Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — Sick of the pandemic?

Two years in to coronavirus … so, too, have been at least 36,447 Simcoe-Muskoka residents.

Minus that number those 422 local people who died since COVID-19 became official March 11, 2020 — most of them who were living in long-term “care.”

Globally 6 million have died.

Over those past 730 days, since WHO’s declaration, that’s an average of 50 a day locally who have been stricken down.

But the real number of cases, as most in Muskoka have long suspected, is likely tenfold.

This as the health unit reports 127 “confirmed” cases Friday, following 97 yesterday and 79 Wednesday.

Today 21 people remain in hospital and fortunately no one was reported to have died overnight.

However, 7 remain in ICUs across the region.

There are 780 active cases

All of this on the eve of a much different March break than 2020 and 2021 when no one knew what to expect or do.

In 2022 it’s a bit of the same — just less threatening this year.

Airports are full of the optimistic who are more worried about having to get a negative test to return home. Pearson airport in Toronto predicted its busiest day in two years.

Most passengers are ever fearful of the omnipresent Omicron variant still lurking everywhere, as acknowledged by all medical experts, yet too few politicians.

That includes Premier Doug Ford who in Barrie today told school boards contemplating following Hamilton’s example to extend mask use in classrooms, not to do so.

“Let me be very clear to the school boards: they aren’t medical experts. The chief medical officer is the expert and he has done his due diligence, he’s consulted with other medical officers … he doesn’t make these decisions lightly,” Ford told reporters.

He claimed Ontario is one of the last provinces or states in Canada and the U.S. to end masking in schools and most indoor public spaces.

“Anyone who wants to wear a mask, I encourage you to wear a mask,” Ford added.

It’s a personal choice, he said, adding in certain circumstance he will wear a mask.

School boards can’t unilaterally order mask mandates.

That follows the advice of Dr. Charles Gardner, Simcoe-Muskoka’s medical officer of health, who yesterday issued a statement saying “I strongly advise” people wear masks even after the province lifts to order to do so as of March 21 — a week Monday.

Some school boards want to see what number of cases follow the March break next week and have asked for an extension to keep face-coverings in place.

That may be warranted in this region, which has long had one of the highest case counts for two years.

Especially with less than 50 per cent of kids fully vaccinated and under half the population having a booster shot.

FRIDAY: PHO CONFIRMED COVID CASES: 127 SIMCOE-MUSKOKA (97 YESTERDAY) … ONTARIO 2,130 (2,135) AND NO DEATHS*; 717 IN HOSPITAL (834); AND 238 IN ICU (267) … TORONTO 304 (305) … YORK 104 (83) … PEEL 119 (162) … NORTH BAY-PARRY SOUND 27 (28) …

HEALTH UNIT HIGHLIGHTS:

• 36,447 confirmed cases to date
• 317 cases this week
• 494 last week, 16% lower than the 568 cases the week before
• 6 deaths in March, 51 in February, 74 in January
• From July 18 to March 10 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.
• To date, 692 cases have tested positive for the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of concern, and an additional 2,243 cases are considered suspect Omicron (awaiting confirmatory testing).
• 1,276,529 vaccines have been administered
• 497,179 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
• 49% of children 5 to 11 years of age have received at least one dose of vaccine

IN OTHER COVID NEWS …

• Ontario’s Ministry of Health revised its list of deceased COVID victims, saying it was 12,227 since Jan. 15, 2020. That’s 411 less than yesterday as reported by Public Health Ontario.
• Statistics Canada says the economy added 337,000 mostly part-time jobs in February, more than offsetting the loss of 200,000 jobs in January as the unemployment rate fell below pre-pandemic levels. The UI rate dropped to 5.5 per cent in February compared with 6.5 per cent February 2021. That is the lowest it’s been since it was 5.7 per cent in February 2020.

From our archives …

A year ago today:

• More than 52,600 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Simcoe Muskoka, mostly to health care workers in local hospitals, long-term care and retirement homes. This includes more than 15,714 individuals who have received both of the required doses of the vaccine. In addition, 3,000 (or 94%) long-term care residents and 3,429 (or 94%) retirement home residents have received their first dose.
• There have been 148 new cases reported to the health unit so far this week. There were 208 new cases reported to the health unit last week (week of Feb. 28), nearly 20% lower than the 255 cases reported for the week of Feb. 21.

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28 years of ‘Local Online Journalism’

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