The variants revisited

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May 6, 2021

by Dr. Nell Thomas

What is scarier than the fear of losing the global race to vaccinate enough persons before we are overwhelmed by escape mutations?

Every time the virus is transmitted to a new human host it copies (replicates) itself and inevitably makes mistakes (mutations) in this copying process. From some of these mutations a new variant is born. Some of these become variants of concern, meaning they spread faster and cause more severe disease.

The E484K mutation is found in all three global variants of concern (P.1 Brazil, B.1.351 S. Africa, and B.1.1.7 UK). This mutation contains changes to the part of the coronavirus spike protein that our antibodies target when fighting the virus. Thus, it can slip past our immune system defences – natural antibodies acquired from previous infections. It could change its genetic code enough to slip past vaccinations and the antibody treatments we use for patients with COVID-19.

Another mutation in the UK variant, N501Y, has made the virus more contagious, causing a surge in cases when it first appeared. That mutation helps the virus bind to doors on our cells called ACE2 receptors and enter our cells to start their business of replicating.

After you are vaccinated, or after an infection of COVID-19, your body makes antibodies to the virus (an army of soldiers with memory of the virus). Your immune system is smart and has a good memory so if it is exposed to the virus down the road it will mount a defense using these soldiers. E484K is called an escape mutation because it helps the virus escape this standing army. With this mutation, the virus may slip past our immune defenses, making us sick.

Data about the three variants of concern (VOC) are accumulating. People infected with VOC are more likely to be hospitalized, require ICU, and die. As well, patients are younger.

The variant most prevalent in India right now is B.1.617. Reported in late March 2021 (identified in December, 2020) it contains an E484K mutation as well as another mutation called L425R, earning it the title, double mutant. Unlike the three variants of concern, the WHO considers India’s double mutant only a variant of interest, acknowledging that it appears to have higher transmissibility with potential to cause more severe illness and evade vaccine immunity. B.1.617 is reported in 17-plus countries. (GISAID, Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data).

But India’s lack of swabbing and therefore gene sequencing data has left scientists and public health officials guessing just how virulent B.1.617 really is. Political rallies and religious festivals and failure to social distance and wear masks have all contributed to the devastating rapid increase in India’s cases.

As nightmarish as the spectre of virus mutations may be, we still have a powerful toolbox to defend and protect ourselves. Vaccines, social distancing, handwashing, masks. Lab studies suggest Covaxin, a vaccine developed in India, appears capable of neutralizing the variant. Public Health England, working with international partners, stated so far there is no evidence that the Indian variant causes more severe disease or renders the current vaccines less effective.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that the leveling of new cases and the re-opening of the UK is not a result of their successful vaccinating endeavors so much as it is attributable to the success of lockdown.

Which is where we started. Viruses cannot mutate if they don’t replicate, and they can’t replicate if you socially vaccinate by staying apart, and medically vaccinate widely and quickly, putting brakes on mutations

Huskies may assist economy

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Lisa Gervais

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May 6, 2021

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With Minden Hills taxpayers paying off the loan for the Minden recreation complex, news the town is getting a junior hockey team helps somewhat with that financial burden.

The former Whitby Fury – now renamed the Haliburton County Huskies – have made the Minden arena their new home under a draft tenancy agreement discussed at council’s April 29 meeting.

Director of community services, Craig Belfry, said the team is investing in the township. That includes renovating the Scout Hall area to create their own dressing room, lounge, training rooms, offices and showers. He estimated they’ll spend $105,000 plus HST.

They’ll also run the concession stand. While the township will derive no revenue from snack bar sales, it means they don’t have to run it, find someone to operate it, or spend any money.

And, of course, the Huskies will be buying ice time.

The township has been generous with taxpayers’ money on this front, offering heavy discounts for the seven-year term of the agreement. It begins with 30 per cent of the applicable hourly rate in the first year, climbing incrementally to 65 per cent in year seven.

Belfry said the discount is to give the team a chance to become established.

The latest ice rental fees I could find on the township website include a ticket ice rental rate of $80 per hour plus HST or a prime-time rate of $112 an hour. If the team is using ice in both categories, it averages out to about $96 an hour. At their former rink, the Iroquois Arena in Whitby, they paid $99.75.

