7 SIMCOE COVID CASES ON WEEKEND AS MORE MUSKOKANS GET VACCINATED IN GRAVENHURST

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — The first weekend of the latest COVID opening in Ontario sees 7 new cases in Simcoe.

Two of them yesterday and none in Muskoka the past three days.

There was also 1 new death in Simcoe.

Today the health unit hosted a pop-up vaccine clinic in Gravenhurst, at the arena, where by mid-afternoon they had injected more than 300 arms.

This as the province handed out just 91,000 vaccines yesterday, with 10,300 for first-timers.

Meanwhile provincial numbers were down to 130 with no deaths Monday, July 19.

A health unit worker give hand sanitizer to a couple of women from Bala at the entrance to the Graeme Murray Arena at today’s pop-up vaccination clinic.

Locally, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has vaccinated almost 48 per cent of the population twice and 67.5 per cent once.

As well, Canada has surpassed the U.S. again in vaccinations with 48.8 per cent double vaxxed, compared to only 48.6 Americans twice shot.

Of the 30 active coronavirus cases in Simcoe-Muskoka, half of them are variants of concern (VOCs) and are likely Delta.

Four of the 7 seven today are VOCs.

Federally, Ottawa says today it will allow fully vaccinated Americans to cross the border in to Canada Aug. 9 and those living in other countries to arrive here Sept. 7.

The also won’t have to quarantine for 14 days or stay in a government-designated hotel the first three days.

Ontario announced today that colleges and universities will be allowed to fully open in September with no restrictions on the number of students going to classes — and no distancing rules.

MONDAY: COVID BY THE NUMBERS … 2 CASES IN SIMCOE-MUSKOKA  (2 YESTERDAY) … ONTARIO 130 AND NO DEATHS (177-6) … TORONTO 18 (22), YORK 8 (5), PEEL 17 (12) … NORTH BAY-PARRY SOUND 2 (4) … PORCUPINE 3 (10) …

Dr. Keith Cross, of Bracebridge, encourages “stragglers” to get vaccinated “so we can have a regular summer.”

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

  • 12,334 cases to date
  • 2 new cases this week (starting Sunday), 15 last week, which was 29% lower than the 21 cases the week of July 4 when that week was the lowest since August 2020
  • 4 deaths in July, 6 in June
  • 3,997 Alpha variants so far, 166 Gamma, 34 Beta, 98 Delta
  • 673 cases await confirmation of variant
  • 703,615+ vaccines have been administered in Simcoe Muskoka
  • 409,950+ residents have received their vaccine, which represents 67.5% of the population.
  • 78% of adults 18+ have had at least one vaccine
  • 63% of youth 12-17 have also had their first vaccine
There were 5 cases over Friday and Saturday and 2 on Sunday.

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

  • The U.S. surgeon general has expressed concern about the Delta variant.
  • The Netherlands is calling on employees to work from home if they can due to a spike in cases there.
  • And a handful of cases are being reported in Tokyo’s Olympic Village among athletes days before Friday’s opening ceremonies.
  • Meanwhile, Toyota has pulled its Olympic ads for the Summer Games due to concerns about the Summer Games. However it will still support more than 200 employees who are participating as athletes in the Olympic and Paralympics that follow.
  • A “pingdemic” in the U.K. that tells workers to isolate at home is false. But some employees have paid heed and left businesses short of staff.
  • A Queen’s University oncologist and public health science professor says elementary and high schools should prepare for more extra-curricular activities for children. Christopher Booth says cooped up kids won’t get enough of the outdoors this summer and need more structured class trips.
  • Iran has re-introduced a lockdown on Tehran for a week.

 

 

Dr. Keith Cross, who has been working the pop-up clinics and the permanent ones in Bracebridge and Huntsville stressed the importance of getting jabbed.
Dhananjay Bhatt, of Huntsville, and Dr. Keith Cross, of Bracebridge, give two big thumbs after Bhatt’s second vaccination. He came down to Gravenhurst for his second Pfizer shot after passing on an offer of Moderna Saturday in his hometown.
Today’s clinic drew more than 300 to Gravenhurst, from across Muskoka, by mid-afternoon.

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