With Ontario's COVID-19 numbers slowly moving downward, Dr. David Williams, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health said the increase in vaccinations is paying off, but Ontario is not out of the woods yet.
He was commenting Monday afternoon during a technical briefing on Ontario's vaccine plans. He said Ontario will soon be allowing 18-year-olds to get their COVID-19 vaccinations.
Williams said things are slowly improving but he doesn't want to see Ontario residents out celebrating the May long weekend without due regard for the stay-at-home order.
Williams remarked that it was one month ago, on April 16, that Ontario reported its highest ever case count of 4,812 COVID-19 cases. He said he was pleased to see that Ontario had come a long way since then. Monday's provincial case count was 2,170. Williams said it was to the credit of everyone taking appropriate cautionary steps including those who got COVID-19 vaccines.
"So we're making progress, steady progress and very excellent work in bringing these numbers down," said Williams.
He added that the hospital occupancy numbers were also slowly decreasing, but not at a significant level at this time. Williams said hospital staff working in intensive care units across the province are "still working full out to look after many individuals who are quite critically ill." He said this is taking a toll on health care workers as well as on families and loved ones of those who are sick.
"So we are not out of the woods by any means at this point," said Williams.
Williams said Ontario is in line to get more vaccine doses delivered that can be turned around quickly to get more citizens vaccinated.
He said beginning tomorrow, on Tuesday May 18, residents who are aged 18 and over in 2021 will be able to register for a vaccination appointment.
"That's exciting," said Williams. "We're getting more vaccines this week. We hope to get well over a million doses in different forms and varieties."
Williams said as the volume is increasing, a greater effort is being made to immunize people at mass clinics, at pharmacies and at primary care venues.
As optimistic as things sound, Williams said it still takes roughly three weeks to build up any sort of immunity. He said that's why plans are underway already to provide second doses to many of those essential workers who have received their first dose. He said Ontario's Science Table is working to determine the most optimum time to have the second vaccine doses provided.
In the meantime, Ontario is "still moving forward with the stay-at-home order" which he said will continue until June 2. He said it is still important for people to obey that order.
"That means especially for this coming weekend, the long weekend," said Williams.
He urged Ontario residents to get out with family members and enjoy the outdoors and enjoy the warm weather without breaking the restriction rules or going without pandemic precautions. He said the worst thing would be creating a new surge of COVID cases that would drive the numbers back up again.
He said the main focus in Ontario right now is not for the long weekend but how the summer will shape up for Ontario residents.
"Enjoy it while you can but enjoy it with care and caution," said Williams.
