YMCA is Re-opening Soon
/The YMCA of Central East Ontario is set to open earlier than planned on August 23, 2021.
Photo Courtesy of YMCA of Central East Ontario.
Peterborough Blogs
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Roadmap to Reopen: Highlighted Rules for Step Three
/With the province moving to Step Three this Friday beginning at 12:01 a.m., the Ontario Government has released guidelines on their official website last week Friday.
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The plan is based on the province-wide vaccination rate and if there were significant improvements made in key public health and health care indicators according to the Ontario Government.
Step Three focuses on expanding access to indoor settings, with restrictions, including where there are larger numbers of people and where face coverings can’t always be worn.
The province wanted 70 to 80 per cent of adults vaccinated with one dose and 25 per cent vaccinated with two doses to be moved into Step Three.
Ontario will remain in Step Three for at least 21 days and until 80 percent of the eligible population aged 12 and over has received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 75 per cent have received their second, with no public health unit having less than 70 per cent of their eligible population aged 12 and over fully vaccinated.
Other key public health and health care indicators must also continue to remain stable. Upon meeting these thresholds, the vast majority of public health and workplace safety measures will be lifted.
The following are key highlights of eased restrictions going into Step Three:
Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events for up to 100 people
Indoor social gatherings and organized public events for up to 25 people
Indoor dining with no limits to the number of patrons per table
Retail with capacity limited to ensure physical distancing of two metres
Indoor religious services, rites or ceremony gatherings with physical distancing up to two metres
Indoor sports and recreational fitness facilities with capacity limits
Personal care services with capacity limited to ensure physical distancing
Museums, casinos and bingo halls with capacity limits
Cinemas, concert, theatres, and other performing arts venues with capacity limits
For a fully comprehensive list, please visit the Ontario Government Website.
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Ontario Accelerates Second-Dose Eligibility for Ages 12-17
/As Ontario moves to Step Two of its Roadmap to Reopen, the province has accelerated second dose eligibility to anyone aged 12 to 17 beginning Monday according to a press release on Friday.
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Bookings for the Pfizer vaccine can be done through the provincial booking system, directly through public health units that use their own booking system and through participating pharmacies.
“As the province enters Step Two of our Roadmap, all eligible Ontarians have the opportunity for a two-dose summer,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Vaccines are the best defence against COVID-19 and variants and I encourage everyone to get their first and second shots as soon as possible.”
During the week of June 21, the province administered more than one million doses in four days which has been ahead of schedule of expanding eligibility. To date, the province’s public health units, mass vaccination clinics, hospital sites, pharmacies and primary care providers have administered over 15 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, with more than 77 per cent of adult Ontarians having received their first dose and more than 42 per cent fully immunized.
“Expanding the eligibility for accelerated second doses to include youth aged 12 to 17 is another positive step in the rollout of vaccines across Ontario,” said Sylvia Jones, solicitor general. “With the continued support of our public health partners, we are on track to significantly increase the number of Ontarians who will be fully immunized this summer, helping to protect themselves and their community.”
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Fleming College Requires Student COVID-19 Vaccinations For Residence Living In Fall
/Fleming College requires students in residence to have at least their first COVID-19 vaccine for the fall semester stated in a press release on Friday.
File Photo.
The campus mandatory vaccine policy claims it is based on scientific data and supported by Peterborough Public Health (PPH).
“The pandemic continues to be an evolving situation, and we have always emphasized that safety is everyone’s responsibility at Fleming,” said Maureen Adamson, Fleming President. ”The vaccination requirement for those in residence will provide peace of mind to students and their families.”
The school recommends that residence students get the vaccine two weeks prior to their move-in date. Those unable to receive their first dose before moving in will have 14 days to get vaccinated. Fleming will provide support to students who require first and second doses and is working closely with PPH to coordinate access to vaccines.
The vaccine requirement applies only to the college-owned residences on campus and not the entire campus or to those living off-campus. Alternative off-campus housing is available with assistance and resources through Fleming’s off-campus housing services.
