Province’s new chief medical officer reminds Ontarians about vaccine importance ahead of move to Step 2
Posted June 29, 2021 5:47 pm.
Last Updated June 29, 2021 6:26 pm.
Ontario’s new chief medical officer of health held his first official news conference Tuesday afternoon, one day before the province moves into Step 2 of its reopening plan.
Dr. Kieran Moore says the importance of getting vaccinated has never been more critical.
“We need to keep this momentum going as we loosen more restrictions tomorrow [Wednesday] and going forward,” said Dr. Moore. “So tomorrow, we will enter Step 2 of the province’s roadmap to reopen, while outdoor activities will be further expanded and some indoor services with small numbers of people will be resumed, it must be done with caution and care.”
“This does mean that most Ontarians can get a haircut and are allowed to have family visits,” Moore said. “It does not yet mean we are ready to forget about the need for physical distancing, masking, and vaccination. we want to ensure that the gains we’ve made are maintained and that we do not step backwards in our reopening efforts and once again impose restrictions.”
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As for moving into Step 3 sooner, Moore said he thinks the 21-day interval between Step 2 and 3 is prudent, and he does not want it to be shortened.
The Associate Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Barbara Yaffe, said overall we are seeing positive trends, but, the Delta variant remains a serious concern because once it gets a foothold it can spread quickly.
More than 4.5 million Ontarians are fully vaccinated to date.
NEW – It does not sound like step 3 will start early. Dr. Kieran Moore says "We need that 21 days to understand the impact of opening on our communities" The earliest step 3 could begin is July 21, that's when gyms and indoor dining can open.
— Richard Southern (@RichardCityNews) June 29, 2021
