Windsor-Essex COVID-19 rates decline as province begins reopening

Enjoy yourself, but don't forget the COVID-19 pandemic is still with us.

That's the message from Windsor-Essex medical officer of health Dr. Wajid Ahmedon the first day of the new provincial reopening plan.

Step 1of the plan, which took effect just after midnight,allowsfor outdoordining with tables up to four, gatherings of up to 10 people outside, non-essential retail to open at 15 per cent capacity,and more.

Locally, the pandemicis in"a much better state" right now, withlowercase rates than before the start of the third wave, Ahmedsaid at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit's (WECHU) YouTube update on Friday morning.

"We wouldlike to keep it that way, and the only way we can keep it is if we follow stillsome of these [public health] guidelines," he said.

Asked whether he was comfortable with the measures included in the provincial plan,or was perhaps looking at imposing furtherrestrictions, Ahmed said any local changes wouldbe based on the ongoing assessment of risk to the community.

But given that the full vaccination rate is approaching one-fifth18.7 per cent of adults have had both doses as of Friday's update Ahmed suggested theregion could even be readyforlooser restrictions ahead of schedule.

"I think maybe we should be in a position ... to say 'hey, maybe can we move forward earlier thanwhat the provincial plan looks like,'" he said.

Such a move would require agreen light from the provincial government, since medical officers of health are allowed to impose new public health restrictions but don't have the authority to repeal provincial rules.

Case rates continue to fall

Ahmed presented data on Friday showing a continued weekly decrease in the region's case rates.

The seven-day COVID-19 incidence rate up to Thursday is23.5 per 100,000 people, compared with 30.1 the previous week. The percentage of people who have gotten a positive result back from their COVID-19 test is threeper cent.

While COVID-19 case counts are fallingin Windsor-Essex, the pandemic continues its deadly toll, with five deaths reported by public health officialsthis week.

Throughout the pandemic,433 deaths have been linked to COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the public health unit reported 13 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday.

The active case counts stood at 131, and a dozen residents with COVID-19 are being treated in hospital.

Overall, vaccination coverage stands at 60 per cent, with 263,566people having received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Five outbreaks are ongoing in the region, including one atCasa de Dios y Puerta del Cielo church,andone at theSouthwest Detention Centre that has been activesince late April.

Theresa Marentette, CEO and chief nursing officer of WECHU, said the church outbreak involves multiple cases and contacts but isn't tied to a particular service.

Threeoutbreaks are occurring in workplaces onein Windsor's health-care and social assistance sector and two in manufacturing settings inTecumseh.

Who is eligible for vaccination in Windsor-Essex?

Currently, anyone 12 and up is eligible to book their first dose, and the following groups are eligible to book an appointment for a second dose:

• Those who are 70 and olderor turning 70 this year who had their first dose more than 28 days ago.
• Those vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines on or before April 18.
• Those who received anAstraZenecashot as their first dose 12 weeks or more ago,and wantto choose adifferent vaccine for their second shot.
• Those who received the AstraZeneca vaccine at least 12 weeks agoand want a second dose of that product (pharmacies or primary care clinics only.)
• Some high risk health-care workers, people with some health conditions, First Nations, Mtis, and Inuit people and retirement home residents. Full details areavailableon the WECHUwebsite.

Chatham-Kent and Sarnia-Lambton

Lambton Public Health reported one new COVID-19 case on Friday. The active case count was29.

Chatham-Kent Public Health didn't report any new COVID-19 cases on Friday. The municipality's count of active infections stood at 14.