"If you have money, you're able to afford the protection you need to survive and be safe," he said. Risk profiles have also differed across economic lines throughout the pandemic, Arya said, but the more transmissible Omicron variant may exacerbate them. New Brunswick reported 80 hospitalizations on Saturday, up from 69, with 17 patients in intensive care and 11 on ventilators. Ontario's Saturday hospitalization numbers were up from the previous day's count of 2,472 patients hospitalized and 338 in intensive care units. "It centers our policy responses around young and healthy people who are well off and can afford protections," he said.

Source: CBC News January 09, 2022 01:05 UTC