'In the dark': Fully vaccinated Ontarians want guidance on what's next
As our neighbours to the South receive clear guidance on what they can safely do once fully vaccinated, Canadians are looking for the same communication.
Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer says guidance is coming soon.
“This is in the jurisdiction of local and provincial governments,” Dr. Theresa Tam said at a press conference on Tuesday.
“They will be providing more details as to what people can do in their own context.”
Jason Reynolds has received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and is looking forward to a feeling of safety.
“You know, being able to protect my family, my friends. Hopefully, get back to some sense of normal,” he said.
For fully-vaccinated Ontarians like Reynolds, what happens next isn’t clear.
“I’d love to have some guidelines of what I can do, what I shouldn’t do — that would definitely be helpful. I feel that we’re all a little bit in the dark,” he said.
Jason Reynolds (Saron Fanel/CTV News Toronto)
When reached for comment, the Public Health Authority of Canada says they have “developed a framework for easing public health measures, which focuses on a gradual relaxation of measures based on both vaccination coverage and number of cases.”
According to PHAC, if cases are low and vaccine coverage is high ..., Canadians can look forward to small, outdoor gatherings with family and friends, and other outdoor activities such as camping, hiking and enjoying outdoor patios.
In the fall, "if cases are low and two-dose vaccine coverage is high, public health authorities will be able to lift more measures and Canadians should be able to do more diverse indoor activities with others outside your household, while still following some personal preventive practices, as recommended," says PHAC.
According to Toronto Public Health (TPH) data, more than 25 per cent of residents have received two jabs.
"Until COVID-19 rates continue to decrease, including the risk for the Delta variant, and most people are fully vaccinated, Toronto residents still need to continue to practice public health measures: wear a mask especially indoors, keep your distance from others you do not live with, wash your hands often, and stay home when you are sick," TPH told CTV News Toronto in a statement on Wednesday.
In Ontario, there’s an even higher vaccination rate.
“We’re getting more vaccines into people’s arms. We’re all going to hit 30 per cent today the second doses,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said.
Starting Friday, Quebecers who have received two doses will be able to gather inside without a mask. However, for Canadians in others parts of the country the only social advantage of being fully vaccinated is international travel without having to quarantine at a hotel or self-isolate.
“We’re going at a very, very cautious pace right now. Almost to a fault, quite frankly,” infectious diseases specialist Dr. Abdu Sharkway said speaking to CP24.
In contrast, months ago the CDC outlined clear federal-level guidance for Americans — those who are fully vaccinated can seemingly resume their pre-pandemic activities.
“Canada’s approach to lifting public health measures is a population-based approach,” a spokesperson for the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) told CTV News in an e-mailed statement.
“PHAC will continue to work with provinces and territories to share the evidence and consider the best approach to make recommendations on adjusting personal preventive practices after an individual has been vaccinated with one and two doses of vaccine.”
Meantime, Canada is looking into a “risk assessment tool” to help guide Canadians on which activities are safe.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Parents of infant who died in wrong-way crash on Ontario's Hwy. 401 were in same vehicle
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has released new details about a wrong-way collision in Whitby on Monday night that claimed the lives of four people.
Three Quebec men from same family father hundreds of children
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
B.C. mayor stripped of budget, barred from committees over Indigenous residential schools book
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
OPP's mandatory alcohol screening during traffic stops 'not acceptable': CCLA
A spike in impaired driving-related collisions has caused Ontario’s provincial police to begin enforcing mandatory alcohol screening (MAS) at all traffic stops in the Greater Toronto Area -- a move one civil rights group says is ‘not acceptable.’
Maple Leafs down Bruins 2-1 to force Game 7
William Nylander scored twice and Joseph Woll made 22 saves as the Toronto Maple Leafs downed the Boston Bruins 2-1 on Thursday to force Game 7 in their first-round series.
Jurors in Trump hush money trial hear recording of pivotal call on plan to buy affair story
Jurors in the hush money trial of Donald Trump heard a recording Thursday of him discussing with his then-lawyer and personal fixer a plan to purchase the silence of a Playboy model who has said she had an affair with the former president.
Southern Alberta store broken into by burly black bear
Staff at a small southern Alberta office supply store were shocked to find someone had broken into the business last week, but they were even more confused when they discovered the culprit was a bear.
Captain sentenced to 4 years for criminal negligence in fiery deaths of 34 aboard scuba boat
A federal judge on Thursday sentenced a scuba dive boat captain to four years in custody and three years supervised release for criminal negligence after 34 people died in a fire aboard the vessel.
New scam targets Canada Carbon Rebate recipients
Fake text message and email campaigns trying to get money and information out of unsuspecting Canadian taxpayers have started circulating, just months after the federal government rebranded the carbon tax rebate the Canada Carbon Rebate.