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New efforts underway to curb COVID-19 surge in Grey Bruce

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BARRIE, ONT. -

The top doctor in Grey Bruce says efforts are underway to help slow the recent surge in Covid-19 cases.

Over the weekend, the health unit added 62 cases, with 41 of those coming Saturday and the remaining 21 being added on Sunday.

Dr. Ian Arra, the medical officer of health for Grey-Bruce, says that the spread is twofold: both due to the highly contagious delta variant and the fact that many of those testing positive are part of the transient community with no fixed address.

"Any one of us if we're going to be dealing with isolation for 14 days, it takes a certain amount of effort and the challenge to overcome to ensure a person is supported with food…let alone if somebody doesn't have a home," Dr. Arra says to CTV News. "Nevertheless, the response in Grey Bruce has been optimal."

Arra says many community partners have come together to help address the surge. The health unit has added additional resources to its contact tracing efforts. Arra says this effort has been more difficult recently.

"It is a challenge when you are dealing with people who might not be as reliable or able to provide all the information, whether because of memory or because of no record of who they met or who they spent time with," Arra says.

The health unit has also introduced mobile vaccination efforts to shelter homes. Arra says that the first and second doses for all residents of shelters have been completed.

He says that the area is prepared to enter step two of the province's reopening plan on Wednesday despite the surge saying most facilities open in the community are following safety guidelines.

Arra is also asking the public to get fully vaccinated as soon as possible to help with containment efforts.

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