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
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.