Ontario introduces shortened isolation periods, new testing guidelines
Ontario is shortening its COVID-19 isolation period for some individuals and introducing new testing guidelines for the public, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore announced Thursday.
Effective immediately, the province is shortening the required isolation period from ten days to five for vaccinated individuals.
Moore said the decision was made based on "growing evidence that generally healthy people with COVID-19 are most infectious for the two days before their symptoms develop and for three days after."
Individuals with COVID-19 who are vaccinated, as well as children under 12, will only be required to isolate for five days following the onset of symptoms. Isolation for these individuals can end after the five-day period as long as their symptoms have improved for at least 24 hours, the government says. Their household contacts will also be required to isolate with them.
Individuals who are not fully vaccinated or are immunocompromised will still be required to isolate for 10 days.
Individuals who work or live in high-risk health-care settings should not attend work for 10 days, the province says, but will now have “the opportunity” to return to work after isolating for seven days with proof of a negative PCR or rapid antigen test results “to ensure sufficient staffing levels.”
If you have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID 19 and you are fully vaccinated, have no symptoms and don't live with a positive case, the province is now recommending monitoring for symptoms for 10 days.
NEW TESTING GUIDELINES
Moore also announced revised COVID-19 testing guidelines for the province on Thursday.
Beginning Dec. 31, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests will only be available for symptomatic high-risk individuals and those who work in the highest risk settings, as well as vulnerable populations. However, Ontario public schools will remain one of the few groups permitted to distribute PCR tests to symptomatic students and staff.
For a full list of those eligible for PCR testing, click here.
Members of the general public with mild symptoms are now being asked not to seek testing.
“If you have symptoms of COVID-19, are not eligible for a PCR test and do not have access to a rapid antigen test, you should assume that you have COVID-19 and isolate according to our revised guidelines,” Moore said.
In addition, most individuals with a positive result from a rapid antigen test will no longer be required or encouraged to get a confirmatory PCR or rapid molecular test. They will also not be required to report their results to their corresponding public health unit, unless otherwise directed by public health.
At this point, the province is recommended that rapid antigen COVID-19 tests be used "for screening of people with no symptoms to identify and prevent cases of COVID-19 in hospitals, long-term care and retirement homes, and other high-risk settings."
Following Thursday’s announcement, Ontario’s New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Andrea Horwath called on Premier Ford to reverse the decision to restrict testing, claiming Ford was "surrending Ontario to COVID-19."
"People are reeling from Ford’s decision to deny free [COVID-19] PCR tests to all but high-risk symptomatic people,” Horwath said in a statement issued Thursday. “We need to ramp up to make testing more available, not cut people off.”
"Meanwhile, telling people to simply stay home instead of getting a test is shockingly cruel when Ford won’t give people adequate paid sick days,” she said.
The province also announced reduced capacity limits at large spectator venues, and delayed the return to school until Jan. 5 on Thursday.
Ontario reported 13,807 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, shattering past single-day records in the province.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
BREAKING Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.
Putin begins his fifth term as president, more in control of Russia than ever
Vladimir Putin began his fifth term Tuesday as Russian leader at a glittering Kremlin inauguration, setting out on another six years in office after destroying his political opponents, launching a devastating war in Ukraine and concentrating all power in his hands.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.