{"id":92447,"date":"2020-12-09T09:53:28","date_gmt":"2020-12-09T14:53:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/huntsville.dopperonline.ca\/?p=92447"},"modified":"2020-12-09T15:19:09","modified_gmt":"2020-12-09T20:19:09","slug":"simcoe-muskoka-could-soon-find-itself-in-provinces-covid-red-zone-dr-gardner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doppleronline.ca\/huntsville\/simcoe-muskoka-could-soon-find-itself-in-provinces-covid-red-zone-dr-gardner\/","title":{"rendered":"Simcoe Muskoka could soon find itself in province’s COVID red zone: Dr. Gardner"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In his weekly briefing on Dec. 8, Dr. Charles Gardner, medical officer of health for Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) issued a warning to residents: if the upward trend in cases continues the region is headed for the red\/control zone<\/a><\/span> in the province’s COVID-19 response framework. Currently, Simcoe Muskoka is in the orange\/restrict zone<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

“There is a significant likelihood [of moving into red zone within next few weeks] given the trajectory,” he said. “If we don\u2019t flatten the curve and start to come down, we are at high risk of it.”<\/p>\n

<\/broadstreet-zone><\/strong><\/div>\n

He acknowledged that case counts in Muskoka have been significantly lower than in Simcoe County. “I can certainly sympathize with businesses and communities and how they would be impacted [by a move into the red zone]… I have positioned that concern to the Province and noted that if we end up with further restrictions, Muskoka would be impacted even though they don\u2019t have the same transmission pattern.” He added that the Province’s approach to date has been to work with health units as a whole, rather than dividing them based on transmission rates. “We will see if they change their position on that.”<\/p>\n

Dr. Gardner also noted that transmission and outbreaks have been increasing within northern Simcoe, “so there\u2019s potential for that to continue up to Muskoka\u2026 The counter-consideration would be that there would be added protection for Muskoka against such transmission from the south.”<\/p>\n

For the week beginning November 29, the rate of new COVID-19 infections in Simcoe Muskoka\u2014the bulk of them in Simcoe County\u2014was 38 per cent higher than the previous week.<\/p>\n

The majority of cases reside in Barrie, Bradford West Gwillimbury, New Tecumseth, Essa, and Innisfil. But Orillia, Midland, Oro-Medonte (largely due to a congregate setting outbreak), and Ramara have already had more cases reported in December than all of November, according to the health unit.<\/p>\n

Cases have been slowly rising in Muskoka, as well. Half of Gravenhurst’s 20 cases, two-thirds of Bracebridge’s 15 cases, and just over half of Huntsville’s 31 cases to date have occurred in the past 11 weeks.<\/p>\n

\"SMDHU

SMDHU map of COVID 19 cases as of Dec. 8, 2020 (simcoemuskokahealth.org)<\/p><\/div>\n

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Dr. Gardner said that he has heard concern from councils, municipalities and chambers of commerce in Muskoka about the region being treated the same as Simcoe County.<\/p>\n

Huntsville Mayor Karin Terziano later told Doppler that she has had discussions with “a couple of other Muskoka mayors who have expressed interest in the separation. As of now this discussion has not been before our council, but I am interested in finding out the pros and cons for separating or not and so support the question to our health unit and medical officer.”<\/p>\n

The Province considers three indicators when determining which zone to place a health unit within: epidemiology, hospital and intensive care unit capacity, and the ability of public health to adequately follow up with cases and contacts within a 24-hour period.<\/p>\n

If Muskoka were to be separated from Simcoe County, among the criteria it would have to meet in order to be downgraded from an orange\/restrict zone include:<\/p>\n