Ontario is giving nursing home workers more time to get vaccinated even as case count rises

Ontario is delaying until Dec. 13 a requirement that all nursing home workers be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the government said Friday, as a new model of the pandemic suggested that overall infection levels will continue to rise. after its recent increase.

And with cases on the rise, the Wild Wing restaurant’s liquor license in Belleville was suspended for failing to repeatedly check customers for proof of vaccination, a sign from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission that the liquor will not be tolerated. violations.

“Enhanced vaccine certificates … help companies stay open and keep their customers safe,” said Tom Mungham, executive director of the agency that will seek to revoke the license for failing to verify vaccine passports and for not requiring have staff wear masks.

The mandatory vaccination policy in nursing homes would go into effect Monday, but Long-Term Care Minister Rod Phillips quietly postponed it.

His office cited recent advice from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization that the first and second doses be spaced eight weeks apart for optimal benefit.

“As a result, staff must show proof of the first dose by November 15 and have until December 13 to provide proof of a second,” said Vanessa de Matteis, a spokeswoman for Phillips.

The government, which announced the policy more than a month ago after staff at an unvaccinated nursing home infected vulnerable residents with the virus, said the requirement has helped push vaccines to the point where 98 percent of long-term care workers have received a single injection and 95 percent have had two.

Workers who are not vaccinated by the deadline face losing their jobs in an industry where nearly 4,000 residents have died from COVID.

“Our view is that this extension will help those who are still undecided (recognizing that they will still have a first dose by Monday) and that any additional time to move them will be welcomed by households,” said Donna Duncan, chief executive of the Ontario Long Term Care Association.

Meanwhile, the scientific chart advising Prime Minister Doug Ford has released a new model showing that daily COVID-19 cases could reach about 600 a day across the province by the end of the month, and 900 in the worst-case scenario. .

The province reported five deaths and 598 new infections on Friday, bringing the closely watched seven-day moving average of cases to 532.

It’s up 32 percent from a week ago and 52 percent since an upward trend began Oct. 31 after the province lifted capacity limits at restaurants and sports stadiums, among other places.

Monday’s scheduled lifting of limits on nightclubs, strip bars and dance weddings has been postponed until at least mid-December due to the rapid increase.

The modelers warned that the immediate future in terms of case counts is “uncertain” and “may be conservative” due to a combination of factors including recent reopening measures and colder weather leading more people to indoor activities. .

As The Star reported earlier this week, several healthcare units have posted exponential rates of case growth in the past two weeks: Sudbury increased more than 90 percent, the Southwest unit that includes Woodstock and St. Thomas increased nearly a 60 percent, as was Haldimand-Norfolk, south of Brantford.

In all, 26 of Ontario’s 34 health units are seeing growth in cases, including Toronto, Halton and York. Peel, Durham and Hamilton have followed downward trends.

“While certain public health trends have increased slightly, an increase in cases was always expected,” said Alexandra Hilkene, spokeswoman for Health Minister Christine Elliott.

“Ontario’s hospital and intensive care capacity remains stable and the province continues to report one of the lowest active case rates in the country.”

The government’s approach of letting regional health units decide on additional restrictions, as has already happened in Sudbury, where capacity limits have been lowered, is the correct one at this time, said Dr. Peter Juni, chief scientific officer of the board. scientific

“This is a fine adjustment.”