Local Health officials are hopeful but cautious with Ontario starting to ease COVID-19 restrictions.
The first phase starts tomorrow, February 17, with the removal of all indoor capacity limits with the exception of sporting events, concert venues and theatres which will remain capped at 50 per cent.
“The province is seeing a general improvement while our numbers aren’t improving, they’re staying relatively level with some possibility that it could be worsening with respect to hospitalization numbers,” explains Medical Officer of Health for the Northwestern Health Unit, Dr. Kit Young Hoon.
As of February 12, six people were hospitalized due to COVID-19 in the region with four others in hospital for other reasons while also testing positive.
“The opening could potentially worsen our numbers, so that’s something we’ll be looking at closely over the next two weeks to see what the impact it’s going to have on our epidemiology, our statistics and of course our hospitalization rates,” Dr. Young Hoon continues. “I think that will give us some more information on how best to respond to the pandemic moving forward.”
The NWHU region also continues to have one of the highest percent positivity rates in the province at 22.4 percent compared to Ontario’s at 11.9 ( as of February 15).
The region’s top doctor notes several possible reasons for this including a higher proportion of Indigenous population in the health unit’s coverage area who are eligible for PCR testing compared to other parts of the province, our geography or in general a higher circulation of the virus.
“Like everyone else, I think we’re hopeful that things will improve and it’s just a matter of time,” adds Dr. Young Hoon. “We do tend to see these types of respiratory outbreaks later than the rest for the province, our incline starts later and our decline starts later.”
Even though restrictions are lifting, Dr. Young Hoon still encourages residents to follow public health measures like physical distancing and staying home when you’re sick.
By March 1, Ontario will eliminate capacity limits and lift proof of vaccination requirements in all indoor public settings.
