Expert advises wearing a mask as COVID-19 cases rise in Simcoe Muskoka
The emergence of the new BA.5 COVID-19 variant has seen case counts increase in each of the last two weeks in Simcoe County, with 44 new this week by Monday alone.
"There is good reason, not for panic, not for dire - you don't have to be sleepless about it. But there is reason for concern and to take action," said Dr. Barry Nathanson, a physician in the intensive care unit at Southlake in Newmarket.
With residents not testing as often, medical officials have had to resort to other ways to spot and predict COVID-19 trends.
"We're really reliant upon wastewater signals as an early or leading indicator for where we are in the pandemic, and we are seeing a rise in general wastewater signals for viral loads," said Dr. Nathanson.
Doctors say the latest variants are a much more formidable opponent for our immune systems.
"It seems to be able to re-infect previously infected and immunized persons after about two to three months," said Dr. Colin Lee, an Associate Medical Officer of Health for the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.
RELATED
- Regional hospitals to continue mask mandates despite province lifting the mandate
- Simcoe Muskoka's top doctor urges caution as province lifts more mask mandates
While the doctors say they are always concerned about viral infections, some remain more concerned than others.
"In the last couple of weeks, we are seeing signs of increase. I think the honeymoon period in terms of COVID activity might be coming to an end soon," said Dr. Lee.
"I think the key thing is that because we are vaccinated and because we have treatments, even though those numbers are rising, we're seemingly getting mild cases right, not severe cases, so I think that's important," added former Ontario Medical Association President, Dr. Sohail Gandhi.
"Our health services system continues to struggle mightily. Not only with COVID but volumes in general. Emergency departments, hospitals really are very, very tight," reminded Dr. Nathanson.
As for how we proceed going forward, it's not a new formula, according to doctors.
"Without meaning to be disrespectful to our leadership, I'd like to see our government and public health leaders demonstratively pull their heads out of the sand. The pandemic is not over, and they are acting as though it is, and that's a false, unhelpful, harmful message. We need to ramp up testing. You don't even hear about it anymore," suggested Dr. Nathanson.
"One thing I'm recommending is that we really need to put a focus on ventilation because COVID is an airborne virus, and so we need to make sure public places or places where people congregate have high-efficiency ventilation," said Dr. Gandhi.
"At this time, I think the best way to protect yourself is if you haven't worn your mask for a while, it's time to start wearing it especially indoors, especially when it's crowded or if you'll be spending more than just a few moments there," said Dr. Lee.
The associate medical officer of health emphasized that although people earned the right to go out and be social again given the state of recent COVID numbers, they still need to be mindful of others and especially the vulnerable.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.