According to new US guidelines, people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 may drop some precautions when meeting with others. However, at least two provincial health ministers say the existing public health recommendations apply for the time being.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday that Americans who waited two weeks since their second shot can spend time with other vaccinated people indoors, without masks or social distancing.
The same applies to gatherings of people with a low risk of serious illnesses, e.g. B. Fully vaccinated grandparents visiting healthy grandchildren.
US guidelines recommend that those who are fully vaccinated continue to wear masks, avoid large gatherings and physical distance in public.
British Columbia Minister of Health Adrian Dix said Monday that physical distancing and other public health guidelines will continue for some time.
He said about 15 percent of eligible BC residents are expected to be vaccinated by the end of the month, which “has nothing to do with herd immunity”.
“The future is bright, but we cannot live the future now. We have to live now. “
Dix expects visiting restrictions to BC nursing homes to be relaxed this month as roughly 90 percent of residents and staff have been vaccinated.
University of Alberta Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Lynora Saxinger said the evidence relied on by the US Health Department is “very evolving” and such recommendations may not work in all areas.
Virus variants with the potential to breach vaccine protection are also a “wild card,” she said.
However, Saxinger said the principles underlying the U.S. guidelines make sense, especially since the vaccine was first introduced to the elderly, many of whom have been kept away from their grandchildren for almost a year.
“You are basically taking a balance of probabilities to say that once you’ve received a vaccine, you should be highly protected from serious illnesses. So hopefully this should be okay. “
Ontario Minister of Health Christine Elliott said her province continues to recommend people take precautions at gatherings and will refer to the National Advisory Committee on Immunization.
Ontario reported 1,631 new cases in its last update, but said the higher-than-expected number was due to a “data catch-up” process by the system. The 7-day average for new cases was 1,155.
There have also been 10 more deaths related to the novel coronavirus.
Ontario on Monday lifted home stay orders in Toronto, the Peel Region, and North Bay – the last three regions subject to the toughest government measures introduced two months ago.
Alberta also relaxed some rules for banquet halls, community halls, conference centers, hotels, retail stores, performances, and post-secondary sports as hospital stays remained well below the provincial target of 450.
Health Secretary Tyler Shandro said he believed it was safe enough to ease further restrictions immediately
The province reported 278 new cases of COVID-19 and six more deaths. Six cases of the more contagious variant were also discovered, making a total of 659. There were 254 people in the hospital.
Residents in five regions of Quebec, including the capital, were able to eat at restaurants and exercise in gyms again.
Restrictions remain in the Montreal area amid fears that variant cases will lead to an increase in infections and hospital stays.
Quebec reported 579 new cases in its update. New infections daily were over 700 for the past five days. The province recorded nine more deaths.
All of New Brunswick shifted to a lower pandemic response level on Monday. This means that a group of 15 regular contacts can establish contacts (out of 10). The Atlantic Province had five new cases and 36 active ones.
Saxinger said a “sensible and slow” reopening would be the safest approach.
She noted that in many countries case numbers have decreased, but the proportion of more contagious varieties is higher and the seeds are planted for a spike.
“We know that it is possible that variants are responsible for further growth, that a surge of variant is harder to contain, and that you will need longer and tighter restrictions to contain them.”
Also on Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Thursday would be a “national observation day” to commemorate the 22,000 people in Canada who died of COVID-19 and to acknowledge how the virus lasted our lives Year has changed.
Lauren Krugel, the Canadian press
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