The discounted rates here will see them pay, according to my math, a little under $30 an hour in their first year, climbing to about $62 in their seventh year. That’s a pretty hefty discount.

However, Belfry said it’s still nearly $87,000 over seven years, and since the team will fill scheduling gaps, it’s money the township wouldn’t have made otherwise. They’ll also spend $6,500-a-year using a room at the community centre, he pointed out.

One also has to look at the economic impact for the community at large.

When the squad rolls in for training camp in August, it is going to bring a bunch of team personnel, players, and their families. These people may commute but are likely going to be looking for somewhere to stay and eat. The team will need goods and services and we would hope they would source those locally. On a Friday or Saturday night, a home game could attract 300 spectators, all of whom may want to grab a bite before the game, or a drink after.

Belfry shared bits of a Hockey Canada report from 2015 on economic, community and sport benefits. Hockey Canada found that the impact of hockey on Canadian communities directly relates to the generation of $2.6 billion annually across the nation. In particular, hockey-related tourism in small towns acts as a key driver of direct impact. More than $1 billon of that $2.6 billion flowed into communities of less than 100,000 people.

Looking at the Neepawa Natives, a junior team in small-town Manitoba, it’s estimated they have spent $6.2 million from the time they started operating in 1989 to 2016. That money has gone to billets, for equipment, ice rental, salaries and team expenses.

Economic studies show money spent in a local economy has a 1:7 ratio, that every dollar gets circulated seven times. That means the Natives have generated an economic impact of more than $42 million in Neepawa since 1989.

We look forward to seeing the numbers when the Huskies complete their seventh season, in 2028.

Electric vehicle chargers gaining momentum

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Lisa Gervais

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May 5, 2021

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JQ - Electric vehicle update - 3 — Rhubarb Restaurant owner Terri Matthews said she is glad to see the County invest in electric vehicle chargers after installing one in 2017. Photo by Joseph Quigley.

The owner of Haliburton’s first publicly accessible electric vehicle charging station welcomes local municipalities forging ahead with their own.

Rhubarb Restaurant owner Terri Matthews introduced a Tesla vehicle charger at her business in 2017. Now, municipalities have begun to approve new stations in all four townships.

Algonquin Highlands, Dysart et al, Minden Hills and Highlands East councils have all agreed to an option that would install the stations by fall. Matthews said it is a great idea.

“We truly believe that it’s necessary. That electric cars are the wave of the future,” Matthews said. “People have to spend half an hour to one-hour charging, so why not walk around town, shopping, visit restaurants?”

The initiative comes from the County level. The approved stations would tentatively be located at the A.J. LaRue Arena and Head Lake Park welcome centre in Dysart, the township office in Minden and at the Wilberforce municipal office in Highlands East.

Dysart, Highlands East, Minden Hills and Algonquin Highlands also all opted to join a federally funded program from Ontario Power Generation and Hydro One instead of owning the stations at a municipal level. This will mean the companies will own the charging stations, with no up-front municipal cost but an annual service fee between $2,400-$4,000 depending on the site. Comparatively, owning them municipally could cost municipalities $15,000-$25,000 to install (but with an up to $10,000 grant reimbursement per station) and a $500-$1,800 annual fee.

Dysart deputy mayor Patrick Kennedy said he did not want to invest in a municipally owned station only for it to go out of date. He also said the municipality should do the minimum until more private companies start installing.

“I’m a little reluctant, with technology changing so fast, to buy one of these stations,” Kennedy said.

Mayor Andrea Roberts said the chargers represent economic development, given people will plan their routes around stopping to charge.

Matthews said that has happened at her restaurant.

“It’s brought people into the County who may not have come otherwise because it shows up on people’s (phone) apps,” she said. “We’ve had people numerous times come off of the highway because we’re the closest charger.”

Matthews said they installed one because there were no other options at the time. She also said although she expected the County to move forward sooner, it is positive that there are public chargers coming.

“It’s necessary,” she said. “It’s good for the town and good for the visitors. Especially since everything in the County is a fair distance apart.”

