September 2, 2021

OUTDOOR VACCINE CLINICS TODAY IN GRAVENHURST WITH 4 MORE MUSKOKA COVID CASES

SIMCOE-MUSKKOA — A vaccine blitz at three parks in Gravenhurst this afternoon and early evening drew a decent number of people seeking both first and second shots.

And while yesterday’s vaccine certification no doubt spurred some today to roll up their sleeves, most young first-timers said it was more about just not having time before to get in line.

Many early on were young children aged 11 or 12 and with birthdays this month and or in October. Or they had travelled from out of town, including one family in from their cottage with two young teenage daughters.

School was another cause cited by moms and dads and their kids.

Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were being offered.

This as almost three dozen more COVID cases were reported in the region.

And new modelling projects the fourth wave could — come October — be worse than the third wave.

Four of the 34 cases Thursday were in Muskoka — two each in Gravenhurst and Huntsville with close contacts or were community acquired.

They were:

Gravenhurst girl, 0-17, close contact, reported Sept. 1 with a first episode Aug. 30
Huntsville man, 45-64, close contact, reported Sept. 1 with a first episode Aug. 29
Gravenhurst woman, 45-64, community acquired, reported Aug. 28 with first episode Aug. 25
Huntsville woman, 18-34, community acquired, reported Aug. 27 with first episode Aug. 10

**Ryley Reid, 12, of Gravenhurst welcome a new batch of vaccines arriving at the Muskoka Wharf this afternoon where she got her first shot in time for return to Monck Public School next Tuesday.**

A couple of today’s vaccine seekers reluctantly felt compelled to go with the growing tide in Ontario.

“I just want my life back,” admitted Angela Gibbs, who was with her 16-year-old son Harper as they both got their second Pfizer shot on the snack bar deck at Gull Lake Rotary Park.

The pair came from Bracebridge, where he is going in to Grade 9 Tuesday at BMLSS.

His mom, who’s “not totally sold on it,” said she did it for her daughter, 5, who is also back in class next week.

She said she’s heard the Trillium Lakeland District School Board says students have to sit out 28 days if they haven’t yet been vaccinated by opening day.

**Angela Gibbs and her son Harper, of Bracebridge, give the thumbs up after their second vaccine.**

Kai Elford, 11, who turns 12 this fall, was with his mom Pam Elford, who is fully vaccinated and “OK” with Ontario’s new passport plans.

They were up from Washago and he just wanted to be ready for his return to Ramara Central.

**Kai Elford, 11, gets a warm hug from his mom, Pam, who’s ‘OK’ with the new passport plan.**

Cameron Bennett, 24, was in line for his second dose.

He’s in the health unit’s target range for more young adults to get inoculated.

The Gravenhurst resident said he’d maybe like to travel this winter.

He said he was “middle of the pack” on how he feels about vaccine passports.

**Cameron Bennett, of Gravenhurst, hopes to maybe get away this winter. So he was glad to get his second shot.**

Susan Thompson doesn’t have a car so she walked to Gull Lake after dyeing her hair deep red, her hands still stained red.

She was getting her second shot now because she’s been “too busy” before.

**Susan Thomson checks out the dye on her hands after changing her hair colour before getting her second shot.**

David Ash, 72, who was behind her, said he tried to get his second shot last Saturday at the Sportsplex in Bracebridge, but the Kilworthy resident missed the last day of the mass clinics by one day.

**David Ash was just relieved to finally be able to be fully vaccinated after a couple of tries.**

Josh Thompson, 22, of Gravenhurst, was also a first-time vaccine recipient.

Asked why he waited so long, he said there was no real reason.

“Just busy,” I guess.

He said now he’ll try to convince his dad and younger brother to do likewise.

The vaccine passport should, he said, at least get his dad onboard so the two can return to Casino Rama.

Plus they want to be safe when they visit their grandmother.

**Josh Thompson was a first-timer who just never got around to getting vaccinated.**

Down at Kinsmen Park three Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit staff and one Muskoka Paramedic Services employee were set up at two tables next to the playground.

Supervisor Tina Lesk said they were steady, if not busy, adding they are now going to be out more in the communities with events like this.

They’ll be at the farmers’ market in Bracebridge Saturday and at Rivermill Park in Huntsville and the Gravenhurst farmers’ market next Wednesday.

