Doug Ford vaccination

As fourth wave takes hold Ontario reports 486 new COVID-19 cases, 18 deaths

by Nisean Lorde for Post City Posted: August 24, 2021 Photo: Premier Doug Ford at Mississauga vaccination clinic

Ontario reported 486 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday (a decrease from the 639 cases reported on Monday)—372 cases are in individuals who are not fully vaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status and 114 are in fully vaccinated individuals.

The province also reported 18 new deaths (although 16 of the deaths occurred more than 2 months ago and were updated based on data cleaning).  The total number of COVID-19 cases as of August 23 is 560,637, with 9,471 deaths.

The new case counts include 129 in Toronto, 82 in Peel Public Health, 47 in Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, 45 in York Region Public Health, and 27 in Halton Region Public Health.

Durham Region Health reported six new cases, a decrease from the 30 cases recorded the previous day.

Meanwhile, The Durham Region Health Department is urging anyone who attended a basketball tournament earlier this month to get tested for COVID-19.

The Durham Health Department stated there were potentially 7,000 people who attended the 43rd Annual Jane and Finch Classic basketball tournament, at the Playground Global facility, from Aug. 3 to 8. Upwards of 20 positive cases of COVID-19 are currently identified in people from Quebec, Peel, Toronto, and Durham.

Some questioned why such a large indoor event occurred in the first place, and why vaccine/negative COVID-19 tests weren’t required:

 

As of Tuesday morning, 20,526,219 doses of approved COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Ontario. Approximately 82.988% of people 12+ in Ontario have received at least one dose and 75.730% of people 12+ in Ontario are fully vaccinated.

Meanwhile, Ontario Liberals are calling for Premier Doug Ford to continue meetings on provincially issued vaccine certificates to be required for admission to higher risk, nonessential venues.

In a letter to Ford, Ontario Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca noted that the time for “half-measures” has passed.

“The only way Ontario’s economy can stay open is by taking action now,” added Del Duca. “This is about protecting our most vulnerable and stopping the fourth wave,” Del Duca stated in the open letter.

Ontario Liberals believe the vaccine certificates should follow the lead of Quebec and (most recently) British Columbia, and be applied to high-risk settings with small groups of people, and low- to moderate-risk settings with bigger groups of people.

On Monday, British Columbia announced that proof of vaccination will be required to access some events, services and businesses.  Starting September 13, individuals must have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. By October 24, people must be fully vaccinated.  The requirement is in place until January 31, 2022, subject to extension.

The requirement applies to all people born in 2009 or earlier (12+) and covers:

  • Indoor ticketed concerts, theatre, dance, symphony and sporting events
  • Indoor and outdoor dining at restaurants, pubs and bars
  • Nightclubs and casinos
  • Movie theatres
  • Gyms, pools and recreation facilities (does not include youth recreational sports)
  • Indoor high intensity group exercise
  • Indoor organized gatherings, like weddings, parties, conferences, meetings and workshops
  • Indoor organized group recreational classes and activities like pottery and art (does not include K to 12 school and before and after school programs)
  • Post-secondary on-campus student housing (students must be partially vaccinated by September 7)

Events, businesses and services will ask to see proof of vaccination and valid government ID.

People visiting from outside of B.C. are also required to show proof of

vaccination. Canadians must show a provincially/territorially officially recognized vaccine record as well as a valid government ID from the same province or territory.  International visitors must show the proof of vaccination they used to enter Canada as well as a passport.

 

Click here for more COVID-19 Ontario updates.

Article exclusive to POST CITY

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