When will Ontario return to normal? This doctor believes it could be sooner than you think
With Canada set to receive enough supply to fully vaccinate most people by the middle of the summer, many Ontarians are wondering when exactly life will return to normal.
Last week, Procurement Minister Anita Anand announced that Canada would receive at least 55 million doses of vaccine by the end of July, meaning 80 per cent of eligible Canadians would be able to book their shots in the days and weeks that follow.
So when can residents in Ontario start to really live their best post-pandemic life?
Infectious diseases specialist Dr. Zain Chagla said he believes that the fall is a safe bet.
“If 80 per cent of people get a vaccine by the end of July, or even mid-August, our ability to really get back to normal, especially before the winter time, is really preserved,” he said, speaking to CTV News Toronto Wednesday. “And that’s going to help with all of us feeling like this is behind us for the most part.”
Chagla went on to say that Labour Day could be a real turning point in the province’s fight against the disease with the September 6 holiday marking the first time where residents can really “do what they want.”
“You look at places like Israel right now and they’re still not at 80 per cent and they’re basically declaring they’re back to normal and they’ve even given up masks,” he said.
For context, Israel’s fully vaccinated population percentage, according to data collected by CTV News, sits at roughly 59 per cent. Meanwhile, only 13 per cent of Canadians are considered to be fully vaccinated after receiving both their first and second shots.
If Canada can fully vaccinate 80 per cent of the population by the end of July, Chagla said the situation in schools would also improve.
“Knowing that, at least in places struggling with the Delta variant like England, kids are going to transmit this, not necessarily get sick with it, having a significant amount of the population vaccinated will likely help reduce that burden in schools and make it much safer for them to operate,” he said.
Between now and then, Chagla said that doses will need to continue to be administered as fast as they have been in the last few months and that enthusiasm among people to get vaccinated will need to remain high.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with Maple Leafs, dead at 79
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a member of Canada's team at the 1972 Summit Series, has died at age 79.
Wildfire that forced evacuation of Fort Nelson, B.C., caused by tree falling on wires, mayor says
The wildfire that prompted the evacuation of more than 3,000 people near Fort Nelson, B.C., was caused by a tree falling on wires, according to the municipality's mayor.
Eurovision Song Contest final kicks off after protests, backstage chaos and a contestant's expulsion
The final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest kicked off Saturday in the Swedish city of Malmo after days of protests and offstage drama that have tipped the feelgood musical celebration into a chaotic pressure cooker overshadowed by the war in Gaza.
IN PICTURES Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Grand Bend, Collingwood and Guelph, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Haitians demand the resignation and arrest of the country's police chief after a new gang attack
A growing number of civilians and police officers are demanding the dismissal and arrest of Haiti's police chief as heavily armed gangs launched a new attack in the capital of Port-au-Prince, seizing control of yet another police station early Saturday.