Latest COVID-19 variant could lead to 4th wave if people aren't careful, says region's medical officer

The latest COVID-19 variant in Waterloo region could lead to a fourth wave of cases in Waterloo region if people aren't careful, says medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang.

There were 12 cases with the B1617, first detected in India and now also referred to as the delta variant, in the region as of Friday.

It seems a far cry from the more than 2,900 local cases that have tested positive for the B117 variant, first detected in the U.K. and referred to as the alpha variant.

But Wang says the B1617 delta variant is more transmissible and it may cause more severe illness.

"There are a lot of unknowns with the delta variant," Wang said during a media briefing Friday. "In places where it's gotten ... a footing, it has quickly replaced the alpha variant."

Earlier in the week, Premier Doug Ford said the B1617 variant was one of the reasons the province was keeping schools closed.

"We're fighting a third wave driven by variants and unlike the original strains, we know that some of the variants we're fighting right now are more dangerous for children. It can make younger people very, very sick," he said.

Vaccine an 'excellent line of defence'

Bruce Lauckner, the region's CAO, said as the weather gets nicer, people need to go outside for any social gatherings.

"I hope that people continue to follow the rules. Nothing wrong with getting outside," he said during Friday's regional COVID-19 media briefing.

"But I would be concerned, especially with the combination of the delta variant coming and the warm weather, that that's recipe for leading to a fourth wave if we're not cautious."

Wang warned even if people gather outside, they should both keep a distance and wear a mask to be safe.

Wang said it's also important people get vaccinated to help curb the spread of cases, including those with variants.

"With a very transmissible variant, you can still see cases and those cases will be focused among people who haven't been vaccinated and to a much lesser extent among people who had one dose as opposed to two," she said.

"It's better, obviously, to be vaccinated and it's also better to make sure that when you're eligible to get your second dose, you take it as well. That's going to be an excellent line of defence."

She said the region still has a way to go before they can "optimize" vaccine coverage in the entire population, "so we have to still be very, very cautious to minimize the level of community spread in general because that will then minimize, or slow at least, the spread of the delta variant."