Safety measures such as masking and reduced capacity limits in shared spaces and enhanced cleaning and sanitation of all areas are in addition to the mandatory vaccine policy.
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Ontario Invests $4.5 Million to Support Peterborough Regional Health Centre
/Peterborough Regional Health Centre will receive $4,525,000 to support ongoing operational needs and support specific services after a Zoom meeting Wednesday.
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MPP Dave Smith and PRHC senior executives were in attendance to make the funding announcement.
“Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, our focus continues to be on addressing hallway health care. Increasing operational budgets and strategic investments continue to accompany our transformational reforms to how we deliver health care in Ontario,” said Smith. “One person receiving health care in a hallway is one too many. We will move forward with our efforts to end hallway medicine by putting the patient at the centre of care.”
The 2021 Budget, Ontario's Action Plan: Protecting People's Health and Our Economy, outlined a total of $1.8 billion in additional investments for hospitals in 2021-22. This includes an increase of $778 million in operating funding to meet current and future demands for services.
Additional support for hospitals as part of Ontario’s Action Plan includes $760 million to help hospitals continue to respond to COVID 19 and an additional $300 million to reduce surgical backlogs.
“This investment will provide much-needed support to PRHC in its dual role as a community hospital and a regional hub for a growing number of patients in the surrounding communities,” said Brenda Weir, Executive Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive at PRHC. “As Ontario’s healthcare sector continues to face challenging and uncertain times in the months and years ahead, ongoing provincial support will be critical to ensuring we are positioned for continued success as we provide excellent care for the patients and families we serve.”
Through the 2021-22 hospital allocations, the government will provide each hospital with increases to their operating budgets as well as targeted funding towards key priorities. Initiatives include:
Funding to recognize growth in the hospital sector as well as targeted funding towards key ministry priorities
Additional funding for priority services in eligible hospitals to cover increasing volumes related to cancer, renal, cardiac, neuro-services, and stroke, as well as hip and knee surgeries and MRI scans
Funding to Ontario Health-Cancer Care Ontario for cancer and renal treatment services in hospitals.
Funding to eight hospitals to support lease costs associated with off-site dialysis units and align funding responsibility for all community-based off-site dialysis units.
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Trent University Requires First Vaccine For Students In Residence Living
/Trent University has announced students living on campus in residence this fall will be required to have at least their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine according to a press release issued Tuesday.
Trent University in Peterborough is divided into five separate colleges: Lady Eaton, Gzowski, Champlain, Otonabee and Traill. File Photo.
“The University is committed to keeping our residences and communities safe as we plan to return to in-person terms this September,” says Dr. Leo Groarke, Trent president and vice-chancellor. “Requiring vaccines for students living in residence will be an important way to ensure that we avoid residence outbreaks and are able to offer our residence students the transformative on-campus experiences students have learned to expect from Trent.”
With the support from Peterborough Public Health, the University will ask students to book and arrange their first-dose vaccine prior to moving into residences at both the Peterborough and Durham GTA campuses.
The University’s Housing Services will help students who are unable to receive a vaccine prior to arrival attain their first dose when they move into the residence. Residence students will also be asked to commit to a second dose of the vaccine on a schedule that will be subject to availability. Exemptions will be allowed in cases in which students require accommodation for medical or other reasons.
Mandating vaccines for all residence students will safely allow for near-full occupancy of residences on both Trent campuses according to the release. As an added precaution, the University also plans to reserve a small number of residence spaces for isolation, if needed.
“We know living in residence can be a valuable part of the first-year student experience at Trent,” says Dr. Nona Robinson, Trent associate vice president of Students. “We also know the health and safety of our campus and local communities is our shared responsibility. Congregate living areas, such as residences, are at higher risk for transmission due to people living closely together. We are delighted that vaccines are now available for the age group of most of our first-year students. This vaccine requirement will help minimize risk, as we offer a positive residence experience for new students this fall.”
The vaccine requirement for residence students will be part of a wide range of the University’s COVID-19 health and safety measures to ensure a safe return to in-person learning on campus.
