What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ottawa for the week of March 28

Recent developments:

• Ottawa Public Health says there's a concerningCOVID-19 resurgence.
• Ontario and Quebec are in another pandemic wave.
• An at-risk Ottawa woman with COVID-19 had trouble getting her antiviral treatment.
• Travel, fourth dose and antiviral prescriptionruleshave changed.

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) saysit is concerned by the city's resurgence of COVID-19, which includes a new coronavirus wastewater record.

Quebec's institute of public health and the head of the OntarioScience Advisory Tablesay their provinces are in another pandemic wave. Both province's health ministers say there are no plans to change rule timelines.

• Quebec's 6th wave could be as bad as the last, health expert warns
• National COVIDhospitalizations low but BA.2 subvariant driving new infections

Provinces are promoting anantiviral pill Paxlovidas a way to treat COVID and keep people out of hospitals, but actually getting a prescription filled in timewaschallenging for at least one immunocompromised woman.

Quebecnow allowspharmacists to prescribe as well as give Paxlovid.Fully vaccinated travellers now don't need aCOVID-19 testto cometo Canada. Quebec is starting to give fourth vaccine doses to higher-riskgroups.

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 wastewaterare some trends that can help fill in the picture.

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

Ottawa

The average level of coronavirus in Ottawa'swastewaterhas risen quickly to a new high, though records aren't available for the first wave.

There are 10 Ottawa residentsin local hospitals for treatment of active COVID-19 as of Friday's OPHreport. Noneneedintensive care.

Ottawa has had66,395confirmedcases ofCOVID-19 since the start of the pandemicand764residentshave died from the illness.

The wider region

Communities outside of Ottawa haveabout 60COVID-19 hospitalizations. About 15of those patients need intensive care. These numbersdon't include Hastings Prince EdwardPublic Health.

Recent wastewaterdata from the Kingston areaincludesome of the highest readings of 2022. The wastewater signal isrisingacross Leeds, Grenville and Lanark countysites.

In the rest of eastern Ontario, 428people with COVID-19 have died. The death toll is 293in western Quebec.

Nearly5.2million 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 70 per cent. These numbers aren't regularly available for western Quebec.

What are the rules?

There are noprovincial vaccination requirements orcapacitylimits inOntario and Quebec.

Masks are onlymandatory in certainindoor settingsin Ontario. All of Ontario's COVIDrules are expected to end April 27.

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.

• Federal return-to-workplace plan differs by department

In Quebecthe plan is for mask rules to be dropped everywhere excepton public transitonApril 15, then to end the public transit rulein May.There is some indication these plans may change given the surge in spread.

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 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 test.

Travellers who need a testhavelocal options to pay for one.

How can I manage risk?

COVID-19spreads 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, is more contagious than other typesbut generally less deadly for vaccinated people without underlying conditions.

• WHO: COVID severity decreasing over time is most likely scenario

Thislevel of spread puts vulnerable peopleat riskand some indicators are rising again.

WATCH | Ontario's spread surge:

Experts say Ontario now in 6th wave of COVID-19

2 years ago

Duration 4:11

Coronavirus levels in wastewater now indicate there are 30,000 to 35,000 new daily COVID-19 infections in Ontario, say public health experts.

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 medical 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.

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.

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 select groups 84 days after their third.

• ANALYSIS | No one-size-fits-all strategy for4th doses

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

Western Quebec

Eligible residentscan get an appointment onlineby calling1-877-644-4545or by visitingapermanent ormobile walk-in clinic.

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

Fourth dosesstart rolling out this week to some 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, vomitingand loss of taste or smell. If you have severe symptoms, call 911.

"Long-haul" symptoms can last for months.

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

Ontario andQuebec are using Pfizer's COVID-19 oral prescription treatment Paxlovidon peopleat risk of severe COVID-19 problems who have tested positive. They have to start within five days of developing symptoms.

Ontario has clinical assessment centreswhere people can get a test and treatment. Quebec is giving it out for free at pharmacies with a medical professional's referral.

Tests:

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

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.

The plan is for people in Ontariowith a positive rapid test to eventually be able to get a follow-up PCR test.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-19information online or at613-575-2341. It's keeping mask rules at its government buildingsfor at least this week. About 1,900 residents have tested positive 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.