Well, the plexiglass is up. By the end of the day, my staff had already started being creative with it. It's not so bad. They are more protected and that is what counts. It is strange seeing that separation between them.
All part of a year of pervasive changes caused by COVID 19. "This is a marathon not a sprint". How many times have you heard that in the last year? But....even marathons have an end.
1958 new cases in Ontario today. We have not had so few new daily cases since December 12th. Nicely done.
COIVD 19 Patients in Hospital:
1436 down by 85
The number of cases in ICU and on a ventilator have increased by just a few. These numbers follow the number of new cases by about 2 weeks. We should see a dramatic drop here in the next 10 days. That's what the healthcare system needs in order for us to safely re-open.
The Reproductive number is now just 0.87. It was 1.14 the first week of December. That's a dramatic drop. That means the public health measures we are following are decreasing the ability of the virus to move from one person to another.
New Variants? A good quality mask still reduces the risk of transmitting the virus from one person to another. This new variant is more infections. Where the common COVID-19 virus is transmitted to 100, this new variant is transmitted to 160. It may also be more dangerous. We are less concerned about the virus being transmitted from surfaces. The virus hangs in the air for a longer period of time in the cold than in the heat and may be more transmissible at this time of year.
BUT....regardless of the fact that it is winter and colder and the new variant is out there, the risk of getting or transmitting COVID 19 it is infinitesimally small when you wear a good quality mask and stay 6 feet apart. The public health measures still work!
As many as 30 % of people with COVID 19 have no symptoms and people who are about to develop symptoms start spreading the virus 3 to 5 days before symptoms develop. We all need to wear masks at all times while in public.
Check out the integrity of the cloth masks you are using. If they are old, frayed or thinning, replace them. A good quality three layer mask is recommended and one of those layers should be polypropylene. That mask needs to cover all of your face from the nose down from ear to ear ( like the one shown in this photograph). It should fit comfortably but it needs to be snug. If it slips easily off your nose when you speak or move your head and neck, it is not the right fit.
Hides in Hands in Rockwood make a great mask. It is time for me to head over there and replace some of the pre-Christmas masks I have been wearing and ladies, gentlemen/ significant others, please watch your spouse/partner/people you care about. I know mine is not keeping track of his mask. I sneak a new one into his car and throw out the old when he is not looking.
The number of new cases in your health unit may be climbing. They have climbed in the Guelph-Wellington-Dufferin Public Health region. It is unfortunate and devastating but most of these new cases are the result of out breaks in areas where people are close together like long term care homes and work places. General community spread has dropped. It is safe to go to the grocery store and you do not need to wash down your groceries. I am not so sure about the big box stores like Costco and Walmart. They really need to improve their in store enforcement of the public health guidelines before I am heading back any time soon.
Some great news! Our public health unit will have immunized all of the folks in long term care by the end of the week. Thank you, Dr. Nicola Mercer and her public health team. Strong, confident, smart leadership....even when the vaccines are stalled in their arrival.
We are getting there folks. Stay strong and wear that mask with pride.
Anne-Marie
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