And they’ll be at St. Dominic’s, Gravenhurst High School and Huntsville High School Sept. 9-17 for students there, their families and those students and families from Muskoka elementary schools.

**Health unit supervisor Tina Lesk said the pop-up clinics continue across Muskoka this week and next at community parks.**

Today, Cameron Woods, of Washago, wanted to get his first shot.

He said he was just “going with the flow” now and wanted to “help others out.”

Woods doesn’t know much about the vaccine certification, but said the renovations worker is already planning his second Pfizer shot for 21 days from now.

So that on Sept. 23 he can go out with his buddies and “celebrate — 100 per cent.”

**Cameron Woods looks the other way while being injected at Kinsmen Park.**

Jackie Keeling, 51, and her son, Jacob Keeling, 18, were checking out all three pop-up clinics.

They wanted to make sure their second shots were the same as their first, in cases they travel.

Luckily she got her Moderna and he his Pfizer.

So now he’s good to go to Barrie’s Georgian College to study mechanical engineering.

**Virgina Beans holds up Jacob Keeling’s sleeve as she gives him his vaccine.**

Tammy Alskowski got her first shot.

She had to, she said.

“It was either that or lose my job” at Gravenhurst Manor.

**Tammy Alskowski is secure in her LTC job now that she’s vaccinated.**

New mom Emily Gamble, too, was glad to finally get her first shot.

She just gave birth three weeks ago to baby Emma and previously wasn’t sure if she should get the vaccine fearing side effects while pregnant.

But her doctor said it was fine and she quickly got through while her mom and Emma waited in their car.

**New mom Emily Gamble is feeling good now for her and her three-week-old daughter Emma.**

Down at the Muskoka Wharf, an effervescent Ryley Reid enthusiastically welcomed a paramedic who brought extra supply of vaccine when health workers ran out.

Reid clapped and cheered and otherwise entertained the waiting families.

She just turned 12 on July 16 and said she was a little nervous, but you’d never know if from her outgoing personality.

The Gravenhurst resident and Grade 7 French immersion student at Monck Public School in Bracebridge said it was “tres bien.”

She was with her dad, Mike, of Muskoka Mike’s Fishing Charters, who came off a lake in Huntsville this morning to bring his daughter and himself to the clinic in the A.P. Cockburn Square gazebo.

Meanwhile, Ontario reported 692 of today’s 865 COVID cases were among unvaccinated residents.

And the health unit reported almost 72 per cent of residents have had one vaccine and 65.6 per cent two doses.

See more details below.

THURSDAY: COVID BY THE NUMBERS … 51 CASES IN SIMCOE-MUSKOKA (50 YESTERDAY) … ONTARIO 865 AND 14 DEATHS (656-13) … TORONTO 175 (158), YORK 91 (76), PEEL 104 (59) … NORTH BAY-PARRY SOUND 8 (3) … PORCUPINE 4 (1) …

**Lacey Trott, left, who turns 12 next month was joined by her mom, Theresa, at Gull Lake Rotary Park.**

Paramedic Mark VanBeek was happy to give Jackie Keeling her preferred Moderna vaccine, one of two kinds offered at today’s clinic.

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

12,909 cases to date
115 cases this week; 147 last week, which is 16% higher than the 127 cases a week before
From December 22nd, 2020 onwards, there have been 126 confirmed COVID-19 cases among vaccinated individuals.
4,008 Alpha variants, 168 Gamma, 34 Beta, 575 Delta
661 cases await confirmation of VOC
840,039 vaccines have been administered
434,722 residents have received one vaccine, which represents 72% of the population
82% of the population 12+ have had one vaccine
78% of youth 12 to 17 have also had one vaccine

With 72 per cent with one vaccine and 65.6 per cent with two doses Simcoe-Muskoka should be able to increase its vaccination rate this month as part of the health unit’s goal of 90 per cent coverage.

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

9 of today’s 14 deaths in Ontario date back more than 2 months ago.
Quebec reported 699 cases today.
The World Health Organziation’s director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus criticized China today for not sharing enough data on the origins of the coronavirus.
European Union health officials say booster shots aren’t the priority right now, though in France people over 65 are now getting the third shot.