masking

Tuesday November 15, 2022

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday November 15, 2022

Ontario’s government is ‘strongly’ recommending masks indoors

Despite increasingly urgent calls from doctors for a renewed mask mandate in Ontario, the province has issued a “strong” recommendation — leaving masking up to individuals at a time when, experts say, governments are wary of the political consequences of forcing health restrictions onto the public.

March 10, 2022

Medical professionals have urged new masking requirements in indoor spaces, including in schools, as hospitals across Ontario feel an earlier-than-usual strain from patients ill with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza, as well as COVID-19.

In Ontario, some children’s hospitals are scaling back procedures and sending some older patients to adult hospitals, as their intensive care units are overflowing with cases of respiratory illnesses in kids. Pediatric hospitals in Quebec also report their emergency rooms are operating beyond capacity due to the three viruses.

On Monday, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore, recommended wearing masks indoors, including at social events where young children were present, as kids aged four and under were “highly susceptible” to RSV and influenza.

Moore was still “discussing and reviewing” whether masks should be mandatory in schools, he said. 

November 24, 2020

The Ontario Medical Association welcomed the province’s recommendation, but individual doctors are continuing to push for more measures in schools to help reduce the pressure hospitals will face in the weeks ahead.

Political and health experts say they believe the government is concerned about the potential for a public backlash, with protests over various other pandemic-related restrictions — including vaccine mandates — still fresh in its memory.

“I think part of what’s going on here, both at the level of the medical officials and of the premier, is an assessment of the political risk of requiring something that may be very unpopular and not followed that closely by a fair number of Ontarians,” said Peter Graefe, an associate professor of political science at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont.

A mandate could be interpreted as a signal that it’s no longer safe to dine out, shop, or visit other businesses — many of which have already struggled through multiple prolonged lockdowns, Brock said. (CBC) 

 

Wednesday August 31, 2022

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday August 31, 2022

Western University mandating COVID-19 booster shots, masking ahead of fall term

Western University is implementing vaccine and masking requirements this September for students, faculty, staff and some visitors. 

October 21, 2020

The London, Ont., university is requiring those returning to campus to be vaccinated for COVID-19 twice with an additional booster. There is also a mask mandate in place in classrooms and seminar rooms for the first five weeks of class followed by a reassessment. 

 “Considering that the general population is at 50 per cent in terms of their booster shot, we think it’s not too much of an effort to get where we want to get,” said Florentine Strzelczyk, provost and vice-president (academic). 

The policy takes effect as of Monday, however the campus community has until October 1 to submit current proof of vaccination to the university.

Wednesday April 13, 2022

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday April 13, 2022

Just how bad is COVID-19’s sixth wave?

Hamilton’s public school board is writing a letter to the provincial government asking for the now-lifted mask mandate to be restored. Halton is back to having outbreaks at long-term-care facilities and at least one Haldimand-Norfolk LTC facility is back to restricting visitors, again due to COVID.

July 25, 2020

Further afield, some schools in the London area are reverting to online learning because their staff and student ranks are so hard hit. And one hospital in Waterloo Region is closing its emergency room overnight because it no longer has staff to keep it open.

Anecdotally, more and more of us are saying we now see more COVID among our families, friends and networks than at any other time during the pandemic. And, most ominously, hospitalizations, ICU admissions and deaths are climbing — again.

Saturday April 2, 2022

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday April 2, 2022

Ontario’s sixth COVID-19 wave being driven by eased restrictions, science table head says

April 24, 2020

The head of Ontario’s COVID-19 Science Advisory Table says it is “very clear” that Ontario is now in the middle of a sixth wave of the pandemic driven by a relaxing of restrictions in the province.

“Oh, we’re in the middle of it,” Dr. Peter Juni told CP24 Tuesday night when asked whether he thinks the province is in the midst of a new wave. “When you look at our wastewater, it’s very clear. You can call it whatever you want, you know; whether it’s a resurgence of the Omicron wave we had or a sixth wave, the point is really to understand this is not a BA.2 wave.”

He said the highly infectious Omicron subvariant cannot be blamed for Ontario’s rising case count and said it has much more to do with “throwing caution to the wind.”

“The point here really is it’s entirely our responsibility what we’re seeing and we just got a little bit too much ahead of ourselves and here we are,” Juni said. “And we just have our task at hand to keep the slope of the wave upwards relatively flat so that we are not challenged again in our hospitals.”

Tuesday November 23, 2021

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday November 23, 2021

Crossing The Canada-US Border For Shopping & Visiting Family Is About To Get So Much Cheaper

October 14, 2021

Crossing the Canada-U.S. border for short trips like shopping or visiting relatives is about to get a whole lot cheaper, thanks to an update to Canada’s travel restrictions.

On Friday, November 19, federal officials confirmed that COVID-19 testing requirements will be dropped for eligible travellers who are leaving Canada for 72 hours or less.

From Tuesday, November 30, fully vaccinated people with right of entry to Canada will be able to skip the pre-entry molecular test, meaning they’ll be able to return home without forking out hundreds for a PCR test.

This applies to people travelling via land or air, as long as they’re able to demonstrate that they’ve been out of the country for three days or under.

November 27, 2020

As the COVID-19 tests approved to enter the country can cost at least $100, this update means taking short trips just got much cheaper.

It also means those driving across the Canada-U.S. border will no longer be required to spend any money on COVID-19 testing, as the American land border does not require fully vaccinated travellers to take a COVID-19 test prior to entry.

It’s worth noting that people flying into the United States will still be required to take a test before arriving, although rapid antigen tests are accepted.

Unfortunately for people dreaming of lengthy vacations, the rules will not change for people leaving Canada for over 72 hours. In this case, passengers will still be expected to take a pre-entry molecular test before arriving. Rapid antigen tests are not accepted.

If you do still need to take a molecular test, Rexall Pharmacy sells a take-home test starting at $200, while Costco sells do-it-yourself PCR tests for $120. Air Canada has its own version priced from $149. 

Some U.S. pharmacies do offer free PCR testing, although there are some risks to be aware of. (Narcity)