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

New COVID-19 cases in Ontario ranged between a low of 577 and a high of 864.

Public health officials in Ontario have turned their efforts to what they're calling the "last mile" of the COVID-19 vaccine roll out. 

As of Sept. 14, 84.5 per cent of Ontarians eligible to receive a vaccine have had at least one dose, and 78.2 per cent are fully immunized. 

The province's goal is to have 90 per cent of eligible Ontarians vaccinated.

Starting Wednesday, Sept. 22 people will need to be fully vaccinated to visit high-risk public indoor spaces. People are considered fully vaccinated 14 days after receiving their second dose.

While businesses will need to ensure the name and date of birth on a patron's vaccination receipt match those on an identification document, the venues will not need to validate any medical exemption notes presented. 

If you had your second dose Sept. 8 or earlier, you'll be able to visit the affected settings when the passport goes into effect.

Proof of vaccination will not be required for medical care, food from grocery stores and basic medical supplies.

Here's the latest on new cases in Algoma

Algoma Public Health reported 11 new cases of COVID-19 over the last seven day period.

Possible public exposure locations in the Algoma region from the past week:

• Students from Eastview Public School and St. Mary’s French Immersion Catholic School riding Boissoneau Bus Lines’ #4 bus Sept. 9-10 have been identified as high-risk close contacts, according to a letter issued to parents by the health unit Sept. 11. Algoma Public Health is advising that students who have not been fully vaccinated must isolate and get tested Sept. 17, or get tested immediately should COVID-19 symptoms develop. 

Positive cases at area schools and child-care centres:

• One confirmed case in a student at St. Mary's French Immersion Catholic School
• One confirmed case associated with St. Mary's College
• Two cofirmed cases associated with St. Basil Catholic Elementary School

Here are the latest COVID-19 numbers from Algoma Public Health, updated at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday:

• 165,448 tested
• 455 confirmed 
• 16 active cases
• 0 currently hospitalized
• 439 resolved
• 7 deceased

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

• B.1.1.7 (Alpha), first detected in the UK
• B.1.617.2 (Delta), first detected in India
• P.1 (Gamma), first detected in Brazil

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, none of which are COVID-19 patients.

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

Total confirmed cases by area of residence: 

• 360 in Sault Ste. Marie and area
• 55 in central and east Algoma
• 31 in Elliot Lake and area
• 9 in north Algoma

Comparatively, in Chippewa County, which covers Sault Ste. Marie Mich. and surrounding area, the COVID-19 data as of Sept. 8 states:

• 2,782 cumulative positives
• 2,565 cumulative recovered
• 35 deaths
• 3 cases currently hospitalized
• 56.5 per cent of the eligible population have received a first dose
• 52.2 per cent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated

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

As of 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday:

• 167,945 total doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered
• 80,448 people have received at least one dose (85.6 per cent of the eligible (12+) population has received at least one dose, 74.8 per cent of the youth population (12-17) has received at least one dose, 86.3 per cent of the adult population (18+) has received a least one dose, and 76.3 per cent of the total population has received at least one dose)
• 87,223 people are fully vaccinated (78.9 per cent of the eligible population (12+) are fully vaccinated, 80.1 per cent of the adult population (18+) is fully vaccinated, and 70.3 per cent of the total population is fully vaccinated)

The Indian Friendship Centre and Maamwesyng North Shore Community Health Services will be hosting COVID-19 vaccine clinics every Wednesday, offering both Moderna and Pfizer, "until the need diminishes."

This week, Canada's top COVID-19 vaccines were renamed. The new brand names come as the vaccines received full Health Canada approval. More information on the approval and the new names can be found here.

City won't hire any new employee who isn't fully vaccinated

All employees of the City of Sault Ste. Marie will be asked to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination status by Tuesday, Oct. 5.

The new vaccination policy includes contractors, subcontractors, students and volunteers, and will apply to all city employees including full-time, part-time, permanent, temporary, casual, volunteers and students.

Ontario rescinds funeral home vaccination proof requirements

The Bereavement Authority of Ontario (BAO) has rescinded proof of vaccination requirements for visitors to funeral homes.

The regulation, announced earlier this month, would have permitted funeral guests in Sault Ste. Marie and across Ontario to attend an indoor funeral from Sept. 22 to Oct. 12, 2021 only if they had proof of a negative COVID-19 rapid test taken 48 hours before the funeral.

After Oct. 12, 2021, all funeral guests, except for children under the age of 12, would have had to show proof of vaccination or written proof of a medical exemption from a doctor or nurse in order to attend a funeral.

The government has since rescinded the requirement.

Province details rapid testing protocol for school boards as schools report cases

Ontario school boards received more details from the province Monday regarding protocols for unvaccinated staff who must take twice-weekly rapid COVID-19 tests before coming to work. 

A memo sent to boards by the deputy education minister said testing is to be done at home, and no more than 48 hours before coming to work. 

There should be at least three days between tests, the memo said. It listed Monday and Thursday, Friday and Tuesday, or Sunday and Wednesday as examples of a regular schedule for testing.