Students champion Haliburton’s forgotten athletes

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Lisa Gervais

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May 2, 2021

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JQ - Athletic murals - 2 — Dysart is considering new murals after a push from an elementary class to recognize two black athletes. Photo by Joseph Quigley.

Dysart et al is considering adding two murals to the A.J. LaRue Arena after a campaign from an elementary school class attracted widespread attention.

The cultural resources committee on April 22 discussed the prospect of adding murals for track-and-field athlete Lesley Tashlin and Canadian Football League player Taly Williams. The committee opted to create a subcommittee to review and make recommendations for a policy on who should be honoured with murals on public facilities. The move comes at the request of the J. Douglas Hodgson Elementary School Grade 7/8 French Immersion class. It felt the municipality should recognize the two athletes alongside the professional NHL and football players currently depicted at the arena.

Teacher Marina Thomazo said the effort has received support from the community and beyond.

“I don’t think they can stop it from happening,” Thomazo said. “It’s time for Haliburton to make amends because those people, they deserve it just as much as the others. They were here, they grew up here and they did something absolutely amazing.”

The black athletes both competed at Haliburton Highlands Secondary School (HHSS) before achieving at a top level. Tashlin competed for Canada at the 1996 Olympics in the women’s 100-metre hurdles and 4 x 100 metres relay. Williams was a defensive back with the Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats between 1994-1996.

The arena currently has murals for five white athletes: NHLers Bernie Nicholls, Ron Stackhouse, Matt Duchene, Cody Hodgson and CFLer Mike Bradley.

Mayor Andrea Roberts said the town has no policy on the matter. She said it began with Nicholls and Stackhouse before an anonymous donor came forward who felt the tradition should continue, fully funding the three other murals in 2012.

“I really was thrilled that students looked at that and it was about honouring all athletes,” Roberts said. “Is the arena the best place to do that?”

She noted the new Haliburton Sports Hall of Fame will also be honouring athletes soon and there is no fund for arena murals. Committee member Anna Babluck said it is critical the two athletes do not slip through the cracks. She said they could be role models for people of colour in the community.

“It’s really important to have that representation,” Babluck said. “I just don’t want to see that lost because of policy.”

Thomazo said she is confident the class could fundraise for the murals and is preparing a GoFundMe. She said her students have taken a lot of pride in being able to make a difference.

“They witness social injustice, and they want to fix it.”

County library CEO puts career on the shelf

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Lisa Gervais

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May 1, 2021

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JQ - Library resignation - 1 — Haliburton County Public Library CEO Bessie Sullivan is resigning and will depart from the role May 31. File photo.

The Haliburton County Public Library (HCPL) will have a new head as CEO Bessie Sullivan is resigning. The library board announced the departure April 22.

Sullivan served 12 years with HCPL, heading it while also acting as board secretary/treasurer. Sullivan said she was making the transition due to her health.

“I believe that an organization can only thrive with a leader for so long and then it is time for a change. Due to COVID-19 and some health issues, I have been prompted to make that change,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan was on long-term leave for months, with some of her duties filled by others. Acting CEO Anna Babluck said she was hired on a six-month contract to hold the position for the leave before Sullivan opted to resign.

In a press release, the board said HCPL won several awards under Sullivan’s leadership, including the Angus Mowat Award of Excellence (2012) for the Celebrity Readers Program, the Ontario Public Library Association Leadership in Adult Readers Advisory Award (2015) and the Ontario Public Library Association New Library Building Award (2016) for the Wilberforce branch.

“Bessie has transitioned Haliburton County’s library services into an enviable and well-respected system that serves many people in a range of needs and interests,” the board said. “The board and staff wish Bessie all the best in her future endeavours and thank her for her dedication and commitment to the community.”

Sullivan also led the transition to curbside service at the start of the pandemic. All HCPL branches are now operating using curbside pickup during the provincial lockdown, with none open for public entry.

Babluck said she is assuming all of Sullivan’s former duties. She said over the next six months, the board’s main goal is to refresh its strategic plan. She said she moved from northern B.C but grew up in Ontario in the Ottawa Valley and has family in Minden.

“HCPL looked like a fantastic library to work for. I know they do a lot of good work in the community and it gave me the opportunity to come back and see if moving to Ontario was the right move,” Babluck said.