Other measures may include masking, physical distancing requirements and mandatory self-screening, as well as enhanced cleaning. On-campus testing, as well as vaccine clinics for students and employees in Peterborough, may also be implemented based on the recent success of pop-up clinics.
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Omemee Woman Gives Open Invite for Heart Health Awareness Fundraiser With Physical Activities
/What started as a personal goal has developed into a worldwide movement and fundraiser for Annie Smith with the 3rd annual Annie's Pace Global Adventure (APGA) in a four-day event starting Friday.
Photo Courtesy of Annie Smith.
The event’s purpose is to raise heart health awareness, test people’s physical limits and promote activity with the motto, “Your heart is worth an hour a day.” Anyone is encouraged to do anything that gets them moving such as sports, walks or even as simple as gardening.
“Moving the body is number one,” said Smith.
Smith was diagnosed with cardiac sarcoidosis in 2016; an invisible, rare, incurable and life-threatening disease. Since the diagnosis, her physical capabilities have become limited.
Merchandise such as t-shirts and wristbands were made in past events. T-shirts have sold out but wristbands still remain available by contacting Smith. Photo Courtesy of Annie Smith.
Her campaign encourages others to post their heart stories and/or weekend activities on Smith’s Facebook or Instagram page while tagging themselves during the event.
Smith trekked 161 kilometres in 2019 through four days and 180 kilometres in 2020. This year, she will go an abridged distance on a treadmill due to her physical capabilities for Friday, Sunday and Monday. She will do a 26-kilometre walk with two friends starting from Jackson’s Park to Reaboro on Saturday.
“I don’t want it to be about me, I want it to be able to be about the people and bringing that awareness,” said Smith. “I want the world to unite for four days for heart disease awareness.”
Her inspiration came from her cardiologist Dr. Heather Ross who raised almost $1 million with Test Your Limits. She began APGA to aid in that goal for heart disease and heart failure research. Smith wants to raise $16,000 through three years where she already raised $10,875 in the first two ($5,500 in 2019 and $5,375 in 2020).
Not only has Canada partaken in the event, but it has also gained worldwide recognition including reaching countries as far as Hong Kong, Scotland, Greece, USA, Switzerland and Australia.
“I was crying the first day I started,” said Smith. I woke up and saw Hong Kong that already sent their video. It blew my mind. It was so much fun for me seeing them all doing it.”
Donations are accepted online or at Sunset Grill in Peterborough from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
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Ontario Government Releases Provincial Reopening Plan With Eased Outdoor Restrictions For Victoria Day Weekend
/The Government of Ontario has lifted outdoor activity restrictions for the Victoria Day weekend and a “road map to reopen” in a press conference at Queen’s Park held on Thursday.
Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health and Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health were present to discuss the province’s reopening plan.
On Saturday, outdoor recreational amenities can reopen such as golf course and tennis courts to safely celebrate the Victoria Day long weekend said Elliott.
Outdoor gathering limits have been expanded to five people. The government urges the province to continue following health guidelines and get the COVID-19 vaccine.
The road map to reopen is the proposed way out of the pandemic and a clear path forward to carefully and safely reopen in a three-step plan according to Elliott.
Step one: Initial focus on resuming small-crowd outdoor activities including pools, splash pads, fitness classes, zoos and religious services. Retail stores can be open with restrictions.
Outdoor gatherings can be up to 10 people.
Outdoor dining up to four people per table.
Non-essential retail at 15 per cent capacity.
Step two: Further expands outdoor activities and continue limited indoor services with face coverings worn.
Outdoor gatherings of 25 people
Outdoors sports and leagues permitted
Non-essential retail open up at 25 per cent capacity
Public libraries and personal care services where face coverings can be worn and with capacity limits
Step three: Expand access to indoor settings with restrictions including large numbers of people and where face coverings cannot always be worn. This includes but not limited to gyms, cinemas, performing arts facilities, indoor dining and museums with capacity limits.
