What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ottawa for the week of April 11

Recent developments:

• COVID-19 is surging.
• Eastern Ontario hospitals are short-staffedand cancelling some surgeries.
• Public health officials say holidays are best celebrated outside.
• Ontario expands its PCR test and antiviral pill eligibility.
• Quebec starts giving the Novavax vaccine.

COVID-19 is surging as part of a sixth wave in Ontario and Quebec.Eastern Ontario's coronavirus wastewater averageleads that provinceand thesituation isworsening in the Outaouais.

This puts vulnerable people, including children,at higher risk of serious health problems and is causing some staff shortagesin both schools and local hospitals. Some hospitalssuch as CHEOhave had to cancel surgeries,

Hospitalizations have generally risen without approaching records and it's not clear how high they will gowith current immunity and treatments.

Ottawa's medical officer of health is recommending that residents take any holidaycelebrations outdoors, wear masks and open windows when indoors, and consider keeping gatherings small.

• As Quebecers consider holiday gatherings, COVID-19 and flu could spoil the party

Ontario has expandedboth PCR test and antiviral treatment eligibility. Quebec is now giving the Novavax vaccine for first and second doses as an alternative to mRNA shots.

What are the numbers to watch?

Testing strategies have changed underthe contagiousOmicron variant andmany people with COVID-19 aren't reflected in case counts.Hospitalization numbersand the wastewater signaloffer additionaldatathat can help fill in the picture.

There'smore information in our daily story on key numbers.

Ottawa

The weekly average anddaily levels of coronavirus in Ottawa'swastewaterhave set records this wave. The average dropped Tuesday for the first time this month.

There were 18Ottawa residentsin local hospitals for treatment of active COVID-19 as of Thursday's OPHreport. Two needed intensive care.

Ottawa has had68,739confirmedcases ofCOVID-19and767residentshave died from the illness.

The wider region

Communities outside of Ottawa haveabout 100COVID-19 hospitalizations, more than half in western Quebec. About 15of those patients need intensive care. These numbersdon't include Hastings Prince EdwardPublic Health.

Recent wastewaterdata from the Kingston areaincludes stable, high levels in the city and a record high to its west.The wastewater signal is stable across Leeds, Grenville and Lanarkcounties.

In the rest of eastern Ontario, 447people with COVID-19 have died. The death toll is 298in western Quebec.

About5.2million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered to people in theOttawa-Gatineauregion.

Rates of eligible eastern Ontarianswith at least two vaccine dosesrange from 80 to 92 per cent; adults with a third dose range from 58to 71 per cent. These numbers aren't regularly available for western Quebec.

How can I manage risk?

COVID-19spreads through droplets thatcan hang in the air. People can be contagious without symptoms,including after getting a vaccine.

The dominant Omicron BA.2subvariantis more contagious,but generally less deadly for vaccinated people without underlying conditions.

• WHO monitoring 2 more Omicron sub-variants known as BA.4 and BA.5
• For runners recovering from COVID-19, slow and steady wins the race

Thislevel of spread puts vulnerable peopleat riskand can make covering for isolating staff a challenge.

Officials saypeople need to take personal responsibility as government rules transition torecommendations.

They're urging people to getallvaccine doses they're eligible for especially if they're over 50stayhomewhen sick, wear medical masks in crowded and indoor spaces, keep their hands clean,distance, see others outdoors and limitclose contacts, while also taking community spread and vaccine rates in theareainto account.

WATCH | Holiday advice from Ottawa Public Health:

Vera Etches encourages smaller Easter gatherings, maybe even outside

2 years ago

Duration 0:52

With the record-high amount of COVID in Ottawa's wastewater, Dr. Vera Etches urges residents to limit gatherings for a third straight Easter.

What are the rules?

There are noprovincial vaccination requirements orcapacitylimits inOntario and Quebec.Ontarioand Quebec isolation rules have loosenedfor some close contacts.

Masks are onlymandatory in certainindoor settingsin Ontario. All of Ontario's COVID-19rules are expected to end April 27.

• Masks now mandatory indoorsat Ottawa's largest school board
• Families must be allowed to visitcare homeresidents through 6th wave: advocates

Some placesmay choose to continuerequiring peoplewear masks,be vaccinated or both.Mask rules may be different in places that fall under federal jurisdiction,like the Ottawa airport.

