COVID-19: Here's the situation in the Sault this week

New daily COVID-19 cases in the province ranged this week between a high of 1057 and a low of 699.

This marks the first week in months that new daily cases have consistenly remained below the 1,000 mark.

As new daily COVID-19 cases in the province simmer, the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) has offered several opinions and insights on how people might cope with changes in our lives when the COVID-19 pandemic comes to an end. 

For some it could be party time. For others it will be a time of difficulty and mistrust. You can read more from the OMA here.

As cases continue to drop across much of Canada and vaccine coverage increases in both Canada and the U.S., the federal government is facing additional pressure for a reopening plan for the border.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government won't be rushed into reopening its border to non-essential travel.

Trudeau said 75 per cent of Canadians need to be vaccinated and daily cases need to continue to decline across the country before his government would be willing to ease travel restrictions.

Here's the latest on new cases in Algoma

Over the last week, APH has reported one new case of COVID-19.

The health unit did warn of a potential high-risk COVID-19 exposure for workers at Baffinland Mary River Mine, which is located on Baffin Island, Nunavut. APH says that anyone who worked at the mine since April 30 is at risk of exposure.

Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers from Algoma Public Health, updated at 3:20 p.m. yesterday:

• 145,924 tested
• 393 confirmed 
• 5 active cases
• 0 (3)* currently hospitalized
• 388 resolved
• 6 deceased
• 102 cases screened positive for variants of concern

Algoma Public Health is reporting that recent results from additional laboratory testing have detected the following VOCs in Algoma:

• B.1.1.7, first detected in the UK
• P.1, first detected in Brazil

Currently, there is one active outbreak at the Ontario Finnish Resthome.

According to data on howsmyflattening.ca, a University of Toronto-led website which collects and analyzes data from Ontario's COVID-19 cases, 62 per cent of ICU beds in Algoma Public Health's jurisdiction are currently occupied, one of which is a COVID-19 patient.

The data also describes the community risk level for COVID-19 in our region as 'low.'

Total confirmed cases by area of residence: 

• 310 in Sault Ste. Marie and area
• 51 in central and east Algoma
• 28 in Elliot Lake and area
• 4 in north Algoma

Comparatively, in Chippewa County, which covers Sault Ste. Marie Mich. and surrounding area, the COVID-19 data as of Wednesday states:

• 2,478 cumulative positives
• 2,383 cumulative recovered
• 33 deaths
• 0 cases currently hospitalized

Here's the latest on COVID-19 vaccinations in Algoma

Algoma Public Health is continuing in phase two of Ontario's 3 Phase Vaccine Distribution Program. As of yesterday at 9:50 a.m.:

• 69,279 total doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered
• 54,075 people have received their first dose only (12.5 per cent of youth 12-17 have received at least one dose and 64.1 per cent of the adult population (18+) have received at least one dose)
• 7,602 people are fully vaccinated (7.5 per cent of eligible population)
• 61,677 people have received at least one dose (53.9 per cent of the population or 60.8 per cent of the eligible population)

Health Canada has extended the expiry for some AstraZeneca doses by one month. A spokeswoman for Health Minister Christine Elliott said the change means doses with an original expiry of May 31 can now be used until July 1.

Ontario had been trying to redistribute a stockpile of 45,000 shots expiring on May 31 and 10,000 more going bad in June.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization said this week that people who got the AstraZeneca vaccine can be offered either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna for their second dose. Shortly after, the provincial government announced that Ontarians who got the AstraZeneca shot can book Moderna or Pfizer for their second dose. Those who wish to get the AstraZeneca shot are still able to do so.

NACI's published report says AstraZeneca recipients can be offered the same vaccine if they want it, or can be given either Pfizer or Moderna. 

Schools closed until fall

Ontario schools are not reopening this month and students will continue with remote learning until the end of the school year. 

Schools will be allowed to invite graduating students in elementary schools (by class) and secondary schools (by homeroom/quadmestered class) to return to school in June for short, outdoor celebrations with physical distancing.

Emergency child care will continue until the end of June, aligning with the elementary school year. Before and after school programs are closed and licensed child care centres may resume serving school-aged children for full-day programming in the summer.

Locally, boards are working with public health to sort out year-end retrieval of personal items and graduations. Communication on that is expected soon.

Hugs are back! Ontario loosening restrictions at long-term care homes 

Starting next week, you can briefly hug a long-term care resident, whether you are vaccinated or not.

And, if both the resident and visitor are fully vaccinated, hand holding and close physical contact will be permitted as well.

The new directive also allows long-term residents who are fully immunized to leave the home for day and overnight trips starting June 9.

Read more about the update to Directive #3 here.

Canada looking to U.S. to help end Moderna delivery delays

Procurement Minister Anita Anand says Canada is trying to negotiate a deal to start getting doses of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine from the United States instead of Europe.

All 5.7 million doses delivered to Canada from Moderna so far have come from their production lines in Europe. but the company's shipments to Canada have been spotty and small since April 1.

As of Friday, Moderna has delivered or scheduled less than half of the 12.3 million doses initially promised for the second quarter.

Meanwhile, the United States unveiled details of its first global donations of COVID-19 vaccines Thursday, with plans to ship 19 million doses through the COVAX vaccine-sharing alliance, and another six million doses directly to neighbours, including Canada, and countries experiencing pandemic surges.

It is not clear yet how many doses Canada would be offered by the United States, if Canada would accept them at this point, or which vaccine would be sent.

The offer comes as Canada's vaccine rollout is nearing the best in the world, and at the same time as pressure is mounting on the Canadian government to start sharing some of its COVID-19 vaccines as well. 

