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
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests about relationship with Prince Harry
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
Trial begins for Winnipeg serial killer who claims he was mentally ill
The trial of a man who admits he killed four women in Winnipeg is set to begin Wednesday, and a law professor says lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have multiple hurdles to clear for a defence of mental illness.
These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
New Canadian study could be a lifesaver for thousands suffering from CTE
A first-of-its-kind Canadian research study is working towards a major medical breakthrough for a brain disorder, believed to be caused by repeated head injuries, that can only be detected after death.