Boards were directed to share the details with unvaccinated staff. 

The province has instructed all boards to introduce vaccination policies requiring workers to regularly get tested for the virus in lieu of vaccination, with a deadline of Sept. 27 to implement the new rules. 

No spectator policy necessary to keep high school sports going, say local organizers

A group of parents is petitioning to be allowed to spectate local high school sports, but organizers say empty stands are necessary to give kids the best chance at a full season.

Extracurricular activities including organized sports were scrapped entirely last year due to COVID-19 restrictions put in place by the provincial government. Now that they are allowed again the local school boards made the difficult decision to not allow parents, students or other spectators at games.

A recent petition signed by parents is asking the boards to reconsider the policy and once again allow spectators to come to local games to watch. It currently has 492 signatures.

Alberta reaches out on COVID-19 hospital crisis, talks to Ontario about taking on patients

Alberta is getting offers of medical help from Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador as it continues to grapple with a COVID-19 surge that could buckle its health system in a little more than a week.

Dr. Verna Yiu, the head of Alberta Health Services (AHS), said the province is in talks with the Ontario government to help deal with an intensive care system that is operating 155 per cent over normal capacity.

Local unions demand 'pandemic pay' increase for all frontline health care workers

A handful of local union representatives rallied outside of Sault MPP Ross Romano’s constituency office Monday, demanding pandemic-related pay increases for all frontline workers right across the board. 

In August, the Ontario government extended a wage increase for personal support workers brought in during the pandemic. The temporary $3-per-hour wage increase for workers in long-term care homes and similar facilities will now continue until Oct. 31.

But CUPE Local 4685 President Maria Church says that many frontline workers were excluded from the temporary wage increase.  

The union wants the temporary pandemic pay wage increase to become permanent for personal support workers. 

Candidates spell out plans for recovery, views on vaccines

Economic recovery from the ravages of COVID-19 and continuing pandemic safety measures were key topics discussed in a federal election candidates forum held by the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce (for Chamber members) at Quattro Hotel & Conference Centre Friday.

NDP candidate Marie Morin-Strom, Liberal Candidate Terry Sheehan, and Conservative Party of Canada candidate Sonny Spina participated in the event.

People’s Party of Canada candidate Kasper Makowski was unable to attend.

Candidates were asked by the Chamber audience (which included many small business owners) how their party, if forming a government after Sept. 20, would “support the private sector as the cornerstone of economic recovery.”

You can read their responses here.

The candidates' views on COVID-19 and economic recovery can be found here.

Growing vaccine mandates reveal split in labour movement

The head of Canada's largest private sector labour union has a blunt message for Unifor staff: Get vaccinated or find another job.

The union recently advised its 425 staff members that they will be placed on an unpaid leave of absence until they get vaccinated against COVID-19. 

Unions opposed to vaccine mandates include the Toronto Police Association and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113, which represents public transit workers in Toronto and the York Region. 

The Canadian Union of Public Employees says governments and employers need to consult with unions before finalizing and implementing vaccine policies. It also says workers who cannot be vaccinated for medical or religious reasons must be accommodated under human rights legislation. 

Public Service Alliance of Canada national president Chris Aylward said it supports the government's goals but the verification of vaccination or medical status of members must respect their legal right to privacy. 

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) said it categorically reject terminations and discipline as leverage to increase vaccination rates.

Teamsters Canada questioned the urgency of the government's push for a vaccine mandate given alternative ways to encourage vaccination. 

Watchdog finds province didn't spend COVID-19 response program money in first quarter

Ontario did not spend any funds from a new $2.7-billion COVID-19 response program in the first quarter, the province's fiscal watchdog found, prompting critics to question why the government didn't use the money during the third wave.

A Wednesday report from the Financial Accountability Office found health spending was $691 million lower than planned in the area of population and public health because the province didn't spend funds from the pandemic program.

More than 150,000 people experience 'long COVID' symptoms, report says

More research is needed to understand the so-called "long COVID" condition and the burden it poses on the health-care system, a science advisory group said in a report Tuesday.

The Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table said the post-COVID-19 symptoms affect about 10 per cent of those infected and can last from weeks to months.

Hospital says protests against pandemic measures are 'demoralizing' for health-care staff

A Toronto hospital where protesters denouncing COVID-19 measures rallied Monday afternoon said such demonstrations are demoralizing for health-care workers who have cared for patients infected with the virus despite the risk to themselves and their families.

The University Health Network, which runs Toronto General Hospital, made the comments in a statement ahead of a number of protests expected to take place at hospitals across Canada on Monday.

Dozens of demonstrators gathered outside the hospital Monday afternoon, many of them condemning Ontario's proof-of-vaccination system, which is scheduled to take effect next week. Several police officers were also present.

High school football returns after lengthy absence

On Oct. 25, 2019, the Korah Colts beat the St. Mary’s Knights in the senior high school football final.

Little did anyone know at the time that it would be the final time local schools would meet for nearly two years.

On Saturday, high school football returned to the field at Superior Heights with a trio of games – two at the junior level and St. Mary’s meeting Superior Heights in senior action.