8 MUSKOKA CASES AS VACCINATION PROOF COMING SEPT. 22 TO ONTARIO

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — If you’re not vaccinated, you’d better act fast — by Sept. 22 — if you want access to non-essential indoor services.

Provincial vaccination proof (2 doses) will be required for dining rooms, bars, sporting events, theatres and gyms among other venues.

Grocery stores and other essential services won’t require the new proof.

You will, however, need government photo ID to go along with it.

No proof is needed for outdoor activities.

As of today you can now get that online PDF piece of paper proof from the province.

And by Oct. 22 the same certification will be available using your smart phone with a QR code, which you can flash to servers with full privacy, says the province today.

Businesses will be getting new apps to verify that information, said Premier Doug Ford this afternoon in announcing the new vaccine certification.

Health Minister Christine Elliott added that no one will be denied health care or essential food services like groceries if you are not vaccinated once or twice.

This as Simcoe-Muskoka saw 50 cases today, which Dr. Charles Gardner called an “unusually large number for a single day.”

All but one case involved the Delta variant.

Muskoka accounted for 8 of the cases, 6 that are under investigation as to the causes and 2 with close contacts:

• Gravenhurst man, 18-34, reported Aug. 31, first episode Aug. 30
• Gravenhurst woman, 35-44, reported Aug. 31, first episode Aug. 30
• Gravenhurst man, 45-64, reported Aug. 31, first episode Aug. 30
• Huntsville boy, 0-17, reported Aug. 31, first episode Aug. 30
• Huntsville boy, 0-17, reported Aug. 31, first episode Aug. 30
• Huntsville woman, 18-34, reported Aug. 31, first episode Aug. 31
• Gravenhurst boy, 0-17, close contact, reported Aug. 30, first episode Aug. 29
• Gravenhurst boy, 0-17, close contact, reported Aug. 30, first episode Aug. 29

They are in addition to 27 cases posted on Tuesday, including 3 Muskoka and who are all under investigation as to the causes.

They are:

• Bracebridge girl, 0-17, who was reported Aug. 30 with a first episode Aug. 28
• Huntsville girl, 0-17, reported Aug. 30, with a first episode Aug. 29
• Huntsville woman, 45-64, reported Aug. 30 with a first episode Aug. 29

Gardner called today’s certification announcement “commendable” and one his council of MOHs had recommended.

He said it not only protects workers, but patrons and hopefully will prevent further lockdowns and allow openings to continue.

He was happy it “goes quite far” and said it’s “reasonable” to exempt the youngest children from requiring proof.

Gardner added he wouldn’t advise any changes.

But he’d like it to remain in place for “many weeks” — or at least until the fourth wave passes.

The MOH acknowledged that 14 hospitals in Ontario’s central region have issued a joint COVID-19 vaccination policy that they say will ultimately lead to unpaid leave or termination for unvaccinated staff for workers who aren’t vaccinated.

He said hospitals are an epicentre of the virus and must be thus protected to the highest order.

As well, he is watching and working with school boards on policies around educational staff being vaccinated and masked mandates.

And as for runny noses being removed from screening for kids to stay home, Gardner deferred to Health Canada regulations that say while nasal discharges are a sign of many viral infections they don’t necessarily indicate a problem with COVID-19.

Despite that, York County to the south will require its students to stay home if they have a runny nose or sore throat.

Finally, he said the number of children under age 10 infected with the virus remains relatively low — though there have often been cases Gardner has mentioned each week — and that children around that age and younger are less susceptible and more resilient even if infected with less severe symptoms.

Sixth week of increases

Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) saw 101 new cases the past eight days bringing its overall total to 12,881 cases.

It’s the sixth straight week of increases, following 146 and 127 cases the previous two weeks, which is a 15 per cent increase and the same as the province.

Gardner said August saw more cases than June and July combined.

Today there were 211 active cases, up from 165 when the region’s medical officer of health last updated the media a week ago yesterday.

And there are now a dozen people in hospital — double last week’s number.

Cases included patients under age 10 and in to their 70s. But most were in their 60s.

Gardner said 36 of Wednesday’s cases were unvaccinated, 5 partially vaccinated and 9 fully vaccinated.

He said that proves the virus can in relatively rare cases defy vaccines.

Again most of the cases are south Simcoe.

And that the health unit is seeing more cases in children — 16 per cent of cases now.

This as he said 82 per cent of kids who are 12 years old this year have recently been vaccinated and 75 per are fully vaccinated.

Gardner said there is currently one instance of an outbreak in day camp in Muskoka.

