Dr. Chirico: 'We're on a really good path right now' - BayToday.ca

An upbeat Dr. Jim Chirico says the indicators are trending in the right direction as the majority of locals continue to do what needs to be done for themselves and for those around them in the midst of a public health crisis.

As the COVID-19 pandemic lurches toward its third year, the cautiously optimistic medical officer of health kicked off the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit‘s Thursday press conference saying, “It’s is nice to have some good news.”

Chirico notes the spread of the virus has been slowed by vaccinations and public health measures such as wearing a mask or face covering, maintaining physical distancing, and frequently washing hands.

“It’s very positive that many of the indicators are in a downward trajectory,” Chirico advises, “and that’s really good news for everybody. Based on that, I’m in favour of loosening the restrictions. People must continue to follow the public health restrictions in place and we need to get as many people vaccinated as we can but we’re in a really good place right now. We’ll continue to monitor it closely and if anything changes we’ll have to adjust.”

The situation in Ontario is improving as the province continues to weather the Omicron variant wave. The key indicators — hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and deaths — are heading in the right direction, he says.

As of Wednesday, one person is hospitalized locally due to COVID-19 and two others hospitalized for other reasons are also positive. Hospitalizations in the district due to COVID-19 have reduced by 90 per cent over the past two weeks when compared to the prior two-week period. In Ontario, there are 1,594 people hospitalized, a decrease of 30 per cent in the past week.

The district’s percent positivity is at 13.5 per cent, according to Dr. Carol Zimbalatti, a Health Unit public health physician.

“One in every seven or eight people who receive a PCR test will get a positive result,” she says. “This has stayed consistent since our last update, 14 days ago. The provincial percent positivity is around 10 per cent.”

Tragically, one indicator that stands out is the number of local deaths due to COVID-19. Health officials state, unfortunately, in the past two weeks, five people in the district have died due to COVID-19, and 10 of the 19 total deaths reported over the course of the pandemic have occurred since the first of the year.

See: Health Unit reports two more local COVID deaths Tuesday, continuing dramatic 2022 rise

“We have seen an increased burden in terms of deaths during the Omicron wave — more than in any other previous wave — and I think this does speak to the number of cases that we’ve had,” Zimbalatti advises. “Proportionately, we are seeing a higher number of deaths, even though, overall, Omicron causes less severe illness. If it infects enough people — especially vulnerable individuals — it will cause severe illness and death in some.”

Although individual case details will not be shared, generally, the deaths “have been in the older age groups and with comorbidities,” says Zimbalatti.

Chirico says the data shows the number of deaths has been lessened by the widespread vaccination of vulnerable populations plus third and fourth dose boosters for the highest-risk individuals, especially during the highly-infectious Omicron wave.

“Make sure you are vaccinated, especially with a booster shot, if you are eligible,” adds Zimbalatti. “We do know that reduces transmission and reduces serious illness. It’s also important for individuals to assess what measures are appropriate for them to take over and above the current recommendations when socializing outside the home and with others.”

“The vaccines were really a tremendous benefit to have during this pandemic,” Chirico concludes.

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