As the Omicron variant continues its sweep across Ontario, Muskoka’s case rate has reached record highs.
Since Dec. 24, 184 new cases have been reported for the region: 57 in Huntsville, four in Lake of Bays, 11 in Muskoka Lakes, 59 in Bracebridge, 50 in Gravenhurst, and three in Georgian Bay. One Huntsville-area resident is in hospital.
In the new year, reported cases will not provide a complete picture of the number of people who have contracted COVID-19 due to a change in guidelines by the Ministry of Health regarding who can be tested.
The province’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Kieran Moore, announced that effective December 31, publicly funded PCR testing will be available only for high-risk individuals who are symptomatic and/or are at risk of severe illness from COVID-19. (A full list of eligible individuals can be found here.) Members of the general public with mild symptoms have been asked to not seek testing.
The ministry also changed the required isolation period for those with symptoms. Individuals with COVID-19 symptoms who are vaccinated, as well as children under 12, will be required to isolate for five days following the onset of symptoms. Their household contacts are also required to isolate with them. These individuals can end isolation after five days if their symptoms are improved for at least 24 hours and all public health and safety measures, such as masking and physical distancing, are followed. Non-household contacts are required to self-monitor for ten days.
Individuals who are unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or immunocompromised will be required to isolate for 10 days.
While individuals who work or live in high-risk health care settings are recommended to return to work after 10 days from their last exposure or symptom onset or from their date of diagnosis, to ensure sufficient staffing levels workers will have the opportunity to return to work after isolating for seven days with negative PCR or rapid antigen test results, which will be provided by the province through the health care setting.
See more COVID-19 statistics for Muskoka here.
Yes, the Omicron variant is very contagious.
And if you get it, be ready for a sore throat and a runny nose !
Let’s shut down schools and businesses. Good idea. (NOT)
Ray Vowels: I realize that the “just love” part of the comment was not the intent, but there is too much about our situation these days that I sure don’t like let alone ‘love’. As for someone coming out and saying they have no idea what they’re doing: how wouldn’t that make it any better. But, supposedly someone is trying.
I don’t like that I am cautious about who I have in my home. My family has not stopped working since the beginning of this virus and I don’t like that I worry about them. I don’t like that the bubble or circle of friends I have now, is so small.
I miss driving for the seniors’ luncheon at the church. I don’t like to see some of the elderly that I visit are sequestered in their own homes and that they worry, even when it is me that visits.
I don’t like that I can’t sit in a communal environment and talk and laugh over a game of bid euchre. I want to go to the arena and watch my grandsons play hockey, but you wonder when you move away from some people who think it’s prudent to go unmasked.
I find it discomforting to encounter people in stores who feel they are immune to all the disruption the rest of us are enduring. I guess I have to wish them well, though sometimes…..
I don’t like that 2 or more years of my life is being lived under these circumstances.
In the end, I’m pretty sure neither of us ‘love’ this situation, at all. Masks, vax(?), small ‘bubble’, 2 meters (6 feet is uncomfortable in this context).
Do what you can to stay safe everyone. Red Green used to say “I’m rootin’ fer ya”
I am.
We new it was coming, did we not!
Christmas and New Years gatherings. Ignorant people. and politicians
Wait until our children return to school, it will skyrocket?
The month of January is going to be very interesting or very deadly?
Let us prey! I know my children will not be returning to school.
You have to love how they keep changing the rules every day or two. Why don’t they just say we have no idea just what to do but we are going to try this and see if it works.