing on March 25, 1665, during the Great Plague of London (hat tip to Jonathan Healey of Oxford University) The number of COVID-19 cases in Canada passed 3,000 on Wednesday, while the number of deaths rose to 30. Around the world, the number of cases is approaching 500,000 while more than 20,000 deaths have been recorded. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled a new Canada Emergency Response Benefit (combining two measures announced last week) that will give workers affected by the COVID-19 crisis $2,000 per month for four months. As the rules are released, economist David Macdonald did some quick math and tweeted that full-time workers making less than $23 per hour should apply for this, rather than EI. After reports that some of the 100,000-plus snowbirds who recently arrived back in Canada went to grocery stores instead of home for their 14-day self-isolation stint, the federal government used its powers under the Quarantine Act to declare that period at home is now mandatory. All new arrivals must immediately go home, and stay there. Canadians want information. British Columbia just launched a self-assessment app (in addition to an online tool) earlier this week. In the first 24 hours, nearly 20,000 people downloaded it. That’s in addition to almost 2.5 million hits on its online self-assessment tool. The federal government, as well as most of the provinces, have set up a variety of information tools for citizens. A list is here. A coronavirus terminology update: “physical distancing” is replacing “social distancing,” says Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer. The tweak makes directives clearer and acknowledges that, while we need to put physical distance between ourselves and others, we shouldn’t increase social distance, even if it’s a phone call or text, in this stressful time. Prince Charles is the latest high-profile person to test positive for COVID-19. Royal officials announced his symptoms are mild and his wife, Camilla, does not have the virus. They are staying at the Queen’s estate in Scotland, while Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip (soon to be 94 and 99, respectively) are at Windsor Castle, where the Queen carried out her weekly meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson by phone. (Prince William and Kate are at their country home on a royal estate in Norfolk, while Prince Harry and Meghan are on Vancouver Island.) “My kingdom for a horse” and other iconic lines from the Bard are coming to screens everywhere as the Globe theatre in London opens its library of Shakespeare plays to the world. Happy streaming! And the Canadian Museum of Nature is running the National Lichen Contest, featuring seven offerings, ranging from the “iconic” Elegant Sunburst Lichen to the Horsehair Lichen, described as “pure Canadiana.” It’s time to pick sides. Says one tweet: “This vote for Canada’s national lichen is ripping my family apart.” —Patricia Treble As of the latest update, this is the number of confirmed cases in Canada. We're updating this chart every day.
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