Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — “Learning to live with COVID-19 requires that everyone take responsibility for assessing their personal level of risk and taking precautions when out in public,” says Dr. Charles Gardner.

“With the continued high rate of community transmission in Simcoe Muskoka, I strongly advise that everyone continue to wear a mask in indoor public places beyond March 21 to protect against viral spread and severe illness,” Simcoe-Muskoka’s medical officer of health says in a release today.

“Although the province has decided to lift mask requirements in most public settings, including schools, stores and restaurants, the Monday after the March school break, it does not mean that the COVID-19 pandemic is over or that the risk of infection has been eliminated.

“COVID-19 continues to spread in our community and caution remains essential,” said Gardner.

Confirmed cases locally rose Thursday according to Public Health Ontario, which recorded 97 today and 86 yesterday. (SMDHU’s number showed a dip today to 71 from 79 a day ago.)

Active cases, though, were down according to the health unit to 727 day from 746 yesterday.

Hospitalizations and persons in ICU remained the same two days running at 22 and 7.

Vaccinations within the region remain stubbornly low — even with first and second doses at just 80.6 per cent and 83.9 per cent of the population.

And most worrisome at just 45.8 per cent having had booster shots.

The health unit says it continues to stress the importance of vaccination and personal protective health behaviours, such as staying home when ill, practicing good hand hygiene and maintaining physical distance and mask use, as these simple yet crucial measures help stop the spread of disease.

They add that vaccination remains an essential tool to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and strongly encourages those who are eligible to get vaccinated as soon as they can, including a booster dose for eligible individuals aged 12 years and older which helps to reduce transmission, the risk for severe illness and the chance of being hospitalized if infected. This is particularly important for individuals over the age of 50 as well as those immunosuppressed or with underlying medical conditions that put them at greater risk.

Youth aged 12 to 17 are eligible for a booster shot at least six months (168 days) after they received their second dose, while adults 18 years and older can receive a booster three months (84 days) after their second dose. It is also important that children aged five to 11 years receive two doses of the paediatric COVID-19 vaccine and parents are encouraged to get children vaccinated as soon as they are able.

The lifting of mask requirements on March 21 is part of Ontario’s three-phase pandemic reopening plan. On March 1, the province removed capacity limits in all remaining indoor public settings and lifted proof of vaccination requirements. However, individual businesses and organizations may choose to continue to require proof of vaccination. Guidance and information for local businesses and organizations about these changes is updated regularly on the health unit’s website.

To learn more about COVID-19, vaccines and current public health safety measures and requirements, visit www.smdhu.org/COVID19.

Ontario offers 20% staycation tourism tax credt

Meanwhile, Ontario is encouraging the people of Ontario to rediscover the province and support Ontario’s important tourism industry this March Break and all year round with the Ontario Staycation Tax Credit. With this Personal Income Tax credit, residents will get back up to 20 per cent on their eligible accommodation expenses for leisure stays this year.

THURDAY: PHO CONFIRMED COVID CASES: 97 SIMCOE-MUSKOKA (86 YESTERDAY) … ONTARIO 2,125 AND 14 DEATHS; 821 IN HOSPITAL (834); AND 262 IN ICU (267) … TORONTO 305 (295) … YORK 83 (94) … PEEL 83 (94) … NORTH BAY-PARRY SOUND 162 (158) …

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

• 36,323 confirmed cases to date
• 208 cases this week
• 494 last week, 16% lower than the 568 cases last week
• 6 deaths in March, 51 in February, 74 in January
• From July 18 to March 9, 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 8 times higher and the rate of deaths is 3 times higher.
• 1,276,078 vaccines have been administered
• 497,119 residents have received at least one vaccine, which represents 81% of the total population
• 85% of the population 5+ have had at least one dose of vaccine, including 81% of youth 12 to 17
• 48% of children 5 to 11 have received at least one vaccine

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