Grey Bruce no longer a Delta hot spot; moving closer to a full Step 3
Grey Bruce is no longer considered one of Ontario's hot spots as COVID-19 cases trend downward following weeks of surging case counts.
Health officials said if the current pattern of decreasing infection rates continues, the region will be "in a good position" to move into Step 3 fully.
"Until then, we are asking the public in Grey Bruce to stay the course with the modified Step 3," the health unit said.
WHAT DOES THE MODIFIED STAGE 3 LOOK LIKE
The region tiptoed into a restrained Step 3 earlier this month because of a spike in positive tests brought on by the highly transmissible Delta variant.
The region's top doctor strongly encouraged residents to refrain from large outdoor gatherings, asking they remain below 25 people while other areas have increased to a 100-person cap for outdoor gatherings.
Indoor groups need to stick to five people in Grey Bruce, versus the 25 person limit for neighbouring Simcoe Muskoka.
Arra also requested residents continue to dine outdoors even though the province reopened indoor dining on July 16.
And while churches, fitness centres, cinemas and workplaces can welcome people back, the medical officer of health advised they follow strict health measures.
RAMPING UP VACCINATIONS
Dr. Ian Arra, Grey Bruce medical officer of health, has attributed the surge to one case in a Hanover rooming house that quickly turned into an outbreak with multiple high-risk contacts.
"Our experience with the Delta variant is an unfortunate proof of how extremely efficient and effective it is at transmitting and at causing severe disease leading to hospitalizations and deaths," public health stated in a release on Wednesday.
The health unit said most positive cases were among residents who were not fully vaccinated, with private gatherings and parties as the main drivers.
"Without question, vaccination is the only way to prevent a fourth wave and our way out of this pandemic," it added.
The Grey Bruce health unit ramped up immunizations with both mass and targeted vaccine clinics.
According to the health unit, roughly 70,000 people, or 50 per cent of eligible residents, have been vaccinated in the past four weeks.
"We have reached the vaccine coverage target for the regular strains of COVID-19. However, with Delta now the dominant variant, we need to reach a higher vaccine target of 90 per cent coverage," public health noted.
The health unit is increasing its targeted vaccination strategy by adding more pop-up and drive-thru clinics.
WHERE TO FIND A WALK-IN CLINIC JULY 29 AND JULY 30
THURSDAY
P&H Centre in Hanover
12:00pm-8:00pm
OSDSS in Owen Sound
12:00pm - 8:00pm
Sauble Beach Community Centre
3:00pm - 7:00pm
FRIDAY
P&H Centre in Hanover
12:00-pm - 8:00pm
OSDSS in Owen Sound
12:00pm - 8:00pm
Alternatively, the Blue Mountains Community Health Centre in Thornbury is accepting appointment bookings between 10 am and 12 pm on Saturday and Sunday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.