What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ottawa for the week of March 21

Recent developments:

• Ontario has lifted most mask mandates.
• Ottawa's coronavirus wastewater average is rising quickly.
• Quebec will start giving fourth vaccine doses.
• The capital is changing some of its main COVID test clinics.

Ontario lifted its maskmandate this weekformany other indoor settings, saying the health-care system and pandemic trends arein better shape, the vaccination rate is good and anti-viral treatments for COVID-19 are available.

Masks are still recommended in some places.

The changes aredespite some experts wanting more time and warning about the risks ofa more transmissiblesubvariant. Ottawa's average coronavirus wastewater level is rising quickly.

Quebec will offer a fourth COVID vaccine dose to care home residents, people getting in-home care and people age 80 and above. The premier has also floated April 15 as a day to lift most mask mandates.

Some of Ottawa's main COVIDtest clinics are changing. The children's clinic at the Brewer Park Arena is now at CHEO;the Ray Friel clinic is closed and reopens as a drive-up clinicat theOrlans Health Hub tomorrow.

What are the numbers to watch?

Testing strategies have changed underthe contagiousOmicron variant andmany people with COVID-19 aren't reflected in case counts.Hospitalizations and wastewatercan help fill in the picture.

Officials have saidthey expect numbers to trend upas rules loosen. What iskey iswhether the increases become concerning.

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

Ottawa

There are nine Ottawa residentsin local hospitals for treatment of active COVID-19 as of Thursday'sreport from Ottawa Public Health (OPH). One needsintensive care.

The average level of coronavirus in Ottawa'swastewaterhas risento levels last seen in the first days of February. It's nowmore than six times higher than it was before the Omicron surge.

Ottawa has had65,229confirmedcases ofCOVID-19 since the start of the pandemicand760 residentshave died from the illness.

The wider region

Communities outside of Ottawa haveabout 50COVID-19 hospitalizations. About 15of those patients need intensive care. These numbersdon't include Hastings Prince EdwardPublic Health.

Wastewater trends are stableacross Leeds, Grenville and Lanarkcounties and vary across the Kingston area.

In the rest of eastern Ontario, 417people with COVID-19 have died. The death toll is 291in western Quebec.

More than5.1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the Ottawa-Gatineau region.

Rates of eligible eastern Ontarianswith at least two vaccine dosesrange from 80 to 92 per cent, while adults with a third dose range from 58to 70 per cent. These numbers aren't regularly available for western Quebec.

What are the rules?

There are no longer anyprovincial proof-of-vaccination requirements orcapacitylimits inOntario and Quebec.

In Ontario, masks are onlymandatory in certainindoor settings. All of Ontario's COVID-19rules are expected to end April 27.

Some placesmay choose to continuerequiring patrons wear masks and/or be vaccinated.

In Quebec, mask rules will be dropped everywhere excepton public transitbya still-unspecified day inmid-April(the premier has floated April 15). The plan is to end the public transit rulein May.

Mask rules may be different in places that fall under federal jurisdiction, like the Ottawa airport.

Ontarioand Quebec isolation rules have loosenedfor some close contacts.

Travel

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

People have to befullyvaccinated,pre-approved, asymptomaticand test negativeto enterCanada without quarantining. Travellerscantake an authorizedrapid testuntil next Friday April 1, when that requirement isending.

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

Travellers who need a testhavelocal options to pay for one.

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How can I manage risk?

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

Evidence suggests the dominant Omicron variant, particularlyits BA.2subvariant,aremore contagious than other typesbut generally less deadly for vaccinated people without underlying conditions.

Thoughthis wave has peaked,thislevel of spread puts vulnerable peopleat riskand some indicators are rising again.

Health officials saypeople need to take personal responsibility as government rules transition to government recommendations.

They're urging people to getallvaccine doses they're eligible for especially if they're over 50stayhomewhen sick, wear masks in crowded and indoor spaces, keep their hands clean,distance, see others outdoorsif possible and limitclose contacts, along with consideringcommunity spread and vaccine rates.

Medical masks are recommended over cloth ones.

Vaccines

Vaccines curb thespreadof all variants of COVID-19 and go a long way toward avoiding deaths and hospitalizations,although theydon't offer total protection.

SixCOVID-19 vaccinesare safe and approvedin Canada, with some age restrictionsaround who can get them.

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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 foreveryone age 12 to 17 after 168 days.

Fourth doses are being offered to select groups 84 days after their third.

Check local health unit websitesforclinics. Pharmacies and some family doctors alsooffer vaccines through their own booking systems.

Western Quebec

Eligible residentscan get an appointment onlineby calling819-592-5861or by visitingapermanent ormobile walk-in clinic.

All adults areeligible for a third dose; the general recommended wait time between second and third shots is three months.

Fourth doses will start rolling out next week.

Symptoms, treatmentand testing

COVID-19can range from a cold-like illnessto a severe lung infection, with common symptoms including fever, a cough,headache, vomitingand loss of taste or smell.

"Long-haul" symptoms can last for months.

Ontario andQuebec are using Pfizer's COVID-19prescription treatment Paxlovidon peopleat risk of severe COVID-19 problems.

If you have severe symptoms, call 911.

Mental healthcan also beaffected by the pandemic,andresources are available to help.

In eastern Ontario:

Onlyhigh-risk people with symptoms or who are at risk of severe illness from COVID-19 can get a laboratory-checkedPCR test due to the demand generated by the Omicron variant.

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

Rapidtestsare available for the general public at participating stores, for some workers andinsome child-care settings.

The plan is for people with a positive rapid test to eventually be able to get a follow-up PCR test.

In western Quebec:

Quebec has also stopped givingPCR tests to the general public, saving them for those in high-risk settings.

Rapid COVID-19 tests are available in all Quebec daycares,preschools and elementary schools, as well asthrough pharmaciesfor the general population.

People can report rapid testresultsonline.

First Nations, Inuit and Mtis:

First Nations, Inuit and Mtispeople, 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-19information online or at613-575-2341. TheneighbouringSaint Regis Mohawk Tribe is also offering tests. About 1,900 residents have tested positive as of mid-February and 19 have diedbetween its northand southsections.

People in Kitigan ZibiAnishinabeg can call the COVID hotline at 819-449-8085for 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;152 of those cases occurred since 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 buildings. Anyonewho's interested in a PCR test orvaccinecan call itshealth team at613-967-3603.They can askabout rapid tests by texting613-686-5510 or sendingan email. It had91confirmed casesand two deaths until it stopped sharing its count in January.