Ont. doctor encourages Thanksgiving gatherings exclusive to vaccinated family members

Barrie, Ont. -

A Stayner, Ont., doctor encourages family members to get together this Thanksgiving holiday weekend, just as long as everyone has been fully vaccinated.

"If they have members of their family who aren't vaccinated, I am encouraging them to try and keep their distance and try to have outdoor ceremonies wherever possible because that will be safer in the long run," says Dr. Sohail Gandhi.

Over the past week, Ontario health officials have reported daily case counts between 429 and 704. Still, the weekly average continues to drop, according to Ontario health data.

"The numbers are holding steady," Gandhi adds. "The ICU numbers are actually down over the past few days, which I'm very grateful to see. So I sense some optimism."

As of Tuesday, data from Ontario health revealed 241 people are in hospitals across the province. Of those in hospital but not in the ICU, 101 are unvaccinated, while eight have had one dose, and 41 are fully vaccinated.

Ninety-one unvaccinated patients occupy a bed in the ICU, while eight are partially vaccinated, and eight have both doses.

In Ontario, the survival rate sits at just over 97 per cent, but Gandhi says he would rather see more people vaccinated than try and fight off the disease, adding while most people survive COVID-19, "what you have to go through to survive it is just plain awful."

"You're made to lay in a prone position, which means you're laying on your belly for most of the time," Gandhi explains. "You're given drugs that have many side effects, sometimes you're intubated for periods of weeks, and you suffer from what's called long-COVID afterwards, which means you're going to be sick for a number of months after. Even if you survive, it makes you really, really sick," he warns.

Since December, 82 per cent of Ontarians eligible for the vaccine have rolled up their sleeves for both shots.