Here are the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic in the Greater Toronto Area for Friday.
Toronto residents born 1941 and earlier can book COVID-19 vaccination appointment
The City of Toronto and Toronto Public Health said residents born in 1941 and earlier (aged 80 or older), can book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment online through the city’s website.
Vaccinations are being offered at three city-operated mass immunization clinics: Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Scarborough Town Centre and Toronto Congress Centre. These centres will begin inoculating people starting on Wednesday, March 17.
“There may be a high volume of traffic to the websites. Eligible residents booking appointments are asked to be patient and those who are not yet eligible should not attempt to access the booking system,” city officials said.
City of Toronto said there are 133,000 appointments available between March 17 and April 11.
Brampton Amazon facility must close, workers need to self-isolate amid outbreak: Peel Public health
“The current public health investigation has determined that high-risk exposure to COVID-19 for everyone working at Amazon Heritage cannot be ruled out. Over the past few weeks, the rate of COVID-19 infection across Peel has been decreasing while the rate inside this facility has been increasing significantly,” a statement from medical officer of health Dr. Lawrence Loh read Friday.
All workers at the facility located at 8050 Heritage Road are required to self-isolate until March 27, unless “they have tested positive in the last 90 days and completed their isolation period as directed by public health,” the statement continued.
Capacity limits increased for weddings, funerals under Ontario’s grey lockdown restrictions
The Ontario government has announced an increase in capacity limits for weddings, funerals, and other religious services and ceremonies being held in regions placed under the province’s grey lockdown level of restrictions in the COVID-19 response framework.
According to a statement issued by officials, weddings, funerals, religious services, rites and ceremonies will be allowed to operate with up to 15 per cent of approved total indoor occupancy as of 12:01 a.m. on March 15. At the same time, up to 50 people will be allowed for outdoor services.
Ontario premier apologizes to Indigenous MPP after queue-jumping claim amid calls for public apology
An Indigenous NDP MPP accused by Ontario’s premier of jumping the line for his COVID-19 vaccine says he received an apology, but is calling for a broader apology to the province’s Indigenous community instead.
“I think we need to be able to look at, it’s not me he needs to apologize to but Indigenous people across Ontario to undo the damage that was done of the vaccination strategy that we were working towards,” he continued.
Ontario COVID-19 vaccine pilot rollout continues at more sites
A pilot project offering COVID-19 vaccines in pharmacies is expanding more broadly today.
Some pharmacies in Toronto, Windsor and Kingston health units have already started offering Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines to residents between the ages of 60 to 64.
Status of cases in the GTA
Ontario reported a total of 1,371 new coronavirus cases on Friday.
Of those:
- 371 were in Toronto
- 225 were in Peel Region
- 111 were in York Region
- 35 were in Durham Region
- 34 were in Halton Region
Ontario reports 1,371 new coronavirus cases, 18 more deaths
Ontario is reporting 1,371 new coronavirus cases on Friday, bringing the provincial total to 314,891.
The death toll in the province has risen to 7,127 as 18 more deaths were recorded.
Resolved cases increased by 1,124 from the previous day. The government said 64,611 tests were processed in the last 24 hours.
As of 8 p.m. yesterday, the provincial government reported administering 1,062,910 COVID-19 vaccine doses, representing an increase of 43,503 in the last day. There are 282,748 people fully vaccinated with two doses.
Cases, deaths and outbreaks in Ontario long-term care homes
According to the Ministry of Long-Term Care, there have been 3,750 deaths reported among residents and patients in long-term care homes across Ontario which increase by one death since yesterday. Eleven virus-related deaths in total have been reported among staff.
There are 80 current outbreaks in homes, which is a down by three from the previous day.
The ministry also indicated there are currently 45 active cases among long-term care residents and 138 active cases among staff — down by six and up by one, respectively, in the last day.
Cases among students and staff at Ontario schools, child care centres
Meanwhile, government figures show there have been a total of 9,949 school-related COVID-19 cases in Ontario to date. This is an increase of 137 more cases in the last day — 99 student cases and 38 staff cases.
The COVID-19 cases are currently from 850 out of 4,828 schools in the province. Thirty-four schools in Ontario are currently closed as a result of positive cases, the government indicated.
There have been a total of 2,968 confirmed cases within child care centres and homes — an increase of 20 (14 new child cases and six staff cases). Out of 5,273 child care centres in Ontario, 179 currently have cases and 47 centres are closed.
NOTE: This story will be updated throughout the day.
— With files from The Canadian Press.