COVID’S A …  — NOT A BEACH, SAYS HEALTH UNIT’S GARDNER

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — If life’s a beach — it’s not this weekend.

Not even with 50 per cent of local adults 18+ now vaccinated, says Simcoe-Muskoka’s medical officer of health.

And a regional goal of 75 per cent by July 1.

Dr. Charles Gardner warned sun- and water-worshippers today not to let their life guard down over the May 24 holiday.

Especially, he noted, seasonal visitors whose primary residence is not in Muskoka or Central Ontario’s cottage country.

In his weekly media briefing this afternoon, Gardner said despite half the region’s adult population now having had at least one vaccine dose, it’s too early to hit the beach to stay and play.

Walk it, stroll it, run it — or just admire it. But don’t stop.

That’s the law and Gardner’s sticking to it, despite contrarian Ontarians who may feel emboldened having worked toward their personal goal of having the vaccine be jab No. 1.

FORE!

He encourages people to get outside for their mental and physical health.

Gardner, who said he’s a hiker — but not a golfer — when asked by MuskokaTODAY.com, admitted he can only sympathize with those teed off but can’t really empathize with them.

But he understands the call of nature and the allure of the great outdoors.

Yet he says everyone should remain vigilant of the stay-at-home order.

If you just can’t, be careful, he strongly urged. Keep your distance. Keep to your cohort.

And when in doubt man up — and mask up.

Gardner added the start of vaccine bookings today for those 18+ — which he called “gratifying” —  is a helpful and hopeful summer sign.

But the good doctor — ever cautious — noted that it may take weeks from today to get the vaccine.

His reminder remains of a possible fourth wave — not to mention there were 8 more deaths the past seven days.

This despite still voicing his own positive statistical numbers, like:

  • A 53 per cent drop in COVID cases the past five weeks within his Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit.
  • A 24 per cent decrease in cases the past week.
  • Active cases down to 767 from 927 a week ago.
  • A 56 cases per 100,000 population per week (73 last week) rate, which is half of the 112 the province reports today.

Even Bradford-West Gwillimbury is seeing improvements with more vaccine now that it’s been identified as a provincial hot spot — after being the hardest-hit community in Simcoe-Muskoka throughout the pandemic.

REALITY CHECK

Again in a reality check, he said residents 18-34 remain a troublesome age group with 326 cases per 100,000 population per week.

As well that 92 per cent of cases the week of May 9 week contained variants of concern.

He did say that the hospitals’ acute bed occupancy was good at just 72 per cent, but the ICU occupancy rate at 84 per cent and ventilator use at 70 per cent occupancy was still high.

Gardner made note of the fact that 55 of the patients in Simcoe-Muskoka hospitals are admitted COVID-19 patients (as of May 16).

He said 24 of them are Simcoe-Muskoka residents, while 31 have been transferred in from outside the region.

Back on the vaccine, Gardner said some residents may be able to get their second dose before 16 weeks as supplies increase, but most likely they will have to wait the full four months.

He said those who received their first injection before March 16, but who weren’t given a date for a follow-up shot will be able to book that by the end of May.

Health unit staff will email those it has on record.

Anyone vaccinated at a pharmacy or primary care office should call them to book a second appointment.

Gardner continues to call for provincial case counts to be below well 1,000 before easing restrictions, which he’s not sure will happen after the current June 2 provincial order is due to end.

When asked about summer camps, he added their prospects are complicated in spite of Premier Doug Ford’s promises to allow them.

Last summer, said Gardner, day camps were allowed, while sleep-overs were not.

So what’s the difference between kids camps and schools, asked MuskokaTODAY.com?

He said health officials had experience with day camps and in-class safety measures.

But COVID-19 was different in 2020 than it will be in 2021.

A 75 per cent local vaccine rollout and far fewer than 1,000 provincial cases is what Dr. Charles Gardner wants to see before he’d recommend beaches can re-open in Simcoe-Muskoka as they did at time last summer. But 2020 was different than 2021, he says.

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