With Simcoe Muskoka heading into the Grey-Lockdown zone in the province’s COVID-19 response framework on March 1, the local health unit’s medical officer of health said in a briefing today that he’s received many messages of concern from residents and businesses impacted by repeated closures and restrictions.
“I have heard from many people who are concerned about the impact on people’s livelihood, on their businesses, and physical and mental wellbeing, and I sympathize with them. I know that this is incredibly difficult and I sincerely wish we were not in this level of restriction,” said Dr. Charles Gardner, the medical officer of health for the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. “However, we are seeing increases of cases and outbreaks of the UK B.1.1.7 variant in Simcoe and Muskoka in workplaces, long-term care facilities, a child care centre, and an apartment building. Countries that have experienced high numbers of the variants of concern have then experienced a third wave of COVID-19 and we need to act early to prevent that from happening here.”
Muskoka now has eight such confirmed cases, with the remainder of the cases in Simcoe County. To date, 184 cases have tested positive for the UK B.1.1.7 COVID-19 variant of concern in Simcoe Muskoka and another 290 cases have screened positive and are awaiting confirmatory testing. Simcoe Muskoka has the highest number of variants of concern in Ontario.
The UK variant is more contagious and has been identified in a number of outbreaks at long-term care homes, workplaces, and apartment complexes, which have spread not just among residents and staff members, but also to family members of staff. There have also been variant-of-concern cases arising in the community that are not linked to outbreaks or other confirmed cases.
More than 60 per cent of the confirmed COVID-19 cases in Simcoe Muskoka last week were identified as either the UK variant or a variant of concern. There has also been a rise in outbreaks, with eight more active outbreaks in the region within the past week compared to the week prior (22 vs. 14) including five more workplace outbreaks (12 vs. seven) with nine of the 12 active workplace outbreaks linked to a variant of concern.
“The history of what the UK variant can do is of concern to me,” said Dr. Gardner. “We know that it has caused a major wave in the UK, in Ireland, in Denmark… [leading to a surge] that was very difficult to control.”
He made a recommendation to the province that the region be placed under stronger controls, a decision that lies ultimately with the provincial government.
“I knew that the timing of our increase [in cases] really couldn’t be attributed to us coming out of shutdown. It was only a week in and really you need a couple of weeks before you would see that effect. I was more concerned just that the variant itself was having an impact. And I was concerned all the more that coming out of shutdown would further augment what we were seeing.”
The case count for Simcoe Muskoka for the most recent week (February 21 to 27) did drop 15 per cent over the week prior, from 276 in the week of February 14 to 233 last week. “That is some reassurance,” said Dr. Gardner, adding that it doesn’t lessen his concern about the variants and the potential for them to cause a surge in cases without these increased control measures.
Dr. Gardner acknowledged that the repeated shutdown and lockdown measures have been difficult for small businesses in particular, and that he’s heard reports that some businesses will refuse to comply with restrictions under the lockdown. The provincial government recently updated the framework to allow smaller retail businesses to remain open, but other service providers will be required to close.
“I’ve heard the concerns of those other service providers [like personal services and fitness centres] that feel they are not a risk to the community and are not being treated fairly,” said Dr. Gardner, adding that there have in the past been workplace outbreaks at restaurants and personal services businesses in the region. “I hear people’s concern about the impact on their work and on their lives.”
He said that the province’s framework doesn’t take the variants of concern into account, and that it would have been easier for everyone to adapt if Simcoe Muskoka had moved from the province-wide shutdown into the Grey-Lockdown zone rather than first into the Red-Control zone.
The continued restrictions are taking their toll and leading to frustration in even the most stalwart of residents. “We’re seeing very strong reaction from people who indicated that they’d been very supportive [of control measures] before,” said Dr. Gardner. “That is very worrisome to me.”
Dr. Gardner has again heard from politicians in Muskoka about splitting this area from Simcoe County for the purposes of COVID-19 restrictions given that cases in Muskoka have remained lower on a per capita basis than in Simcoe County for the duration of the pandemic.
“I’ve readily acknowledged the data difference. I’ve always been concerned about the potential to unwittingly encourage more traffic to Muskoka if Simcoe’s in a different situation from Muskoka, that it might lead to more transmission there… I’m left really contemplating carefully that perspective [of the argument for different measures in Muskoka],” he said.
There is nothing in the province’s COVID-19 response framework that would prevent travel, noted Dr. Gardner. “There isn’t anything that can be enforced that says you cannot travel,” he said. “There’s all the way through the framework a strong recommendation that people not travel… When there was the shutdown there was the enforceable stay-at-home order, and stay at home really would encompass therefore not travelling without an essential purpose. In theory, if you restrict access to services in an area that should discourage people from going to that area, so being in a more restrictive area in theory at least would make it less appealing for people to go there.”
Simcoe Muskoka’s move into the Grey-Lockdown zone is intended to be a short-term measure, although it’s not known how long it will last.
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https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-growing-up-in-quarantineland-childhood-nightmares-in-the-age-of-germs/ Does anyone remember these days, i do. I had scarlet fever when i was a very young child and we were quarantined. So im sorry if the entitled people cant handle being in a light lockdown like this. I also had Whooping cough and red measles . Lots of people had to suffer with quarantines in those days.
