New safety measures issued for businesses, organization and indoor rec centres
Simcoe Muskoka public health is implementing new safety measures that were announced last week after a "dramatic increase" in COVID-19 cases.
Starting at 12:01 a.m. Friday, places of worship will be required to screen for symptoms, collect contact tracing and adhere to mask-wearing and physical distancing during services.
Individuals 12 and older will also have to show proof of vaccination to use sport and recreational facilities, including those 12 to 17 who were previously exempt.
Starting Jan. 1, those 12 and older will have a 12 week grace period from their 12th birthday to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations to enter indoor facilities.
The medical officer of health said the revised measures would improve protection in the community as the region posts the highest COVID-19 case counts in six months.
"A key factor contributing to transmission in businesses and organizations is close contact between individuals, which then leads to spread of the disease easily to individuals within households, particularly if individuals are not fully vaccinated," Dr. Charles Gardner noted.
On Tuesday, the health unit reported 27 active outbreaks across Simcoe Muskoka, including 21 schools.
The news comes on the same day bookings opened for children five to 11 to get their COVID-19 vaccinations.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.