Sullivan, whose last day is May 31, said it was a pleasure to work alongside the board in furthering HCPL.

“The growth of the library is a culmination of their work, an engaged staff, and an interested public,” she said. “Although I am sad to be leaving, I am looking forward to some new challenges.”

Committee debates renaming Sam Slick Park

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Lisa Gervais

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May 1, 2021

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JQ - Sam slick - 2 — Dysart et al is holding committee discussions on whether to rename Sam Slick Park due to the racism associated with its namesake. Photo by Joseph Quigley.

Dysart et al took steps to confront the legacy of Sam Slick Park’s namesake as the cultural resources committee debated whether to rename it.

The municipal committee discussed the controversial figure April 22, coming to no decision but opting to create a subcommittee to make recommendations. The name garnered attention last year when a Nova Scotia town removed Sam Slick iconography. That was due to the alleged racism present in the character’s book, The Clockmaker.

Thomas Chandler Haliburton, the namesake for the County and village, created the character, with Slick’s stories compiled in The Clockmaker. It originated many famous sayings but has faced modern criticism for using the N-word and questionable depictions, such as an escaped slave longing for his former servitude.

Committee member Kate Butler said there is an opportunity to educate people on the issue.

“Talk about the fact that we don’t see things in the same way anymore. We’ve learned a lot. We’ve grown a lot,” Butler said, adding the original intention of the park’s name was to harken to Thomas Chandler Haliburton and his work.

The Rotary Club of Haliburton originally created and named Sam Slick Park, situated across from Haliburton Highlands Secondary School. A plaque at the location discusses that history.

Mayor Andrea Roberts said she read halfway through The Clockmaker but was not necessarily convinced a renaming is needed.

“It’s muddy water and I personally can’t relate to it because that’s not my lived experience and I’m trying to be as open-minded as possible,” Roberts said. “What is the message we’re sending to our community right now? While I read some of it, I still have no more conclusive answer to make that decision that we should not call it Sam Slick Park anymore.”

The committee discussed adding a secondary plaque to further contextualize the name.

“We’re aware of it and we need to deal with it in some way,” committee member Jim Blake said. “We don’t need to have any complaints to be progressive and move ahead.”

Member Shelley Schell said the municipality should address the issue, but she was concerned about removing history.

“What is correct and what is culturally appropriate changes as times go by,” Schell said. “A qualifying or a disclaiming statement would address the issue and that would relay current sensitivity but not eradicate history.”

Member Anna Babluck said she would like to rename the park but have a plaque explaining the history and former name.

“When we know better, we do better,” Babluck said. “Characters matter and what we choose to celebrate and portray, even if it’s certainly accurate, it matters. And it reflects on us and our values.”

Dysart overhauling landfill hours, upping fees

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Lisa Gervais

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April 30, 2021

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JQ - Haliburton landfill overhaul - 1 — Many tonnes of compostable waste end up in municipal landfills around Haliburton. File.

Dysart et al is introducing changes to its landfill hours and practices starting May 1.

The changes affect all five of Haliburton’s landfills and are being introduced with the start of summer hours. Ratepayers will be able to drop off three bags of garbage in clear bags per week at no cost, with each additional bag costing $2. Garbage in opaque bags is $2, but recycling in clear bags remains unlimited.

Staff expect the hourly changes, based on traffic counts, to save Dysart more than $17,000 annually. The new hours include keeping all landfills open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays and holiday Mondays in the summer, in a bid to allow cottagers to dispose of waste later in the day before departing after weekends.

