FEATURE
A HAPPY, COVID-FREE HOLIDAYS Ontario’s steps to reduce threat of Omicron
T
he holidays have arrived—and just like last year, the festive spirit for many has been dampened by COVID-19.
In response to the rapidly spreading Omicron variant, the Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, has had to apply additional public health and workplace safety measures, including capacity and social gathering limits. According to the Province, these measures will help curb transmission and continue to safeguard Ontario’s hospitals and ICU capacity as the province continues to rapidly accelerate its booster dose rollout.
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FAIR EXCHANGE | WINTER 2021
“Throughout this entire pandemic, we’ve never faced an enemy like Omicron given how quickly it spreads,” Premier Doug Ford said on December 17th. “We need to do everything we can to slow its spread as we continue to dramatically ramp up capacity to get as many booster shots into arms as possible. Doing so is the best way to safeguard our hospital and intensive care units.” The latest modelling suggests that the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant could put additional strain on Ontario’s
hospital capacity, making it critical to slow the spread as the government dramatically increases vaccine capacity and expands eligibility for booster doses. The province recently doubled its vaccination capacity and continues to ramp up further to get as many vaccines into arms as possible. Over 156,000 doses were administered on December 16, 2021, with capacity increasing to 200,000 – 300,000 in the days following. Wearing masks indoors continues to be an important step in the battle against COVID-19. As the holidays unfold, we will keep you informed about the latest changes impacting the rental housing sector via our social media channels. In the meantime, stay safe and we look forward to interacting in the New Year.
