Ontario has dramatically shifted its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as soaring case counts caused by the Omicron variant overwhelm testing and tracing capacity.
Chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore announced a suite of new policies at a press conference Thursday afternoon, when he also advised the return to school would be delayed by two days.
The changes include a shortened isolation period for the fully vaccinated, reduced capacity at arenas and theatres, restricted access to testing, the rollout of fourth vaccine doses for long-term care residents, and mandating third doses for LTC staff and visitors.
Moore said the province had no choice but to reduce access to testing and case management for most residents so it could ensure it can continue to support vulnerable settings like LTC homes.
The province set a single-day case record for the third time in under a week Thursday, with 13,807 new infections. It also reported a jump in hospitalizations: 965 patients were in hospital with the virus Thursday, up by 239.
There were 200 people in ICU due to COVID-related illness, continuing a more gradual upward trend.
Moore said Thursday the Omicron variant was estimated to have a doubling time of roughly three days, and stated the province would continue to see significant case counts for at least six to eight weeks.
Fully vaccinated Ontarians, and those under 12, will now have to isolate for only five days, while those who are not fully vaccinated or are immunocompromised will still be required to isolate for 10 days.
The U.S. similarly cut isolation periods from 10 to five days earlier this month.
That period can be cut to seven days for workers in high-risk health care settings if they receive a negative PCR or rapid test result.
Individuals can end isolation after those minimum periods if their symptoms are improved for at least 24 hours. Household contacts must also isolate along with anyone with symptoms or who tests positive.
The shorter isolation period is based on what the province called “growing evidence that generally healthy people with COVID-19 are most infectious in the two days before and three days after symptoms develop.”
Moore also announced health units will offer case and contact management only for “high risk settings” like long-term care and other group homes.
Others will be asked to inform their own contacts. Those who have had contact with a positive case do not need to isolate, if they are fully vaccinated and symptom-free, Moore said, but should monitor for symptoms for 10 days.
“The key message will be simple – if you’re sick, stay home,” he said.
More information on what to do when exposed to COVID-19 is available online.
Starting Friday, publicly-funded PCR testing will be available only for high-risk individuals who are symptomatic or are at risk of severe illness, and for health care workers. Details on eligibility are available online.
Those who receive a positive rapid test result will no longer be encouraged to confirm it with a PCR test.
Given testing shortages, those who are experiencing symptoms but can’t access a test should assume they’re positive and follow isolation guidelines, Moore said.
While far from ideal, Moore said the changes were necessary to ensure testing capacity remains in vulnerable settings like long-term care.
“I hope Ontarians will understand we must preserve this limited resource for those who need it the most,” he said.
Residents in LTC homes, retirement homes, elder care lodges, and similar settings will now be eligible for a fourth dose of mRNA vaccines once 84 days have passed from their third dose.
The province will also make third vaccine doses mandatory for LTC staff and caregivers by Jan. 28. The same policy will apply to general visitors when they are again allowed into the homes.
The government said the policy responded to the “uniquely high-risk nature of long-term care settings.”
So far, only 47 per cent of eligible LTC staff have gotten their booster shots, the province reported.
The province will also lower capacity limits for sports facilities, concert venues, and theatres to 50 per cent of usual seating capacity, or 1,000 people, whichever is less.
That will affect both the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, scheduled in Thunder Bay for late January, and the Lakehead Thunderwolves, should the restrictions remain in place late into January.
