Thinking of tossing the mask after that 2nd dose? Here's what Simcoe Muskoka needs to know
Nearly 22 per cent of Simcoe Muskoka residents have had both COVID-19 shots, and starting Monday, every adult 18 and older who had an mRNA first dose is eligible to get fully vaccinated.
So once residents are fully vaccinated, can face masks finally be a thing of the past?
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, fully vaccinated residents will be able to leave the face mask at home more often.
The agency said that while all residents must continue to follow public health guidelines, restrictions can ease for those with both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
In an information chart, the agency says vaccine status doesn't matter when someone is meeting fully vaccinated people in a small outdoor group; therefore, no face mask for physical distancing is required.
For small indoor groups where everyone in attendance is fully vaccinated, there is no need to wear a mask or keep your distance.
A fully vaccinated person can ditch the face mask when attending a large outdoor gathering where vaccine status is unknown among those in attendance. But anyone who hasn't had both doses should mask up.
Face masks are suggested for concert-style settings regardless of vaccine status.
Additionally, the agency noted anyone who could have added health risks should maintain personal safety measures.
Currently, 64 per cent of Simcoe Muskoka residents have had their first shot.
DELTA VARIANT FOURTH WAVE CONCERNS
Simcoe Muskoka's medical officer of health said he anticipated the Delta variant to dominate COVID-19 cases across the region and even the province.
"It's important to assume that change to Delta dominance among COVID-19 cases is happening everywhere in our District," Gardner said earlier this week. "Because it's more transmissible, it will become more dominant across the province," he noted.
New COVID-19 federal modelling released Friday indicates the Delta variant poses a real risk of a winter resurgence.
Despite the information released by the Public Health Agency of Canada days before the province enters Step 2 of its reopening plans, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam recommends maintaining personal protective measures, like wearing masks, regardless of vaccine status.
With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A newspaper says video of Prince William and Kate should halt royal rumour mill. That's a tall order
Prince William and his wife Catherine have been filmed at a farm shop near their Windsor home, The Sun newspaper reported -- the first footage of Kate since she had abdominal surgery for an unspecified condition two months ago.
'You ask for your money, they disappear': Ontario man loses $17K to AI crypto scam
A Toronto man is spreading the word of a cryptocurrency scam that lures victims using AI-generated news sites after he lost $17,000 in investments.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Trump says Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and their religion
Former U.S. president Donald Trump on Monday charged that Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and hate 'their religion,' igniting a firestorm of criticism from the White House and Jewish leaders.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Freddie Mercury's home is on the market for first time since 1980 minus his 'exquisite clutter'
Freddie Mercury's sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century -- minus his "exquisite clutter."
'The lost season': Winter comes to a close as Canada's warmest on record
The warmest winter on record could have far-reaching effects on everything from wildfire season to erosion, climatologists say, while offering a preview of what the season could resemble in the not-so-distant future unless steps are taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.