NO MUSKOKA CASES, BUT HEATLH UNIT ‘READY’ FOR RETURN TO SCHOOL

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — With 29 cases today in Simcoe — none in Muskoka — the region is “ready” for schools to re-open May 31 if the province agrees with the advice of its top health official.

“I’d welcome it now,” Dr. Charles Gardner said this afternoon, adding that though it’d just be for June, “the limited time would be beneficial.”

The region’s medical officer of health says it’s important for the mental and physical health of the kids, their parents, families and the province.

He said though there is more COVID exposure inside schools, there is less transmission. As well teachers have had their first dose.

And case counts are coming down.

In the past three days 2,040 kids aged 12-17 have been vaccinated and 9,000 more under age 18 have booked appointments in the next three weeks.

As well the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has targeted June 14-21 as the week to vaccinate other kids in that age group.

Gardner did say — when asked by MuskokaTODAY.com — that kids under age 12 could get vaccinated in September. He said Canadian health officials are looking in to studies on how even babies as young as 6 months old could benefit. But he said so far the virus doesn’t seem to have impacted the youngest.

In New York State 50 students 12-17 will get free university scholarship ride as part of a vaccine raffle.

This on top of almost 60 per cent of the region’s adults 18+ having had at least one vaccine now.

Across the province the 34 health units reported 1,095 cases and 23 deaths. That’s slightly up from 1,039 cases yesterday — and 33 deaths.

Toronto cases fell to 257 from 325, York jumped to 101 from 77 and Peel was down to 315 from 231.

North Bay and Parry Sound remained at 1 case.

Gardner did say that more than 50 per cent of Wednesday’s cases were among people under the age of 35.

And that Simcoe-Muskoka’s positivity rate remained about 5.4 per cent.

Also that household contact continues to be the prime cause of infections at 51 per cent.

Bradford and West Gwillimbury, which led the region in cases, has had a decrease thanks to more vaccine that allowed it fall from the top hot spot and giving way to New Tecumseh as the new leader.

Barrie, the region’s largest city, too, has seen a decline in cases.

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

  • 11,751 total cases to date
  • 68 this week, 302 last week, which was 12% lower than the 345 cases the week before
  • 18 deaths in May, 25 in April, 12 in March. Of note, the symptom onset dates for all deaths in May were in March or April.
  • 3,593 cases UK variant, 105 from Brazil, 19 from South Africa and 2 from India
  • 728 other cases await confirmation of variance
  • 318,700 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Simcoe Muskoka, including doses administered by local pharmacies. Over 292,800 individuals living in Simcoe Muskoka have received their first dose of vaccine, which represents over 48% of the total population
The health unit reports 29 new cases Wednesday – but none in Muskoka.

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

  • Canada’s auditor general Karen Hogan says Ottawa has been unable to meet the needs for more nurses and paramedics in Indigenous communities during the pandemic. She did say that emergency medical supplies that were stockpiled before the pandemic did eventually get out to provinces and territories the past year. To date 75 per cent of Indigenous adults have had their first vaccine.
  • Manitoba continues to struggle with 312 cases today and one death. But it’s far better than a record 603 reported a day last week. This follows the death of a Manitoba resident who died of COVID last week while being transferred to a hospital in Ontario.
  • And Alberta, which rose late to become the worst site in North America for cases, is getting ready to re-open starting Friday with places of worship to reopen with 15 per cent of capacity. On June 1 outdoor gatherings of 10 people would be allowed. They’ve had more than 2,000 cases a day recently.
  • Joe Biden is calling on U.S. intelligence officials to dig in to the origins of COVID-19 as far back as previous accusations involving a lab in Wuhan, China.
  • John Hopkins University says 168 million people have now had COVID and 3.5 million people have died of it.
  • France forces quarantine on Brits entering country due to increased cases of variants first identified in India.
Bracebridge Golf Club on Hwy. 117 E. has been busy with rusty golfers swinging the clubs on its driving range and course since the province opened more outdoor amenities Saturday as COVID cases continue to decline.

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