	Haliburton	Harcourt	Kennisis Lake	West Bay	West Guilford
SUMMER HOURS (May 1 to September 30)
Mon	Closed	9 to 1	Closed	Closed	8 to 5
Tues	Closed	9 to 1	Closed	Closed	8 to 5
Wed	8 to 5	Closed	10 to 5	10 to 5	Closed
Thu	8 to 5	Closed	10 to 5	Closed	Closed
Fri	8 to 5	8 to 5	10 to 5	Closed	8 to 5
Sat	8 to 5	10 to 5	10 to 5	10 to 5	8 to 5
Sun	11 to 7	11 to 7	11 to 7	11 to 7	11 to 7
*Holiday Mon*	11 to 7	11 to 7	11 to 7	11 to 7	11 to 7
WINTER HOURS (October 1 to April 30)
Mon	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	8 to 5
Tue	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed	8 to 5
Wed	8 to 5	Closed	Closed	Closed	Closed
Thu	8 to 5	9 to 2	10 to 5	10 to 5	Closed
Fri	8 to 5	Closed	Closed	Closed	8 to 5
Sat	8 to 5	Closed	Closed	Closed	8 to 5
Sun	10 to 5	12 to 5	10 to 5	10 to 5	10 to 5
*Holiday Mon*	10 to 5	12 to 5	10 to 5	10 to 5	10 to 5

A chart featuring the new hours at Dysart et al’s landfills. Information via Dysart et al.

Other changes include upping fees for construction and demolition waste from $50 per cubic yard to $60. If the waste contains garbage or recycling, the cost is up from $100 per cubic yard to $120. The waste is accepted only a Haliburton, Harcourt and West Guilford landfills. The landfills will not accept asbestos, asbestos-containing materials, soil or large demolition projects.

The municipality is also adding fees to yard waste, also accepted at Haliburton, Harcourt and West Guilford landfills. Yard waste in paper bags is $2 per bag. Loose yard waste under one cubic yard is $15, while over one cubic yard will be $30. Brush remains at $50 per cubic yard. Landfills will not accept yard waste in plastic bags.

The changes were approved by Dysart et al council at its March 23 meeting.

Forest boss to head provincial organization

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Lisa Gervais

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April 29, 2021

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Haliburton Forest & Wild Life Reserve managing director Malcolm Cockwell has been appointed president of Forests Ontario.

The not-for-profit organization made the announcement April 21.

The Haliburton resident is replacing outgoing president and chair, Steve Hounsell, who’ll remain on the board of directors.

Some of the issues tackled by his predecessor, and board, in a 13-year-period included a battle against climate change and biodiversity loss.

“I am very excited to be moving into this role,” Cockwell said.

“Forests Ontario performs critical work as the voice of our forests, and this work is more important now than ever before. I look forward to supporting the dedicated, talented staff at Forests Ontario over the coming years as president and chair.”

Cockwell told The Highlander he’s been involved in Forests Ontario for quite a while as a director, and he has been consistently impressed by the productivity of the CEO and his team, especially when it comes to forest restoration and forest education. He said that supporting their work in his new capacity as chair and president will be an honour.

“The forest education piece is especially important these days,” he said. “The pandemic initially pulled people inside, but now it is pushing people outside: we’re seeing more and more people exploring the natural environment in Ontario. Making sure those people have healthy forests to visit – and that they are knowledgeable about how forests are managed – is critical.”

Cockwell added that alongside every other forest manager or forest user in Ontario, Haliburton Forest benefits from the work that Forests Ontario does to advance forest restoration, public forestry education, treeplanting logistics, and more.

“I would go as far as saying that anybody that appreciates the health of Ontario’s forests probably also appreciates the work of Forests Ontario – and my colleagues and I at Haliburton Forest are in that club,” he said.

Cockwell is well known in the Highlands for managing the multi-use private land stewardship company responsible for more than 100,000 acres in central Ontario.

He oversees the integrated forest products division, and the tourism and recreation division. He is also a registered professional forester and is the Forest’s representative at the Ontario Forest Industries Association. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the University of Toronto, and is a PhD candidate at the same institution’s Faculty of Forestry. Cockwell also serves as the chairman of Acadian Timber Corp.

Forests Ontario is a not-for-profit charity dedicated to re-greening the province through the support of tree planting, forest restoration, stewardship, education and awareness.

Through Forest Recovery Canada, they say they “promote Canada’s greatest natural resource – our forests – because healthy forests sustain healthy communities and healthy economies. Forests Ontario is the voice of our forests.”

Jeepers, new owners at Ray’s

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Lisa Gervais

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April 29, 2021

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It may be called Ray’s Place, but Ray has left the building and new owners Scott and Kate Boesveld are looking forward to their first summer season at the popular jeep and ATV playground.

The Boesvelds took ownership on Oct. 29, 2020.

