“Kingston may well be one of the most dangerous places in Ontario right now, if not in Canada, for COVID right now,” says infectious disease specialist Dr. Dick Zautman.

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He says he is not surprised by the high COVID rates in the area, but said Kingston residents need to act. “There are 520 cases per million population, which is a lot. “That’s really high,” says Zoutman. “There are simple things we can do that are simple, cheap and painless. “For example, wearing masks. They are easy to make, they do not cost much, they are incredibly safe. ” The story goes on under the ad According to Zoutman, the use of a surgical mask reduces the risk of COVID infection by 65%. An N-95 mask provides an 83 percent reduction in COVID risk. Trending Stories

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“Those of us who have watched it closely are sadly aware that this is going to happen,” says Zoutman. “When we heard the demand for a mask on March 21, we all knew what was going to happen. It was very clear. “ And many Kingstonians agree with his sentiment. “At the end of the day, it’s not just me, you know, I want to keep others safe,” said Shasha Wijeratne, a Kingston resident. “And I hope others have the same mentality to want to keep me safe.”

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KFL & A Medical Officer, Dr. Piotr Oglaza says there is no “consistent evidence” that the contamination rate has increased because mask commands have been removed, but still suggests indoor masks. “We are closely monitoring the evolution of this new wave and to date, the evidence shows that it is behaving differently, in terms of growth rate and severity, compared to previous waves,” Oglaza said in a statement. “We are still experiencing an increase in transmission in our community, however, since last week, our hospitalizations have dropped again.” The story goes on under the ad Zoutman says the number of cases reported is a blatant underestimation of what is happening. He goes on to say that coverage, vaccines and ventilation, among other health and safety measures, are ways in which people can protect the community. © 2022 Global News, part of Corus Entertainment Inc.