Vaccine priority being organized
Premier Doug Ford says a small number of coronavirus vaccines from Pfizer are expected to arrive in our province next week.
They will be a proportion of the 249-thousand doses that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced will be arriving in Canada.
The first inoculations will be sent to the eight areas of the province under Red-Control or Lockdown status.
Those on the priority list for the first shots are front-line health care workers, staff and residents of long-term care facilities, and adults in Indigenious communities.
Ford warns that this is still just a drop in the bucket and we’ll have to continue to limit our activities for months yet to come.
More vaccine is expected to arrive next month, with more widely-available supplies beginning in
April.
Travelling and the virus
A new survey shows the need for traditional Christmas contact is more important than the threat of COVID-19 for many.
The Angus Reid poll shows that 30 percent of Canadians say they’ll visit other households in their local communities during the holiday season.
Even more important, ten percent say they’ll likely visit friends and relatives in other communities.
The survey finds that 81 percent of us are concerned about spreading the coronavirus to loved ones over Christmas.
The urge the travel is greatest among the 19 percent who aren’t concerned.
Going to the cottage
Premier Ford says if you must travel this holiday season, be prepared to stay in place once you arrive.
Ford says those heading to cottage and secondary residences should shop for supplies at home first, then be ready to stay in place, with only immediate family members, once they arrive.
Health officials are concerned that widespread travel during Christmas could lead to a surge in new COVID-19 cases, especially in regions where infection rates are currently low.