York Region is asking the province not to include it in the lockdown for COVID-19 hotspots that’s anticipated to be coming tomorrow.
A letter from medical officer of health Dr. Karim Kurji and York Region Chairman and CEO Wayne Emmerson is on the way to Premier Doug Ford, outlining the reasons for keeping the region’s nine municipalities in the red control zone it entered on Nov. 16.
At a news briefing Wednesday, Ford said further restrictions are required because the case counts in York, Toronto and Peel are rising “at alarming rates” and hospitals are reaching capacity.
"Right now, we're staring down the barrel of another lockdown in these regions," Ford said.
Despite rising case numbers in the last week, it’s too early to see the effects of the new restrictions that came into force Monday, Dr. Kurji told regional council at its meeting today.
"I would suggest that a timely request at this point may have a chance of preventing York Region from going into a lockdown," he said.
"We do acknowledge York Region’s daily cases of COVID-19 and positivity rates have been high, but previous experience from being in the modified Stage 2 level suggests existing control measures are likely to work and allow us to adequately balance public health with economic interests," the letter to Ford states.
Capacity at York Region’s three hospitals is manageable, and businesses are showing a high level of compliance, Kurji said.
"Last weekend, I had been in contact with the three hospital presidents and they have all confirmed to me that they are managing the COVID-19 workload and have capacities if needed," he said.
York Region is averaging 147 new COVID-19 cases daily, and the incidence rate is 86 per 100,000 per week, the positivity rate is 6 per cent, and the reproductive rate is around one per cent, Kurji said.
While the number of outbreaks in long-term care homes and group homes "are high in number", only four of them have a large number of cases, he added.
Workplace outbreaks are decreasing, while "school outbreaks are being managed very well," Kurji said.
A look at the numbers today in Newmarket, York Region, and Ontario
The region's public health investigators are reaching "virtually 100 per cent" of cases within 24 hours, he added, with the assistance of 50 additional contact tracers from the Ministry of Health and Kingston public health unit staff handling about 30 cases a day.
"We have always believed that we need to have excellent case contact and outbreak management, and this has always been our foremost priority ... because we believe that by attention to these areas, we will be able to get our cases down."
The letter additionally addresses the concerns expressed by many council members that a return to lockdown will create irreparable damage to small businesses that are already struggling to survive.
"Our small businesses in York Region – as is the case right across Ontario – continue to do everything asked of them to stay open and keep their customers, themselves and their families safe. We all need to stand up for them and keep as many businesses open as much as possible. By working in collaboration with our partners at all levels of government, we are confident we can continue to protect the health and well-being of residents and bring our case numbers down," the letter states.
Some members of regional council asked that the letter indicate that York Region will be taking additional measures to increase enforcement, and that restrictions should be added to ensure crowds are limited and physical distancing is occurring at big box stores, grocery stores, malls and banquet halls.
Council decided it will consider those issues at a meeting next Thursday.
Ontario's chief medical officer of health, Dr. David Williams, is expected to announce new restrictions for malls, in particular, Kurji said.
While the majority of banquet halls are complying with all restrictions, Kurji added he is contemplating adding a limit of 50 people at wedding ceremonies, as the current 30 per cent of capacity rule permits several hundreds of guests.
"This will be particularly important as some jurisdictions neighbouring us have essentially made it difficult to have any weddings in their jurisdictions," he said.
Dr. Lawrence Loh, Peel Region medical officer of health, has issued directives to the community that are stricter than those required for red control stage, including banning wedding receptions and associated gatherings until at least Jan. 7, 2021.