By Sept. 26 Gardner’s goal is that 90 per cent of the eligible local population be vaccinated once and 81 per cent twice.

Lofty goals given its own figures today show 71.8 per cent for first-timers and 65.5 per cent for second-timers.

And that among those aged 12-17 only 63.5 per cent are fully vaccinated and it’s just 56 per cent for young adults 18-29.

Simcoe-Muskoka’s positivity rate at 1.5 per cent, which is almost half the province’s 2.8 per cent.

Of further note in his briefing, Gardner said he issued an updated “letter of instruction” to businesses that will allow them to dispense with Plexiglas shielding at checkouts as part of Ontario’s re-opening business plan.

As well, he said mass vaccinations, including in Bracebridge and Huntsville, closed on Friday. Though the one on Spirling Avenue in Barrie remains open.

Public Health Ontario computations out this week claim the province avoided 53,000 cases among those 18+ with health measures.

Gardner said SMDHU used the same metrics and came up with 1,300 cases the measures prevented.

Area hospitals adopt

mandatory vaccinations

In conjunction with 13 partner hospitals across Ontario’s Central Region, Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital (OSMH) is adopting mandatory vaccination for all OSMH staff.

They say with COVID cases are on the rise, driven by the Delta variant, there is clear evidence the vast majority of hospitalizations and deaths are among unvaccinated people.

“Patients and families expect those who take care of them to be vaccinated,” said Carmine Stumpo, Orillia’s OSMH CEO.

“Many of our team members will also be greatly relieved and reassured to know their colleagues are fully vaccinated.”

He said more than 90% of reporting team members are vaccinated and the hospital is well on its way to achieving its goal of 100% compliance.

And that vaccination remains the best way out of the pandemic.

“We are taking the safety of our staff and our community very seriously.  Now more than ever, we are one community and have a responsibility to keep each other safe.”

Reminders:

• Sept. 8: Live Q&A with Dr. Colin Lee, SMDHU’s associate MOH, for parents about going back to school and what to expect and do. Time to be determined.
• Sept. 9-17: At high schools health unit staff will be visiting to vaccinate any students and their families.

This week’s Muskoka

pop-up vaccine clinics …

Thursday, Sept. 2

Kinsmen Park, 1300 Muskoka Rd S, Gravenhurst, 2 – 7 p.m.

Gull Lake Rotary Park, 405 Brock St., Gravenhurst, 2 – 7 p.m.

Muskoka Wharf, Muskoka Rd. 169, Gravenhurst, 2 – 7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 4

Bracebridge Farmer’s Market – Memorial Park, Manitoba St., Bracebridge (next to Norwood Theatre), 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Rivermill Park, Dara Howell Way, Huntsville, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Immunizations are also available to residents at the COVID-19 Immunization Centre, 29 Sperling Dr. in Barrie until Sept. 29 through an appointment or walk-in.

WEDNESDAY: COVID BY THE NUMBERS … 22 CASES IN SIMCOE-MUSKOKA (21 YESTERDAY) … ONTARIO 656 AND 13 DEATHS (525-5) … TORONTO 158 (120), YORK 76 (30), PEEL 59 (60) … NORTH BAY-PARRY SOUND 3 (2) …

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

• 12,881 cases to date
• 88 cases this week; 146 last week, which is 15% higher than the 127 cases reported for the week of Aug. 15.
• From December 22nd, 2020 onwards, there have been 122 confirmed COVID-19 cases among vaccinated individuals (see technical notes for definitions).
• 4,008 Alpha variants, 168 Gamma, 34 Beta, 555 Delta
• 661 cases await confirmation of VOC
• 838,495 vaccines have been administered
• 433,997 residents have received one vaccine, 72% of the population
• 82% of those 12+ had one vaccine
• 77% of youth 12 to 17 have also had one shot

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …        

• 6 of the 13 deaths Ontario is reporting today date back more than two months.
• Ontario has extended the renewal deadlines for most driver’s licences, licence plate stickers, and Ontario Photo Cards and health cards until Feb. 28.
• Korea has turned down 3 million Chinese-made vaccines through the UN’s COVAX, preferring they go to countries that haven’t gotten the same level of access.
• Egypt is seeing a renewed spike in cases in the Middle East country.
• While local hospitals have established policies around vaccinations, in Greece hospitals workers are protesting rules and regs.
• Ending with some good news, anti-vaxxers are on the decline with a new AP poll showing just 20 per cent opposed. That’s the lowest number in the survey since April.

EMAIL: news@muskokatoday.com

28 years of ‘Local Online Journalism’

Twitter: @muskokatoday, Facebook: mclairmont1

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