Some hospital measures revoked in light of improving COVID-19 trends

Ontario is ending several emergency orders aimed at preserving hospital capacity during the height of the third wave, including allowing hospitals to resume non-urgent surgeries that require inpatient and critical care services. 

Hospitals can also no longer transfer patients to long-term care or retirement homes without their consent, and home care and other health-care staff can no longer be redeployed to those homes.

Patients can still be transferred between hospitals without their consent and non-hospital health-care staff can still be redeployed to hospitals.

Independent MPP Randy Hillier attends local anti-lockdown protest over the weekend

Independent Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston MPP Randy Hillier attended an anti-lockdown protest at Bellevue Park Saturday, sharing his message that the lockdowns are causing far more harm and injury to people than the COVID-19 virus itself.

Hillier told a crowd of roughly 100 people that he’s been charged about 20, maybe even 25 times for defying provincial pandemic measures. The majority of those tickets received have been for organizing events. 

Two people were charged in connection to the gathering.

U.S. shares vaccines, including with Canada, as Ottawa pushed to give doses to COVAX

The United States unveiled details of its first global donations of COVID-19 vaccines Thursday, with plans to ship 19 million doses through the COVAX vaccine-sharing alliance, and another six million doses directly to neighbours, including Canada, and countries experiencing pandemic surges.

It is not clear yet how many doses Canada would be offered by the United States, if Canada would accept them at this point, or which vaccine would be sent.

The offer comes as Canada's vaccine rollout is nearing the best in the world, and at the same time as pressure is mounting on the Canadian government to start sharing some of its COVID-19 vaccines as well. 

Dr. Kieran Moore to replace Dr. David Williams as Ontario's top doc

The doctor who will guide Ontario's path out of the COVID-19 pandemic is being described by colleagues and friends as a competent public health expert, straight shooter and excellent communicator.

Dr. Kieran Moore, who is currently the medical officer of health for Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Public Health, is set to replace Dr. David Williams as Ontario's top doctor on June 26.

The province said it was Moore's success in guiding Kingston and 10 other municipalities throughout the pandemic that led to his hiring.

City extends lockdown relief

Responding to a request from Ward 3 Coun. Matthew Shoemaker and Ward 4's Rick Niro, City Council has agreed to waive all interest and penalties on late payment of taxes for the remainder of 2021.

Similar relief was provided by the city last year, and again in February of this year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

College aviation program appears ready for post-COVID rebound

Having faced challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, causing Sault College to suspend first year admissions to its aviation program in the 2020-21 academic year, the school’s administrators now say the program appears ready to soar once again.

Read more about the college's program here.

More federal funding for Northern communities to help improve public spaces during the pandemic

A federal government program has set aside more than $400,000 for Northern Ontario communities "to transform public spaces in response to COVID-19.”

Community organizations are being invited to submit applications for funding for things such as creating safer public spaces, improving mobility options or providing digital solutions that can help their neighbourhoods navigate the pandemic and have options for recovery from the impact of COVID-19.

New $1.25M training program aims to help hard-hit Northern tourism industry

Ontario is planning to help the hard-hit tourism industry in Northern Ontario recover from the COVID-19 pandemic with a $1.25-million investment to create 300 job opportunities with 150 different tourism employers.

Participants in this program will get training for positions like customer service, front-desk reception, guest services and housekeeping, as well as training in COVID-19-safe operating protocols, the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System, and service excellence.

Read more about the funding here.

Legislature adjourns for summer, house leader hopeful for normal return

The Ontario legislature kicked off a three-month summer break Thursday, as the opposition argued legislators were heading home while people in the province still need pandemic relief. 

Government house leader Paul Calandra expressed hope that when legislators return for the fall session on Sept. 13., life at Queen's Park will be back to normal.

French Catholic board to continue virtual education program

The French Catholic school board has chosen to continue its virtual education program throughout the 2020-2021 school year.

Students registered in the Académie virtuelle will only be able to change their learning mode on specific dates in the fall and winter of the 2021-2022 school year.

The Académie virtuelle will host a virtual open house on Wednesday, June 16, at 6:30 p.m.

Davey Home residents get special outdoor concert during city tour

The activity department at the Davey Home has been doing everything they can to help bring joy to their residents amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They have started taking them out for drives around the city in the Davey Home bus twice a week. 

Last week, one of the residents’ grandsons, Ryan Seabrook, offered to perform an outdoor concert in his front yard for the residents and his grandmother during the tour. The concert was a hit, giving residents an opportunity to sing and dance and enjoy themselves. 

Staff hope to give the residents a tour around the city twice a week.

Public health experts weigh pros and cons of disclosing COVID outbreaks at businesses

A new article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) discusses the ethics and concerns of disclosing the names of businesses where COVID-19 outbreaks have occurred. There is no uniform approach to this in Ontario since the decision is often left up to administrators of local health units.

The article weighs the pros and cons of providing information to the public that could be seen as essential in letting a person make an informed decision on whether they want to visit a particular business, while at the same time weighing the right to privacy for a business that might have had two or three employees test positive for COVID-19 and were then sent home to self-isolate. 

Read more on the article here.

Manitoulin ferry to set sail on June 8

The Chi-Cheemaun ferry will resume operations on Tuesday, June 8.

Operating in Georgian Bay in the upper end of Lake Huron, the vessel typically runs from May to October between South Baymouth on Manitoulin Island and Tobermory on the Bruce Peninsula.

Although the service was originally scheduled to launch its 2021 season on May 7, the Owen Sound Transportation Company (OSTC), the Crown agency that runs the service, pushed back that date due to ongoing concerns about COVID-19.