A look at local numbers
Public Health Sudbury & Districts is reporting 10 new cases of COVID-19; seven are in Greater Sudbury, three in the Sudbury District.
Considering resolved cases, there are 316 active cases within the agency’s jurisdiction.
The agency is also reporting as of Saturday, April 3, the health unit shifts to a provincial online COVID-19 vaccine booking system for adults who are 70 and over this year.
To book appointments use the following options.
Online appointment booking: visit https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/ as of Saturday, April 3, 2021. Mainline: call 705.674.2299 (toll-free: 1.800.708.2505), between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m., seven days a week. Alternate line: call 1.844.782.2273, between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week
Health Sciences North is reporting there are 26 admitted patients, 14 are confirmed while 12 individuals are waiting for test results.
Of the 26, six individuals are in intensive care.
Algoma Public Health is reporting it has received laboratory screening results today that showed evidence of variants of concern in three recent cases of COVID-19 in Algoma residents
Of the three positives for variants, two were from Sault Ste. Marie & Area, and one was from Elliot Lake & area.
The agency says the identification of the specific strains is not available at this time, pending additional laboratory information.
The health unit is reporting ten active cases of the virus in the Algoma District with no hospitalizations.
Potential one-month lockdown
Premier Doug Ford will let us know later today what new restrictions will be put in place to stem the third wave of COVID-19 and several reports say it will be a 28-day province-wide lockdown, beginning Saturday.
The restrictions will be similar to the former Grey zone limits no indoor dining at restaurants and bars, personal service outlets and gyms closed, most non-essential retail stores limited to 25 per cent capacity, and no gatherings inside the home.
Most outdoor events would be allowed to continue, but with limited capacity.
The move comes as COVID-19 case numbers continue to soar in Ontario.
Officials reported more than 23-hundred new diagnoses yesterday the seventh day in a row the number has exceeded two-thousand.
The number of people being treated in intensive care has reached a record high of 421.
COVID-19 vaccine clinic for Sudbury’s Indigenous 18-plus population taking place
A COVID-19 clinic is now open for the urban Indigenous aged 18 and over in Sudbury, with mass vaccination events taking part at the Carmichael Arena on Bancroft Drive.
The Shkagamik-Kwe Health Centre is hosting the event in collaboration with Public Health Sudbury and Districts and the City of Greater Sudbury.
Health Centre operations director Ryan Taggart encourages calling in to book appointments and be patient with the wait time since there is only one toll-free number.
He adds nearly 1,800 people were vaccinated in early March for older individuals, but now the centre wants to reach the adult population.
Phone lines are still open to book appointments by telephoning 1-800-708-2505.
Third-wave is different
Canada’s chief medical officer of health says we’ve entered a “challenging stage” in the battle against COVID-19 and we must continue to follow public health rules as vaccination programs ramp up.
Doctor Theresa Tam says there are still not enough people inoculated against the virus to protect everyone so we need to allow time for the vaccines to take effect.
Tam adds this third wave will be different from the rest.
She says there are now the more-contagious variants of concern to deal with and they’re leaving less room for error.
Virus misinformation
A study released by the Ontario Medical Association shows six percent of people are spreading misinformation about COVID-19 on social media and those between the ages of 55 and 64 are the worst offenders.
The study of Twitter posts over the past 12 months shows the highest rate of spreading false info was in eastern Ontario, including Ottawa.
It points out many of the posters had been gathering their information from right-leaning websites and American politics blogs.