Manitoulin Island hospitals prepare for COVID-19 surge
Both Manitoulin Island’s hospitals are putting in part of their COVID-19 strategic plan as staff prepares for a surge in the virus.
The Manitoulin Island Health Centre runs two sites it explained in a release, one in Little Current and one in Mindemoya, and as part of its plans, they are ready to activate their surge plan when needed.
The plan includes moving COVID-19 patients to Little Current, non-COVID patients to Mindemoya.
The move comes following Public Health Sudbury & Districts reporting cases on Manitoulin Island over the last two weeks, 31 throughout their jurisdiction as of this morning.
Those who are concerned that they might have been exposed to COVID-19 should contact the COVID-19 Assessment Centre located near the Little Current emergency department at 705-368-2300 or 705-377-5311. The hours of the assessment centre have been increased to Monday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
MPP kicked out for refusal to vaccinate
MPP Rick Nicholls is no longer a member of the Conservative caucus.
The representative from Chatham-Kent-Leamington will now sit as an independent, and will not be allowed to run as a Conservative in future elections, after refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Premier Doug Ford says elected representatives must be held to a higher standard, and set an example for others.
Nicholls says he’s refusing to get the shots after he and his wife did their own research into the vaccines now available.
He says he’s chosen to exercise autonomy over his body adding that no one should be forced to do something against their will.
The other member of the caucus who was threatened with expulsion will be staying.
Scarborough Centre MPP Christina Mitas provided a medical exemption issued by a doctor before yesterday evening’s deadline.
Public service vaccinations
The Ford government says all of Ontario’s 64-thousand government employees will have to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo frequent testing if they choose not to be inoculated.
The provision is similar to those already introduced for those working in the health care and education sectors.
There’s no deadline yet set officials to say that will be announced in the coming days.
Almost half of the province’s employees are working in person, with the government getting set to announce a gradual return to work for the rest over the next two months.
Border closure likely continues
The United States is expected to announce it’ll be keeping its land border with Canada closed for at least another month.
The CBC reports the decision will be announced later today, just before the current restrictions expire tomorrow.
The two countries closed the border to all but essential workers in March of 2020.
Canada began allowing fully vaccinated Americans back into our country on August 9th.