SMDHU's top doctor: Ontario is lifting restrictions too soon
Simcoe Muskoka's top doctor said he thinks the province is lifting restrictions too soon.
As of 12:01 a.m. Thursday, capacity limits at most indoor establishments, including restaurants and movie theatres, will be eliminated. Social gatherings will increase to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors, and capacity at sports and concert venues, like the Sadlon Arena, will jump to 50 per cent.
"My own view is that it's happening a little early," said Dr. Charles Gardner, medical officer of health for the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU).
"It's earlier than the province really originally indicated, and there is an increased risk."
The premier announced the modified plan on Monday, adding the public would "just have to be careful" and learn to live with COVID-19.
"We are done with it," Premier Doug Ford said about limiting public activity. "We also know that it doesn't matter if you have one shot or 10 shots, you can still catch COVID-19."
Still, Gardner said the risk remains high with what he considers high-level circulation.
"As these limits are lifted, the risk persists, and just because they are being lifted doesn't mean there isn't risk," Gardner said.
"People need to keep up these precautions to reduce the likelihood of themselves becoming cases and to determine for themselves what they would choose to partake of or expose themselves to knowing that the risk persists."
Over the last week, there have been nearly 1,100 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections confirmed throughout the fifth wave to 17,447.
On Wednesday, during a COVID-19 briefing, Gardner confirmed that there had been more confirmed cases in this latest wave than in all previous waves of the pandemic combined.
The health unit reports 43 people are in the hospital with COVID-19, including 12 in ICU.
"We still have a very high incidence of cases, quite a substantial amount of transmission still happening in our communities, which really drives home the point that people need to be very cautious now in avoiding transmission and becoming a case even though we are improving quite significantly, as is the province," Gardner noted.
VACCINATION STATUS
The health unit's data shows that 55 per cent of adults over 18 have had a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with about 700 appointments currently booked.
Gardner said the health unit has the ability to increase capacity, with walk-in appointments now being accepted at community clinics.
"Two dose vaccination provides some protection against severity but not really against becoming a case, a transmission," Gardner says. "Three dose vaccination provides a fair amount of protection against transmission and much higher protection against severity including hospitalization, ICU."
Starting Friday, anyone aged 12 to 17 will be eligible for a booster shot, as long as it's been 168 days since their second dose.
After holding three successful clinics at schools in recent weeks, Gardner said the health unit is planning more.
"We found that there's a really strong indication of interest via parents who've signed contents to receive vaccination for their children in schools. Some, 2,600 consent forms have come back via Simcoe County District School Board."
MOVING FORWARD WITH FEWER RESTRICTIONS
As restrictions ease, Simcoe Muskoka's top doc said he would be paying close attention to key metrics over the next few weeks, including hospitalizations, to see if the loosened restrictions have a positive or negative impact.
He said the province is trending at a best-case scenario based on the most recent modelling from the science advisory board, but that the board suggested a rise in transmission could be seen between now and next week.
"As medical officers of health, we will need to monitor the trajectory and see if it starts to reverse itself and possibly result in a second wave or surge of Omicron," Gardner said.
The SMDHU's top doctor noted that trying to predict an unpredictable pandemic leads to high frustration.
But, Gardner said he remains optimistic that most residents have faith in the public health unit.
"People have to decide for themselves who they will trust, and all we can do in public health is do our very, very best to be trustworthy and to provide good information to the best of our ability.
That is what we strive to do, and I believe that most people still turn to us as a trusted and reliable source of information and guidance even if there are many who do not."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING | U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign amid party revolt
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has agreed to resign, his office said Thursday, ending an unprecedented political crisis over his future that has paralyzed Britain's government.

Ukrainian medic released in prisoner exchange accuses captors of torture
A well-known Ukrainian paramedic who was held prisoner by Russian and separatist forces for three months after being captured in the southeastern city of Mariupol has accused her guards of psychological and physical torture during her time in captivity.
Intense video shows worker dangling from crane at Toronto construction site
Video has emerged showing a worker dangling in the air above a Toronto construction site after accidently getting entangled in a tagline attached to a crane.
The next stage in the battle against COVID-19: bivalent vaccines
Several vaccine manufacturers are racing to develop formulas that take into account the more infectious Omicron variant now driving cases, while policymakers are laying the groundwork for another large-scale vaccine blitz.
Feds intend to keep ArriveCan for its data on COVID-19-positive travellers: sources
The federal government has no intention of dropping the controversial ArriveCan app because it gives the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) key health information about travellers who test positive for COVID-19 through testing at airports and land borders, senior government sources tell CTV News.
Conservative party disputes Brown’s allegation political corruption behind his disqualification
Patrick Brown is alleging political corruption played a role in his disqualification from the Conservative Party of Canada's leadership race, a move that came following allegations that his campaign violated election financing rules.
Brittney Griner trial in Russia resumes amid calls for U.S. to strike deal
Jailed American basketball star Brittney Griner returns to a Russian court on Thursday amid a growing chorus of calls for Washington to do more to secure her release nearly five months after she was arrested on drug charges.
Patrick Brown to remain on Conservative leadership ballots despite disqualification
Despite being disqualified by the Conservative Party of Canada from becoming its next leader, ousted candidate Patrick Brown's name will still appear on the ballot.
Feds urged to crack down on fake Indigenous art, copyright breaches
First Nations art, from hand-carved masks to totem poles, draws on generations of tradition and skill and can take months to craft. But a flood of fakes and commercial knock-offs produced in Asia and eastern Europe are exploiting Indigenous culture, the artists say, and robbing them of revenue.