Ontario announces changes to proof of vaccination system as it extends program indefinitely
Ontario has announced changes to the proof of vaccination system after a "sudden escalation" of Omicron cases and data suggesting it will be the dominant strain by January.
Effective Jan. 4, Ontario will require people to use their QR code and the Verify Ontario app in settings where proof of vaccination is required, the government announced Friday.
The QR code can be used digitally or by printing a paper copy.
Effective Dec. 20, proof of vaccination will now be required for youth aged 12 to 17 participating in organized sports at recreational facilities.
Ontarians are also being "strongly advised" to limit their social gatherings and the number of gatherings they attend over the holiday season. The current gathering limits in most health units is 25 people indoors.
Expanded booster dose eligibility to all Ontarians 18 years of age and older will occur on Jan. 4, 2022, with appointments to be booked approximately six months after receiving a second dose.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore said Friday that Ontario is now reviewing the definition of fully vaccinated and whether that should mean three doses of the vaccine.
'SUDDEN ESCALATION' OF OMICRON CASES
Moore said that Ontario is seeing a sharp rise in cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant, and this strain now represents 10 per cent of all new infections in the province.
"It's truly proving itself to be a highly transmissible strain and more transmissible than Delta," Moore said. "I do think this is absolutely recent activity."
He said projections from Public Health Ontario show that this trend will continue at a rapid pace.
Moore said there could be a "complete strain replacement" in Ontario as early as the beginning of January.
Meanwhile, the Ontario government says it will also launch a holiday COVID-19 testing blitz next week, offering a voluntary rapid test to asymptomatic individual’s free of charge.
"Two million rapid tests will be provided at pop-up testing sites in high-traffic settings such as malls, retail settings, holiday markets and transit hubs," the government said.
Ontario reported 1,453 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, the highest number in a single day since May.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Putin's invasion of Ukraine an 'act of madness': former U.K. PM Blair says
The United Kingdom's former prime minister Tony Blair says Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine is an 'act of madness.'

Officials confirm 10 cases of acute severe hepatitis in children in Canada
Ten children in Canada were found to be suffering from acute severe hepatitis not caused by known hepatitis viruses over a nearly six-month period recently, the Public Health Agency of Canada announced Friday.
Trudeau says government will do 'everything we can' to avoid U.S.-style formula shortage
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attempted to reassure parents on Friday amid a nationwide shortage of baby formula designed specifically for infants with food allergies.
Price of gas remains high across Canada heading into long weekend
Canadians may find a lot of long faces at the pump heading into the long weekend as gas prices across the country remain high.
'Hurts like hell': What goes into the price of gas in Canada
With the price of gas rising above $2 per litre and setting new records in Canada this year, CTVNews.ca looks at what goes into the price per litre of gasoline and where the situation could go from here.
Rise of new opioid highlights unpredictable drug supply: expert
A national substance use research organization is warning about a new type of opioid that is increasingly being found in Canada's unregulated drug supply.
'This is an unusual situation': Feds monitoring monkeypox cases in Canada
Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam says the federal government is monitoring monkeypox cases and their chains of transmission after two cases were confirmed in this country.
WHO calls emergency meeting as monkeypox cases cross 100 in Europe
The World Health Organization was due to hold an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the recent outbreak of monkeypox, a viral infection more common to west and central Africa, after more than 100 cases were confirmed or suspected in Europe.
'Fight for a stronger Alberta': Kenney comments for first time since announcing resignation
Premier Jason Kenney spoke publicly Friday for the first time since dropping the bombshell announcement that he plans to step down as UCP leader and premier of Alberta.