Levels of COVID-19 are currently very high in the capital, Dr Vera Etch wrote in a new statement, her first since April. Key pandemic indicators — hospitalizations, positive tests, the number of cases and the amount of coronavirus measured in the city’s sewage — are all on the rise, he said. Now, Etches says it’s time for further action. WATCHES | What’s driving the rise of COVID in Ottawa?:
What’s driving the rise in COVID-19 cases in Ottawa
Doug Manuel, a senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital, says the increase in social gatherings and the lack of long-term immunity is leading to an increase in infections from the more contagious BA.5 subtype of the coronavirus. It now recommends wearing masks in crowded outdoor spaces and seeing fewer people in person. Businesses can set an example by rolling back some measures, he said. The familiar guidelines about wearing a mask indoors, staying home when sick and getting booster shots remain unchanged. “If you haven’t gotten serious about this wave yet, now is a good time to start,” OPH said in the weekly Twitter snapshot. Last week, Ottawa Public Health (OPH) warned the tens of thousands of residents who have been vaccinated but not boostered that they are no longer adequately protected by newer sub-variants of Omicron. “Those aged 60 and over remain at high risk for serious illness and complications from COVID-19, yet more than 25,000 Ottawa residents over the age of 60 still do not have access to their third dose (first booster) and over 88,000 still need their fourth dose (second booster),” Etches said. He welcomed Thursday’s news that Ontario is opening COVID-19 vaccine appointments next week for children ages six months to five years, along with fourth doses for immunocompromised youth ages 12 to 17.
