WATERLOO REGION — When it will be safe to move out of Step 3 of the provincial reopening plan isn’t certain.
“Right now, what we do know is there is a significant risk,” Waterloo Region’s medical officer of health, Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, said during Friday’s briefing.
COVID-19 rates are on the rise in Ontario, and transmission tends to increase as measures are relaxed. More people will also be heading indoors as the weather cools, which will also boost the virus’ opportunity to spread, especially with the prevalence of the highly contagious Delta variant.
“When we have growing rates, it’s harder to slow them down,” Wang said.
The province announced earlier this week it’s pausing the plan to move out of the final phase of the reopening roadmap, which would lift remaining public-health restrictions.
Locally, case rates, hospitalizations and outbreaks “continue to remain stable at this time,” Wang said.
“Rates across Ontario are now rising but remain relatively low at this time while we remain in Step 3 of the provincial reopening plan,” Wang said.
Moving ahead will be a provincial decision, not one made regionally.
“We don’t know. What we do know is, in general, as measures are relaxed and social contacts increase, spread tends to increase, and therefore rates could go up,” Wang said.
But, on the other hand, increasing vaccination rates slow the spread.
Wang couldn’t say whether the region will see rising case rates along with the rest of the province. Currently, the weekly incidence rate is about 22 cases per 100,000.
“I can’t predict what will happen,” she said. “We do expect that as the weather starts to turn cooler and as more people head indoors and back into offices in the fall, we do expect to see increasing rates at that time.”
Wang stressed that’s why “it’s ever more important” for everyone to get vaccinated and keep up with precautions, even those who’ve had both doses.
The Friday update included another 19 COVID-19 cases to reach 18,738.
One variant of concern case was added for a total of 4,952. Confirmed Delta variant cases were at 1,441.
Active cases went up by one to 135.
Hospitalizations remained at 17, and 10 people are in intensive care.
Outbreaks remained at four. An outbreak declared at a Kitchener church on Aug. 8 is connected to 30 cases.
A total of 561,286 tests have been done in the region.
COVID-19 remains 'significant risk' | TheRecord.com - TheRecord.com
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