Noted are relevant “C” themes among today’s comments.COVID 19, COURAGE, CONTAGION, and CONCERN. In combination these themes more accurately illustrate the primary health, social and political concerns at a municipal and provincial level. However local officials seeming failure to serve local communities best interests can be in part placed at the feet of the perpetrators secured in their sterile bunker in Ottawa. However both local and federal bureaucrats are failing in their duty to serve the best interests of local communities. Lacking in courage to make the Fed’s accountable. Contagion was well within our borders a year ago . The failure to close borders at the outset in addition to the current lack of air travel restrictions has given rise to the current local emergency measures. They Feds have blood on their hands. bereft of vaccines in hand and speak with forked tongue. LACK OF COURAGE, LACK OF GENUINE CONCERN, LACK OF MINIMIZING CONTAGION. Plethora of enforcement and meagre help.
The PRIMARY CONCERN appears to be with avoiding alienating voter base and being motivated by political ideology…rendering them unwilling and or unable to respond to the current crises.
“Impatience and a variant killed the cat ”
Reminder the words of famous uniformed medical expert D. Trump…” There’s only one case…It will go away with the warm/cold weather ”
Thank You Medical Experts and Informed Practioners !
Interesting the breakout in McDonalds here in Huntsville – the person causing the infection came from, wait for it, BARRIE. I don’t know about others but during stay at home orders the numbers I have seen up here from Toronto and GTA have been unreal. Shut down all routes outside of Muskoka for 2 weeks to stop these people from coming up to Muskoka and open our businesses.
I made a reservation months ago at Arrowhead for a cabin on March 11th before lockdowns of this nature were underway in Toronto and went to cancel it today but the rep at Ontario Parks said that I would be charged 50% of the reservation (this amounts to $200+). So I have to take a $200 hit for being responsible and not driving my family from Toronto to Huntsville? How is this policy protecting people?
It is time for the elected officials (Mayors and Councilors) of Muskoka to band together and start holding the leadership of the Health Unit accountable and ask the difficult questions using the Health Unit’s own data as a means of performance management.
Ask if the Regional Medical Officer of Health has a clear understanding of the legislative powers afforded to his position.
Ask if he has the courage to make the difficult decisions to enact those powers.
Simply “locking down “ Muskoka is not leading with courage. It demonstrates fear. Fear in one’s own abilities and lack of knowledge in emergency management and legislative power. Fear in one’s own confidence to manage this Public Health Emergency.
I am sure that there will be some readers who feel that these comments are harsh. However, after the continued misery being inflicted on Muskoka, I believe that we have the right to demand better performance from the Health Unit’s leadership and accountability from these unelected and seemingly unaccountable bureaucrats.
Why are gyms and dance studios closed
They are good for releasing tension and too exercise
You say to walk in degrees below 0
The gyms and dance studies are safer than going to a food store
Come on Ford lets open some gyms and dance studios
They are safer than retail stores
Hazel McLeod
Yep, definitely ludicrous.Close small businesses, keep box stores open. Theres a plan! And when cases spike, the Health Units, MOH and government will inevitably blame us, penalize small business owners and the bulk of us who have been complying for a year now. And when businesses shut for good, and people flood hospitals with secondary and chronic health problems ( such as mental health ) we will be blamed again
I have sent this message before can you please let us know by town city township case numbers i just want to know where its the best place to shop when i go out in my area
Simcoe Muskoka
Also report out breaks in grocery stores
If you’re using science and empirical data Mr. Gardener, then consider what happened last year. People did NOT come up to Muskoka en mass when there was a lockdown in Toronto. In fact, the positivity numbers for Muskoka have remained exceptionally good throughout the whole pandemic so far.
So, if you’re going to ask people to follow the “science,” then you have to be prepared to do the same. Not by rewarding some geographic regions with a green badge for low positivity numbers, while punishing others for having even lower numbers. That doesn’t make any sense at all – scientific or otherwise.
Put Muskoka back where it “legitimately” belongs…
I agree with James. Folks please use common sense in all your interactions, yet do not fear to live your life! This type of control we are witnessing is only removing our democratic rights. WE s/b free to make some decisions knowing the consequences, yet still honour the safety requests of the Government. All stores sb open to match the percentage requirements as allowed by the large grocery chains. Business must start to help our economy recover. How long can we afford to let our Government destroy our future generations with the climbing deficit?
Very well explained. Thank you Doctor Gardener and thank you Dawn. It’s impossible to make everyone happy.
When people have nothing to do and are bored they are inclined to want to go shopping, eat out or just travel from town to town and do some sightseeing. Therefore they will leave the gray zones and come to the red or other colored zones. I would much rather have our area gray and hopefully the travelers might stay home.
I know it is hard on businesses but with the vaccines finally being administered we can only hope this difficult time will be ending soon.
And of course the more deaths that can be prevented until that time, the better.
Keep on hanging in, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Perhaps if all the people from Barrie and south stayed down there it wouldnt be a problem but we all know that isnt happening. So unless everyone will stay where they are supposed to everything will be closed for a long time i guess til vaccination is done. But then again pardon my opinion but there are so many morons who wont take the vacination that even then it might be hopeless.
Not making light or mocking here. Just quoting because the word appears so many times (and there were more):
“variant of concern
many messages of concern
many people who are concerned
of concern to me
I was more concerned
I was concerned all the more
it doesn’t lessen his concern
I’ve heard the concerns
I hear people’s concern
I’ve always been concerned”
Wonder how the the cases got here. Thanks travellers.
8 cases in a population of 60,000. My god make this idiosy stop! This provincial government has lost their collective minds and are decimating small businesses.
I’m all for wearing a mask, distancing, and taking care of each other. But when you close down a one person hair dresser due to the fearof spread, yet keep schools open with none of the promised ventilation upgrades, smaller class sizes, etc. It just demonstrates that Doug Ford et al are absolutely baffoons.
This is beyond ridiculous