‘Vaccination is going to work’: When we can expect to see sharp decline in COVID-19 cases

With Ontario approaching six-million single COVID-19 vaccine doses administered, a leading infection expert says we shouldn’t be quick to undo all the sacrifice and hard work aimed at helping stem the spread of the virus to date.

While the province of Ontario reported more than 3,000 new COVID-19 infections for the second straight day, it also administered a record 144,724 vaccine doses.

Dr. Colin Furness, an epidemiologist with the University of Toronto, said mass vaccinations helped to dramatically decrease spread in long-term care settings but it will take a lot longer in Ontario due to policy issues.

He said so long as we don’t loosen the restrictions in the province too soon, and continue to vaccinate as many people as possible, the province can expect to see a sharp decline in cases, possibly by the end of the month.

“Vaccination is going to work, it’s working in the United States even though they’re not being very responsible either. It’s just taking a lot longer,” Furness said.

On Thursday, Dr. Barbara Yaffe, Ontario’s associate medical officer of health, said she would be surprised if the economy fully reopens when the province’s current stay-at-home order is lifted on May 20.

She notes that while daily COVID-19 case numbers are headed down, hospitals are still facing serious capacity issues.

“Whatever is planned, hopefully, will be done very gradually and slowly,” she said. “We don’t want a wave four.”
____

Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report