Hamilton councillors are set to discuss the future of a couple of COVID-19-related bylaws the day Ontario eases some pandemic safety measures.
A special meeting on Monday will address the future of a pair of rules surrounding face coverings and physical distancing.
The forum will happen after the latest pandemic Scarsin forecast from Hamilton Public Health that will be revealed earlier in the day.
As per revised Public Health Ontario guidelines, masks will be no longer be required in most social settings such as restaurants, gyms, large event spaces and even schools early next week.
“Under Provincial direction, masks will still be required in some settings including public transit, long-term care, retirement homes and other health-care settings, congregate care settings, shelters, jails and congregate care and living settings after March 21,” city spokesperson Jasmine Graham said in an email on Thursday.
However, the province will extend the Reopening Ontario Act (ROA) on March 28 and keep a number of other directives and orders in place until April 27.
Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, made the announcement last week characterizing the move as another step for Ontarians to “live and manage COVID-19.”
Ontario has already lifted all capacity limits and proof of vaccination as of the beginning of March.
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“And anyone who wants to wear a mask … they’re more than welcome to. It’s going to be up to the people,” Premier Doug Ford said in an early March news conference in Brantford, Ont.
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He went on to say any local medical officers of health who want to implement their own mask mandates in their specific regions will have to go through Moore.
Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger told Global News the Monday session is about “mirroring” the changes made in the provincial legislature.
“I think for the time being, we’re going to follow along with the province’s direction for the broader community, and our city staff will continue to require to be masked until the end of April, is going to be the recommendation we’re going to be dealing with on Monday,” Eisenberger said on the 900 CHML’s Bill Kelly Show.
The mayor expects the state of emergency designation, declared in April 2020, will stay in effect for now since it allows for a quick redeployment of staff if necessary.
The city currently has mask and distancing rules for enclosed public spaces under a bylaw implemented in the summer of 2020 which gave officers powers to fine individuals not wearing a face covering or separating in public spaces.
Over 50 COVID patients in Hamilton hospitals
Hamilton’s COVID infection indicators continued to decline month over month, with the city’s hospitals reporting close to 40 fewer patients with the affliction compared to 28 days ago.
As of Thursday, the two networks reported 56 COVID patients with less than five requiring a stay at an intensive care unit (ICU). On Feb. 17, Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) and St. Joe’s had a combined 100 COVID admissions with 15 in ICUs.
Ontario is reporting 644 people in hospital with COVID on Thursday, with 199 in intensive care units.
This is down by five for both hospitalizations and in ICUs since the previous day. Last Thursday, there were 742 hospitalizations with 244 in ICU.
Overall occupancy rates in the city’s hospitals are still higher than the ideal 90-per cent threshold, with HHS reporting over 100-per cent use at both the Juravinski and Hamilton General while St. Joe’s is at 100 per cent.
On Thursday, HHS revealed 239 of 312 staff redeployed for COVID services will be returning to their regular assignments this month.
The network’s West End Urgent Care Clinic on Main Street East is set to reopen a week from now, March 24th, just over 10 weeks after closing in mid-January.
Combined, the city’s hospital networks have 300 employees off isolating in connection with COVID cases. HHS has 184 of those individuals.
Over 88% of Hamiltonians over 12 are fully vaccinated
Data from Hamilton Public Health showed more declines in vaccinations week over week with close to 400 less COVID vaccine shots given out in the last seven days compared to a period between Mar. 3 and 9.
The city’s daily average of shots so far in March is also about 400 less than the over 900 recorded for all of February.
Over 90 per cent of Hamiltonians aged 12-plus have had a least a single dose of a vaccine as of Wednesday. About 88 per cent have been fully vaccinated and just over 53 per cent have had a booster.
The vaccination rate for those between 5 and 11, the lowest vaccinated age group in the city, sees first dose coverage at 53 per cent with 34 percent having had two shots.
For Ontario, of those aged 12 and older, 90.8 per cent are fully vaccinated. First dose coverage stands at 92.7 per cent. Third dose immunization is at 55 per cent — more than 7.1 million Ontarians have received a booster shot.
For young children aged five to 11, first dose coverage stands at 55.2 per cent with 31.2 per cent who are fully vaccinated.
The province administered 14,246 doses in the last day.
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