What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ottawa on Wednesday, March 2

Recent developments:

• Ottawa reports zero local patients with active COVID-19 in the ICU.
• Businesses could face challenges for still enforcing vaccine passports.
• Federal public servant unions react to the stepback toward offices.
• City staff recommenda mail-in ballotoptionfor this fall's municipal election.

Ottawa Public Health reports zero local patients with active COVID-19 in a hospital ICU, along with a plateau in its wastewater signal.

Ontario businesses cankeep asking customers for proof of COVID-19 vaccinationeven thoughthe province no longer demandsit,but could face challengesdoing so, constitutional law experts say.

After the Treasury Board gave the green light for federal departments to start back-to-office planning, major public servant unions say they hope some work-from-home flexibility remains.

City of Ottawa staff want a mail-in voting option for October's municipal election, saying COVID could still affect the ability to get to polls. It would cost about $650,000 if approved by council.

Numbers to watch

Testing can't meet the general public'sdemandbecause of the contagiousOmicron variant, meaning many people with COVID-19won'tbe reflected in the case count. Hospitalizations and wastewater monitoringcan help fill in some of the grey areas.

• Quebec to resume monitoring wastewater for COVID-19

The average level of coronavirus in Ottawa'swastewateris stable.It'sstableat sites in the Kingston area and stable or dropping in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark counties. Of the three sites east of Ottawa, only Casselman saw rising levels.

There are 11Ottawa residentsin local hospitals for treatment of active COVID-19 as of Tuesday's report from Ottawa Public Health (OPH). None of them needintensive care.

The overall hospitalization number is higher if you include peoplein hospital for other reasons whohappen to have COVID-19. There were 16 as of Saturday.

Ottawa has had 62,880 confirmedcases ofCOVID-19. There are 880 known active cases and742residentshave died from the illness.

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

In the rest of eastern Ontario, 387people with COVID-19 have died. The death toll is 287 in western Quebec.

What are the rules?

Eastern Ontario:

There are no provincialcapacity or gathering limits. Masks aremandatory in indoor public settings.

The province'svaccine passporthas ended. A vaccine mandate for staff and visitors in long-term care homes remainsfor now.

Businesses and other settings can still ask for proof of vaccination.

WATCH | Recapping this week's changes in Ontario:

Ontario drops most COVID-19 measures, including vaccine passports

3 years ago

Duration 4:48

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is no longer required at most Ontario restaurants, gyms and movie theatres. Nightclubs, sporting and concert venues can get rid of capacity limits and restrictions are also lifted on social gathering sizes.

Western Quebec

Gatherings at homesat homes no longer have any restrictions, although health officials recommend 10 people or three householdsat most.

Dining roomsand now barsare openat half capacity. Theatres and places of worship can reopen with capacity limits. Retail shops no longer have capacity limits.Gyms and spas are now openand more sports canresume.

Masks are mandatory indoors in publicfor peopleage 10 and up.

There are plans end capacity limits and the vaccine passport onMarch 14.That vaccine passportis in place for most people age 13 and up in a shrinking number of publicspaces.

Relaxed COVID-19 restrictions a concern for some immunocompromised

3 years ago

Duration 2:07

The relaxing of COVID-19 restrictions is a big concern for some people who are immunocompromised or otherwise at high risk.

What can I do?

Prevention

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 is more contagious than other types, but generally less deadly for vaccinated people without underlying conditions.

Thoughthis wave has peaked, thislevel of spread puts vulnerable peopleat risk. Some surgeries delayed around the peakcanresume.

WATCH |'High anxiety'for immunocompromised people:

Health officials say people should recommit to the fundamentals of getting allvaccine doses as they're eligible for, staying homewhen sick, masking, distancing and limiting close contacts.

Medical masks are recommended over cloth ones.

Ontarioand Quebec allow some people to self-isolate for five days under certain circumstances.

Travel

Travellers olderthan 12 years and four months mustbe fully vaccinatedto board a plane, train or marine vessel in Canada.

The federal governmentno longer advises against non-essential international travel.

People have to befullyvaccinated,pre-approved, asymptomaticand test negativeto enterCanada. Travellerscan now take an authorizedrapid test.

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

Vaccines

Vaccines curb thespreadof all variants of COVID-19 and go a long way toward avoiding deaths and hospitalizations,without offering total protection.

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

Both local provinces generally recommend doses for kids age five to 11at least eight weeks apartfor the bestprotection.Some health authoritiessay parents can request a shorter interval.

Guidance varies on when, not if, people should get a third dose after contracting COVID-19. Expertsagree people should waituntil they'verecovered.

There have been more than5.1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the Ottawa-Gatineau region,which has about 2.3 million residents.

Eastern Ontario

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

Everyone 18 and older in Ontario canbook thirdshotsonce 84 days have passed since their second. Third doses are available foreveryone age 12 to 17once168 days have passed.

Fourth doses are being offered to select groups after the same 84-day wait.

Check local health unit websitesfor details on their clinics. Pharmacies and some family doctors alsooffer vaccines through their own booking systems.

Western Quebec

Those who are eligible can get an appointmentor visitapermanent ormobile walk-in clinic.

All adults areeligible for a third dose; the general recommendation between second and third is three months.

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 Paxlovid at first on adultsat 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 Omicron demand.

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

Onlystudents and teachers who show symptoms at schoolwill have access to PCRtests.Rapid and take-home testsare available for the general public at participating stores andinsome child-care settings when risk is high.

Travellers who need a testhavelocal options to pay for one.

In western Quebec:

Quebec has also stopped givingPCR tests to the general public, saving them for 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 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 andvaccineinformation online or at613-575-2341. TheneighbouringSaint Regis Mohawk Tribe is also offering tests. It has had more than 1,850 residents test positive forCOVID-19and 19deathsbetween its northern and southern sections.

People in Kitigan ZibiAnishinabeg can call the COVID hotline at 819-449-8085for a test on Wednesdaysif they qualify. Rapid tests are available at the health centre. Ithad more than 175 confirmed casesandone death as of mid-January;152 of those casessince Dec. 3, 2021.

People inPikwkanagncan call 613-625-1175for tests and vaccines. It's offering rapid andPCR tests threemornings a week. The community didn't have any confirmed COVID-19 cases until December 2021; it had103 confirmed cases as of Feb. 25.

Anyone inTyendinagawho's interested in a PCR test orvaccinecan call its community health team at613-967-3603.They can ask also ask about rapid tests by texting613-686-5510 or sendingan email. It had91confirmed casesand two deaths until it stopped sharing its count in January.