Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — Muskoka has had 1,195 confirmed COVID cases since Dec. 12.

Since the beginning of the fifth wave 7 per cent of Simcoe-Muskoka’s cases have been Omicron, says the health unit in new statistics requested yesterday by MuskokaTODAY.com and released to us today.

They say the total for the latest wave as of Thursday has been 16,550.

Of that number 15,259 were in Simcoe County — 92 per cent.

The homes of the other 1 per cent (106 cases) were unknown.

This as the bridge over troubled water (Detroit River) fiasco is leading to worldwide copy-cats, including Paris.

At one time international news editors mostly ignored Canada, but truckers have gotten their attention and suddenly maple leafs are front page news.

This brings us to our national flag.

In Beijing the Maple Leaf is worn proudly — back home displaying the flag now is considered “weaponizing” it.

Trucks racing around Gravenhurst with one — or even two — huge flags blowing in the wind are in the public’s face as either patriots or proud boys and their toys.

Many on main street think it’s the latter.

And new flags suddenly showing up downtown on fences — put there by unknown persons — are another sign of divisive times.

Meanwhile, 180 regional cases were reported today by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU).

They also report 4 new deaths:

1. Male, 80+, Muskoka, outbreak, DOD – Feb. 8
2. Male, 80+, Simcoe, community, DOD – Feb 3
3. Male, 45-64, Simcoe, community, DOD – Feb 8
4. Male, 80+, Simcoe, outbreak, DOD – Feb 9

As of yesterday there were also 36 in hospital (5 more overnight) and 10 in ICU.

Rapid tests available at 21 Muskoka locations

While rapid tests aren’t perfect, the province is distributing 5.5 million rapid tests to the public each week for the next eight weeks. These will be distributed mainly through local pharmacies and grocery stores including at 21 locations in Parry Sound-Muskoka.

Ontario’s Science Table health officials now admit rapid tests aren’t all that dependable, especially at detecting Omicron in the first couple days of infection. They just aren’t as good as at detecting Delta.

The Science table says if you do rely on rapid tests it would be best to swab inside your two cheeks, your tongue — and your nasals. Go figure that one.

Local rapid test kits are being delivered to the following pharmacy and grocery stores across Parry Sound-Muskoka:

• Shoppers Drug Mart in Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, Huntsville and Parry Sound
  •           Walmart in Bracebridge, Huntsville and Parry Sound
  •           Your Independent Grocer in Bracebridge, Gravenhurst and Huntsville
  •           IDA Pharmacy in Gravenhurst and Huntsville
  •           Sobeys in Gravenhurst and Parry Sound
  •           Dwight Market Pharmacy
  •           Food Basics in Bracebridge
  •           Metro in Huntsville
  •           PharmaChoice in Gravenhurst
  •           Pharmasave in Huntsville
  •           Rexall in Bracebridge
  •           The Apothecary Shop in Port Carling

After complaints, Walmart is now reviewing its policy of forcing a $35 purchase before handing out the free government tests.

Residents will be able to pick up one kit per visit, with each kit containing five tests. Stores will determine how they distribute the tests so, to get information on how to pick up rapid tests at these locations, please visit each retailer’s website.

Residents can see the full list of locations and search by city at Ontario.ca/rapidtest.

Booster shots available for vulnerable kids 12-17 and others

The health unit says booster dose eligibility has expanded to include youth aged 12 to 17 years of age with medical conditions that put them at high risk of severe illness, such as cancer, kidney disease and diabetes, amongst others.

A complete list of medical conditions is available on the health unit’s website. Eligibility also includes those who are First Nations, Inuit and Métis, in keeping with the prioritization of this population for primary COVID-19 vaccine series and boosters among adults.

Booster doses for these priority groups who are at least three months (84 days) since their second dose are now available at the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit’s (SMDHU) community clinics by appointment or on a walk-in basis.

The health unit strongly recommends that all individuals eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, particularly a booster dose, book an appointment or attend a walk-in clinic as soon as they are able to help reduce their risk for severe illness and chance of requiring hospitalization if they become infected with COVID.

In addition to the 12 to 17 priority groups, those also eligible for a booster dose include all individuals who received their second dose at least 84 days ago and are aged 18 years or older, and 16- and 17-years-olds working as health care workers.

To get a third shot appointments can be booked through the COVID-19 Vaccination Portal or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900.

Also check your doctor if you have one.

Walk-ins are also available to Simcoe-Muskoka residents at health unit community clinics on a first-come basis, if able to accommodate, to those needing their booster as well as first and second doses to those aged five years of age or older.

For more information about COVID-19 and details about where and how to get your vaccination, please visit our website at www.smdhu.org/COVID19.

THURSDAY: PHO CONFIRMED COVID CASES: … 181 IN SIMCOE-MUSKOKA (150 YESTERDAY) … ONTARIO 3,201 AND 44 DEATHS (3,162-65); 1,897 IN HOSPITAL (2,049); 445 IN ICU (499) … TORONTO 555 (482) … YORK 163 (143) … PEEL 275 (283) … NORTH BAY-PARRY SOUND 47 (51) …

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

• 33,240 confirmed cases to date
• 385 cases this week; 948 cases last week, 31% lower than the 1,365 cases the week before
• 20 deaths in February, 71 in January
• From July 18th to February 9th, the rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations among the unvaccinated vaccine-eligible Simcoe Muskoka population is 6 times higher than it is for those who have received at least two vaccine doses, the rate of COVID-19 ICU admissions is 10 times higher and the rate of deaths is 3 times higher.
• 1,258,102 vaccines have been administered
• 495,548 have received at least one vaccine, which represents 82% of the total population.
• 86% of the population 5+ have had at least one dose of vaccine; including 82% of youth 12 to 17
• 49% of children 5 to 11 years of age have received at least one dose of vaccine

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

• There have been 28 outbreaks attributed to religious institutions in Simcoe-Muskoka in the two years of the pandemic. The last one was declared over Nov. 29, 2021.
• Ontario elementary and high school students will soon be able to play contact sports without fear of contracting COVID. The province also says kids can sing in choirs and blow wind instruments in music classes as restrictions are lifted. Music to our ears.
• Heated rhetoric surrounding truck protesters and their supporters has everyone going in to overdrive. Including Canada’s new point man Bill Blair, Canada’s public safety and emergency preparedness minister. Now that Justin Trudeau and Doug Ford are afraid of their shadows, Blair has come out all guns blazing (as befitting Toronto’s former police chief). He says of truckers: “They’re essentially putting their foot on the throat of all Canadians.”
• With Trudeau just out of COVID isolation, Gov. Gen. Mary Simon is the latest to test positive, along with Prince Charles hers and our future king.
• A Leger poll finds 30 per cent of Canadians just say get on with living with the virus; 40 per cent say open slowly; and 29 per cent feel COVID is “less serious” now. This as mental health experts are worried about anxiety among those who still believe Omicron won’t easily end.
• The Pope is going abroad a first time in a year to Malta April 2-3 — but has no plans for Canada. But he welcoming Canadian First Nations to the Vatican for a pow-wow.
• Forget staycations, Canadians are on the move border bound. No wonder CBC’s Border TV show is getting more hits than its Olympics coverage.

EMAIL: [email protected]

28 years of ‘Local Online Journalism’

Twitter: @muskokatoday, Facebook: mclairmont1

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