Delta variant could flare up quickly without caution
WATERLOO REGION — Now is not the time for Waterloo Region residents to “throw caution to the wind.”
“It’s important that we do not let up now. We’ve had a great success, but we still have a ways to go. Let’s keep moving forward,” medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang said during Friday’s briefing.
This region moved along with the rest of Ontario into Step 3 of the reopening plan on Friday, which further relaxed restrictions. But now it’s in the hands of residents to keep those freedoms by doing everything possible to limit the spread of COVID-19.
“We now have to work together to safely reopen and stay open. We all have a role in this,” Wang said.
“Each of our daily actions can help us return to and enjoy everything our incredible community has to offer.”
The region’s weekly incidence rate is at the lowest level since early November 2020, but the situation is still risky with the Delta variant being widespread in the community.
“With the very high transmissibility and aggressiveness of Delta, the spread is not expected to slow quickly and we could have flare-ups,” Wang said. “That is why increasing vaccination rates and continuing to follow public-health measures is paramount to our continued success in reopening.”
The recent surge in infections in the United Kingdom and many other countries is a “cautionary tale” and shows why it’s crucial to be cautious when relaxing restrictions.
More activities both outdoors and indoors are allowed, but people should avoid enclosed spaces and crowded places and, where possible, favour outdoor activities.
“We can’t be complacent,” Wang said. “To continue along that path, we need all our residents to help us now stay open.”
That includes not going to work with symptoms or sending a child who is unwell to camp, which allows the virus to move along to others.
“This is why we still have cases today. It is largely due to people no longer taking those precautions or thinking that it’s OK, it shouldn’t be a problem now. We can’t throw caution to the wind at all now,” Wang said. “We have to continue with those publichealth measures and that’s the way we’re going to continue to slow the spread of Delta as our community vaccination rates continue to increase.”
Another 20 COVID-19 cases were reported in the Friday update by public health, putting the total case count at 18,124.
Variants of concern cases jumped by 76 to 4,394. Confirmed cases of the Delta variant reached 897.
Hospitalizations increased by just one to 26, including 14 people in intensive care.
Active cases dropped by 26 to 216. Outbreaks dropped by two to 13.
Deaths remained at 280. A total of 532,611 tests have been done in the region.
Chief administrative officer Bruce Lauckner said it’s always risky to reopen.
“We see what has happened in other jurisdictions like the U.K. I really am excited about newfound freedoms. At the same time, I believe it’s my own obligation, and I hope others share this, to be cautious,” he said.
Wang stressed that the region and its residents have never had as much control over COVID-19 and staying on the path of reopening.
“We have the vaccines now and we also know with experience what works really well in terms of stopping that personto-person spread.”
Hospital outbreak possible
Grand River Hospital is investigating a potential COVID-19 outbreak in its intensive care unit.
Two staff cases have been identified, but a link between the cases has not been found. The affected staff have been isolating at home.
The risk is believed to be minimal, but the Kitchener hospital is undergoing the investigation out of an abundance of caution, it said in a news release Friday.
Additional precautions have already been put in place, including testing all staff and patients possibly exposed to limit any potential spread. Those include enhanced patient and staff surveillance; additional cleaning of high-touch surfaces; cohorting staff as much as possible; and continuing investigations with public health.