COVID-19 cases remain on an inclining trend in York Region amid the sixth wave.
York’s medical officer of health, Dr. Barry Pakes, said similar to other waves, there are four to five weeks of cases rising followed by a handful of weeks of declining cases.
“It looks like we are cresting at the peak of this wave potentially in terms of cases,” said Dr. Pakes.
I have noted that even after the Easter break, cases in schools have stabilized, and while infections in hospitals and ICUs haven’t decreased, they are also stabilizing.
“It is an optimistic picture, and we were hoping that this would happen as we move from spring into summer, but it is still tentative,” said Dr. Pakes via Skype.
As more people test positive for COVID-19, Dr. Pakes urges people to take all precautions to blunt the spread.
The MOH said testing is key to confirming your status, whether a PCR test or a rapid antigen test.
“Rapid testing is available, and it’s best if people use that rapid test twice because we know it’s not as accurate as the PCR testing,” said Dr. Pakes.
He mentioned limiting close contact with others, wearing a mask, and especially avoiding contact with immunocompromised or unvaccinated people to prevent a severe reaction.
Due to the lack of PCR testing and results from rapid tests, Dr. Pakes said wastewater data is just one way to determine the transmission rate within communities.
“Test positivity, outbreaks in various settings have all been points of data that we’ve been using to see how things are going, and wastewater is incredibly useful because it gives us a sense of where we are going,” he said.
“Most importantly, it has many of the markers to give us the sense if we are going in the wrong direction and if we need to take action.”
Over the next month, Dr. Pakes encourages all residents to stay vigilant to help avoid a surge in cases.