FLOODGATES FAIL TO OPEN TODAY, AS ONTARIO LIFTS CAPACITY LIMITS FLOODGATES FAIL TO OPEN TODAY, AS ONTARIO LIFTS CAPACITY LIMITS

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — Day 1 of more lifted restrictions in Ontario is proving to be anti-climactic with little major impact.

An uneventful day on the streets sees little change as life creeps toward a reality of new proportions.

Perhaps people are glued to TVs watching a war seven hours away.

With Ford government floodgates opening almost wide today, the pent-up pandemic purchasing power predicted March 1 failed to materialize.

It was more like business as usual, a trickle down economy as merchants tried to capitalize with little apparent commercial appeal.

Perhaps tomorrow.

This as local public health report 150 COVID cases amounting to almost 200 people confirmed as affected this week.

Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDH) reports two dozen in hospital (3 overnight) and 5 in ICU.

There were also 5 deaths in Simcoe, including 2 in outbreaks and 4 within the community:

  1. Female, 80+, outbreak, Feb 26
  2. Male, 65-79, community, Feb. 15
  3. Male 65-79, community, Feb. 13
  4. Male 65-79, community, Feb. 26
  5. Male, 65-79, community, Feb. 26
  6. Female, 80+, outbreak, Feb. 26
Restaurants are allowed full capacity as of March 1 and no longer require proof of vaccine to eat and drink, which at least the Boston Pizza in Gravenhurst said it is doing as of today. Check with your favourite diner to see if they will still ask to see your QR phone code to protect their staff or other customers.

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

  • 35,404 confirmed cases to date
  • 194 cases this week
  • 572 last week, 18% lower than the 695 cases the week before
  • 46 deaths in February, 73 in January
  • From July 18 to February 28, the rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations among the unvaccinated vaccine-eligible Simcoe Muskoka population is 4 times higher than it is for those who have received at least two vaccine doses, the rate of COVID-19 ICU admissions is eight times higher and the rate of deaths is 3 times higher.
  • 1,271,903 vaccines have been administered
  • 496,622 residents have received at least one vaccine, which represents 81% of the total population
  • 85% of the population 5+ have had at least one vaccine, including 81% of youth 12 to 17
  • 48% of children 5 to 11 have received at least one vaccine
Two dozen residents are in hospital, including 5 in ICU, along with 6 newly reported deaths today.

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

  • Queen Elizabeth has resumed normal work duties, Buckingham Palace says, after a week of positive COVID concerns.
  • Quebec reports 1,439 in hospital, 90 in ICU and 14 deaths.
  • A Hamilton family court judge has allowed a mother, against her separated husband’s wishes, to not have two of their children vaccinated. The judge said the mom presented a “credible” argument including research on the internet that the vaccine was ineffective. Her internet search included references to discredited Dr. Robert W. Malone, who Ontario Superior Court Justice Alex Pazaratz  called “the inventor of the mRNA vaccine.” In fact Malone only contributed one of many important experiments that led to the vaccine now widely used.

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