Quebec has pushed back plans to lift most mask mandates until April 30at the earliest.

Travel

Travellers olderthan 12 years and four months mustbe fully vaccinatedto board a plane ortrain in Canada.

People have to befullyvaccinated,pre-approved andasymptomaticto enterCanada without quarantining.

The U.S.requiresall adults crossing aborder to be fully vaccinated. People flying there will need proof of a recent negative COVID-19 testor recent COVID recovery.

Travellers who need a testhavelocal options to pay for one.

Vaccines

Vaccines curb thespreadof all variants of COVID-19 and go a long way toward avoiding deaths and hospitalizationswithoutoffering total protection.

SixCOVID-19 vaccinesare safe and approvedin Canada, with some age restrictions.

Eastern Ontario

Eligible people canlook for provincialappointments onlineor by phone at 1-833-943-3900.

Adults canbook thirdshotsonce 84 days have passed since their second. Third dosesare available for ages 12 to 17 after 168 days.

Fourth doses are being offered to everyone age 60 and above and select groups. The recommended time after athird dosevaries.

Check local health unit websitesforclinics and any locally specific rules. Some pharmacies and family doctorsoffer vaccines through their own booking systems.

Western Quebec

Eligible residentscan get an appointment onlineby calling1-877-644-4545. There are alsowalk-in clinics.

Everyone age 12 and up iseligible for a third dose; the general recommended wait time after a second is three months.

Fourth dosesare availablefor people age 60 and above andsome higher-riskgroups.

Symptoms, treatmentand testing

COVID-19can range from a cold-like illnessto a severe lung infection, with common symptoms including fever, a cough,headache, fatigueandvomiting. If you have severe symptoms, call 911.

"Long-haul" symptoms can last for months.

Mental healthcan also beaffected by the pandemicandresources are available to help.

• Scientists, doctors try to fill gaps in COVID-19 risk information
• What we know so far about getting COVID-19 twice in the age of Omicron

Ontario andQuebec are using antiviral treatmentson peoplewith a higher risk risk of severe COVID-19 problems who have tested positive. They have to start within a certain period of developing symptoms.

• Health Canada approves AstraZeneca COVID-19 treatment for immunocompromised

Quebec is giving the Paxlovidpill for free at pharmacies with a medical professional's referral.

Ontario expanded eligibility in mid-April to groups includingeveryone age 70 and over. Health-care providers are empowered to prescribe themto other people if they deem it necessaryand Ontario pharmacies are now able to give Paxlovidalongsideclinical assessment centres,where people can get a test and treatment.

Tests

Ontario and Quebec have limited laboratory-checked PCR tests to people at higher riskdue to the demand generated by Omicron.

Ontario also expanded this eligibility in mid-April to match thatantiviral expansion; everyone age 70 and over and immunocompromised adults can now get them, for example.

Qualified people can check with their health authorityforlocations and hours. Other people with symptoms should assume they have COVID-19 and isolate.

Both provinces are giving rapid tests away at participating storesand child-care settings. People can also buy them. People in Quebec can report rapid testresultsonline.

First Nations, Inuit and Mtis

Indigenous people, or someone travelling to work in a remote Indigenous community, are eligible for a PCR test in both Ontario and Quebec.

Inuit in Ottawa can call the Akausivik Inuit Family Health Team at 613-740-0999on weekdays fortesting andvaccinesin Inuktitut or English.

Akwesasne has COVID-19, test and vaccineinformation online or at613-575-2341. Masks remain mandatory indoors this month in some settings.About 2,000 residents have tested positive and 19 have diedbetween its northand southsections.

People in Kitigan ZibiAnishinabeg can call819-449-8085for a test on Wednesdays, if they qualify. Rapid tests are available at the health centre. Ithad more than 175 confirmed casesandone death as of mid-January; more than 150since Dec. 3, 2021.

Pikwkanagnhas ended its COVID hotline, referring people to its health-care services instead.The community didn't have any confirmed COVID-19 cases until December 2021; it had114confirmed cases as of March 11.

The Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte are keeping mask mandates for government buildingsuntil April 19. Anyonewho's interested in a PCR test orvaccinecan call613-967-3603, rapid tests are available at the wellbeing centre on weekdays. It had91confirmed casesuntil it stopped sharing its count in January,withtwo deaths.