Ontario Loosens Pandemic Restrictions, Cases Begin to Rise

This entry is a note to self really, a record of the context in which Attila and I are living our lives.

On July 16, 2021, Ontario moved into Step Three of Roadmap to Reopen (see below) in relation to the Pandemic.

Today, on July 22, 2021, five days later, cases of Covid-19 in Ontario have begun to rise.

Although a majority of Ontario’s population has received at least their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, a significant number have not. About 44% have not received a second dose. It is the second dose that provides good, not complete, protection from the current highly contagious Delta Variant of Concern.

Science, and global experience, predicted a rise in Covid-19 cases if preventative restrictions were lifted for a population. Israel, and the UK for example, are seeing steeply rising cases despite being amongst the most highly vaccinated countries in the world.

What this means at Mist Cottage, is that we will remain extremely cautious as cases rise, due to the Delta variant, because although it is unlikely we would die if we caught Covid-19, since we are fully vaccinated, it is possible we would suffer long-term health issues from Long Covid if we caught the disease. There is also the possibility that if we caught Covid, we could pass it on to someone who is vulnerable. As cases rise here in Ontario, and the virus attempts to have its way with the population, we remain vigilant in protecting our health, and in doing that protecting the health of others. For us this means continuing with our isolation, disinfection of objects from outside our home, and monitoring our health for symptoms.

Worldly

Weather

Updated on Thu, Jul 22, 2:45 PM
26 °C
FEELS LIKE 28
Partly cloudy
Wind 16 NW km/h
Humidity 39 %
Visibility 31 km
Sunrise 5:44 AM
Wind gust 23 km/h
Pressure 101.9 kPa
Ceiling 9100 m
Sunset 8:43 PM

Quote

“I began to have an idea of my life, not as the slow shaping of achievement to fit my preconceived purposes, but as the gradual discovery and growth of a purpose which I did not know.”
Joanna Field

Marion Milner, sometimes known as Marion Blackett-Milner, was a British author and psychoanalyst. Outside psychotherapeutic circles, she is better known by her pseudonym, Joanna Field, as a pioneer of introspective journaling.”

“Step Three of the Roadmap focuses on the resumption of additional indoor services with larger numbers of people and restrictions in place. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 100 people with limited exceptions;
• Indoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 25 people;
• Indoor religious services, rites or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services permitted with physical distancing;
• Indoor dining permitted with no limits on the number of patrons per table with physical distancing and other restrictions still in effect;
• Indoor sports and recreational fitness facilities to open subject to a maximum 50 per cent capacity of the indoor space. Capacity for indoor spectators is 50 per cent of the usual seating capacity or 1,000 people, whichever is less. Capacity for outdoor spectators is 75 per cent of the usual seating capacity or 15,000 people, whichever is less;
• Indoor meeting and event spaces permitted to operate with physical distancing and other restrictions still in effect and capacity limited to not exceed 50 per cent capacity or 1,000 people, (whichever is less);
• Essential and non-essential retail with with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres;
• Personal care services, including services requiring the removal of a face covering, with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres;
• Museums, galleries, historic sites, aquariums, zoos, landmarks, botanical gardens, science centres, casinos/bingo halls, amusement parks, fairs and rural exhibitions, festivals, with capacity limited to not exceed 50 per cent capacity indoors and 75 per cent capacity outdoors;
• Concert venues, cinemas, and theatres permitted to operate at:
  • up to 50 per cent capacity indoors or a maximum limit of 1,000 people for seated events (whichever is less)
  • up to 75 per cent capacity outdoors or a maximum limit of 5,000 people for unseated events (whichever is less); and up to 75 per cent capacity outdoors or a maximum of 15,000 people for events with fixed seating (whichever is less).
• Real estate open houses with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres; and
• Indoor food or drink establishments where dance facilities are provided, including nightclubs and restobars, permitted up to 25 per cent capacity or up to a maximum limit of 250 people (whichever is less).

Face coverings in indoor public settings and physical distancing requirements remain in place throughout Step Three. This is in alignment with the advice on personal public health measures issued by the Public Health Agency of Canada, while also accounting for Ontario specific information and requirements. Face coverings will also be required in some outdoor public settings as well.”

Source: https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1000501/ontario-moving-to-step-three-of-roadmap-to-reopen-on-july-16

Cases Today (July 22)

Ontario (185) – The province reported 185 new cases of COVID-19, as well as seven deaths and 149 recoveries.
Source: https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/tracking-every-case-of-covid-19-in-canada-1.4852102