U.K. variant of the virus a growing worry

COVID-19 vaccine expected to arrive in first week of February

Peterborough’s medical officer of health says the U.K. variant of the coronavirus that’s been detected elsewhere in Ontario and in Canada is concerning because it could easily “overwhelm” smaller health units in their efforts at case management and contact tracing.

“We know that the (U.K.) variant is more easily transmitted — and so if that’s the case, and it gets a foothold here, we will start to see our cases increase again,” said Dr. Rosana Salvaterra at a Peterborough Public Health press briefing on COVID-19 on Friday.

“I do worry about outstripping our capacity. We’re a small health unit — we’re a small population — but it doesn’t take much to overwhelm us,” she said. “Once you lose control of your case and contact management, it’s hard to get it back.”

Five new confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported Friday morning in Peterborough city and county, Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation, Peterborough Public Health reported Friday.

The five new cases are on top of the 459 cumulative cases in the jurisdiction as of Thursday.

At the briefing, Salvaterra told reporters that cases are starting to come down after peaking at 71 cases for the week of Dec. 28. There were 49 cases for the week of Jan. 4 and about 29 cases so far this week.

“It’s still too soon to say whether we have a decline at all since December,” Salvaterra said.

The surge is not necessarily over because the virus has a two-week incubation period and it has only been about two weeks since the ChristmasNew Year holiday break.

Salvaterra also told reporters that the Pfizer vaccine is expected to arrive in Peterborough on the week of Feb. 1 with a goal of vaccinating all the residents, staff members and caregivers of eight long-term-care homes in the city and county by Feb. 15.

She said she is hoping COVID-19 cases can be brought down locally to allow health unit staff to focus more on the vaccination rollout.

She also said she’s written a letter to all long-term-care staff to encourage them to take the COVID-19 vaccine — though she believes they will, since there’s traditionally been a “high uptake” among longterm-care staff for the influenza vaccine.

Salvaterra also told reporters that an outbreak that has been in effect since late December at a Community Living group home on Rubidge Street could be lifted this weekend.

An outbreak at Fairhaven long-term care home is continuing. One staff member had a positive test, but tests are continuing for other staff members and residents with symptoms.

Minister of Women and Gender Equality Maryam Monsef, the MP for Peterborough-Kawartha, said at the briefing that a delay in a Pfizer production plants “will have no impact” on the federal government’s plan to offer the COVID-19 vaccine to all Canadians by September.

“We remain on track to meet Canadian vaccination timelines,” Monsef said.

Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith said the new stay-home order from the Ontario government — implemented on Thursday — is straightforward.

“When you want to go out, ask yourself this simple question: do I need to, or do I want to? And if the answer is, ‘I need to,’ go ahead and do it. And if the answer is, ‘I want to,’ reconsider it and wait until the lockdown is over,” he said. “It’s really that simple.”

Selwyn Township Mayor Andy Mitchell, the chair of the health board, said the vaccine is reason for optimism even though 2021 so far looks a lot like 2020.

“This spring, we will not just subdue COVID-19, we will beat it,” he said.

“Folks, I know you’re tired and frustrated. Everyone is … But we can’t give up now. Even though it might not seem like it, the end is coming into focus.”