3 MUSKOKA COVID CASES, AS MAHC CAO ADMITS NOT ALL HOSPITAL STAFF WILL BE VACCINATED

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — Half of this week’s 78 COVID cases were in the past two days.

And 3 of them were in Muskoka, reports the health unit Friday after a day off reporting due to the new National Day of Truth and Reconciliations yesterday.

The Muskoka cases, none of which reported the gender of those testing positive were:

  1. Bracebridge resident with close contact, who reported Sept. 30, with a first episode Sept. 28
  2. Gravenhurst resident who is under investigation, who reported Sept. 29, with a first episode Sept 28
  3. Gravenhurst resident who had close contact, after being reported Sept. 29, with a first episode Sept. 27

Among the 39 cases today, 25 were unvaccinated, 10 fully and 4 partially.

There was also 1 more death in Simcoe, bringing the regional number of deaths to 261 — 5 of them in Muskoka.

An additional 2 people are in hospital for a total of 10.

And there are 155 active COVID cases.

Meanwhile today, as Ontario makes vaccines mandatory for LTC workers, Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare (MAHC) CAO Natalie Bubela says hospital staff in Bracebridge and Huntsville won’t do that.

She says that workers who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated and all credentialed staff must submit to weekly rapid antigen testing.

In her monthly blog Friday, she admits that the vaccine may not be “a bulletproof vest against COVID, but is a scientifically-recognized layer of protection in addition to public health measures of masking, physical distancing and frequent handwashing to protect yourself and others.”

She says hospitals are where some of the most vulnerable patients receive care. And that in response Dr. Kieran Moore, Chief Medical Officer of Health, issued Directive 6, mandating hospitals and other high-risk settings to develop and implement a COVID-19 vaccination policy by Sept. 7.

Bubela said MAHC’s “vaccination policy meets those requirements, which requires unvaccinated and partially vaccinated staff and credentialed staff to submit to weekly rapid antigen testing.”

All staff will continue to wear personal protective equipment and adhere to infection control guidelines to safeguard themselves and patients we care for.

“We respect there is a public expectation for health care workers to roll up their sleeves for a vaccine and at MAHC we are actively encouraging staff our team members to get vaccinated. Vaccination is one of the most successful public health strategies to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.”

She adds: “It is important to remember that staff and physicians may not be vaccinated because of medical exemptions or exemptions-based grounds protected by the Ontario Human Rights Code (such as religion). It is not solely based on a personal decision to decline for reasons unrelated to medical or human rights exemptions.”

At MAHC, Bubela says “more than 90% of our team is vaccinated and we know that 100% may never be achieved based on the allowed exemptions.

“Nevertheless, we encourage the public to get vaccinated to increase a person’s immunity to the virus. While vaccinated people may still contract and transmit COVID, we know it has been scientifically proven that the effects of the virus are minimized.

“Your community hospitals continue to work tirelessly to provide the highest quality health care in Muskoka. You too can all do your part to keep them safe by getting vaccinated.”

FRIDAY: COVID BY THE NUMBERS … 13 CASES IN SIMCOE-MUSKOKA (15 YESTERDAY) … ONTARIO 668 AND 11 DEATHS (647-9) … TORONTO 110 (94), YORK 55 (40), PEEL 65 (85) … NORTH BAY-PARRY SOUND 1 (5) … PORCUPINE 2 (0) …

It’s a dog’s life for Shortbread, a Jack Russell terrier enjoying a stretch of sun at the farmers’ market in Gravenhurst this week. It looks like a nice start to the weekend that will let him enjoy a little more fall warmth.

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

  • 13,524 cases to date
  • 78 this week; 108 last week, which was 23% lower than the 141 cases the week of Sept. 12
  • From December 22nd, 2020 onwards, there have been 256 confirmed COVID-19 cases among vaccinated individuals.
  • Five COVID-19 related deaths were reported in September.
  • From August 1st to September 25th, the rate of COVID-19 infection among the unvaccinated vaccine-eligible Simcoe Muskoka population is 11 times higher than it is for fully vaccinated population and the rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations is 61 times higher.
  • To date 4,007 Alpha variants of concern, 168 Gamma, 34 Beta, 1,175 Delta
  • 663 cases await confirmation of variant
  • 881,564 vaccines have been administered
  • 451,696 residents have received one vaccine, which is 75% of the total population
  • 85% of those 12+ have had one vaccine
  • 84% of youth 12 to 17 have also received their first vaccine

There were 25 unvaccinated people among the 39 regional residents who tested positive for COVID-19 the past two days in Simcoe-Muskoka.

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

  • J.A.K.K. Tuesdays, a Kingston bar is the first in the province to lose its liquor licence for not enforcing new COVID rules calling for vaccine proof.
  • Alberta’s opposition NDP is calling on Premier Jason Kenney to prove all his MPPs are vaccinated.
  • The union for flight attendants wants Ottawa to allow them not to serve food and drink on domestic flights so staff isn’t abused.

EMAIL: news@muskokatoday.com

28 years of ‘Local Online Journalism’

Twitter: @muskokatoday, Facebook: mclairmont1

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