Kate Boesveld said former owner Ray Gervais decided to sell and move on, buying a home in Haliburton and working at a local grocery store.

She said she and Scott always talked about owning a campground. They bought a Jeep about six years ago and camped and off-roaded with friends, and eventually with kids, each year at different locations.

They decided to rent the Ray’s Place bunkies in May 2019 with their friends and kids and “joked about owning the place when we heard it was for sale.”

Then, COVID hit.

At the time, Scott was an industrial electrician and project manager and Kate a fitness instructor and personal trainer who also worked for her parents.

She said she and Scott talked about how much they wanted to work together.

“Both of us come from hard working family businesses, his mom and dad owned a boarding kennel and my parents own greenhouses and sell custom potted flowers for wholesale clients.

“We both prayed and had many people praying for us on our next steps to buying Ray’s place. We had to apply for loans, sell our rental house and home in Cambridge, and make the hard decision to move away from our family and friends.

“We felt God leading us here and encouraging us towards this new adventure and to bless others with our gifts and passion of Jeeping, ATVing and our enjoyment of the great outdoors.”

Kate said they have plans for the place just south of Minden but it all depends on finances during the prolonged pandemic. They are also new parents to a second child, who arrived in January 2021.

That said, Kate added, “We would like to expand our seasonal sites, update rooms and the public washroom, create a full-time kitchen for room service amenities, add more trees to the property, get the pool going, and add walking trails.

“Because we are family-owned, we would love to bring families here and provide the surrounding cities somewhere to get away and have some fun.”

For now, they’re concentrating on cleaning up the property.

“COVID has been a blessing in some sense as we were able to take on several renters for the winter to help us pay the bills and we have had some more time to, again, clean up, organize and prepare the place for this year. We have also been fortunate to be able to spend some time as a family as we know the summer months are going to be absolutely nuts.”

The family is from southwestern Ontario, with two children, Taylr and Hunter, and two border collies.

“We honestly wouldn’t have been able to do what we’ve done here without the love and support of our family, friends and off-road community. We are so thankful to be here and love the feel of being up north, life is just different here. The location is so beautiful and we fell in love with it all. We own 131 acres now which is unbelievable and we look forward to exploring every inch of it when we have the time and energy.”

Val’s Soul Food

The mother and daughter team of Val Braithwaite and Layla Johnson are bringing soul food to Ray’s Place.

The family goes back several generations in Canada and are descendants of slaves who came up through the Underground Railroad and settled near London.

They specialize in Southern, Caribbean, and Canadian dishes.

Braithwaite has been cooking soul food for more than 30 years and has run previous restaurants in the Kawartha Lakes area.

It’s been quite a journey for the two of them. In 2016, just a few months after Layla was severely injured in a car accident, the family lost Layla’s dad and Val’s husband to cancer. Then, Val suffered a stroke in 2019. She was in intensive care for several weeks and in the hospital for several months. However, she recovered and moved in with Layla.

“I remember the Sunday my mom started to cook again,” Layla said. “I’d come home to a huge plate of food. She was so used to cooking large portions for the restaurant, there was way too much food for just the two of us. I decided to get some food containers and drop it off to some family close by.”

That became a weekly thing, that expanded to the local community.

“After a few months of delivering free Sunday soul food dinners, we were gifted a great opportunity to run a food truck for the summer and fall season,” Layla said. “We’re now at Ray’s Place in Minden. We’re enjoying our time here, meeting new friends and catching up with old ones. Minden is a wonderful town.” They are planning to be open Tuesday-Sunday 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Seevalssoulfood.com for more.

Ontario’s vaccine strategy revisited

By

Lisa Gervais

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April 29, 2021

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by Dr. Nell Thomas

For the past few weeks, approximately 500 people have been vaccinated daily in each of Minden and Haliburton arenas.

These are primarily people older than 60 years, receiving Pfizer and Moderna.

Pharmacies are immunizing eligible people 40 years and up with AstraZeneca, as is the Haliburton Family Medical Clinic. The EMS paramedics are now providing Moderna for housebound individuals. Pregnant women are now able to receive Moderna vaccines as of this week, giving a powerful shot of antibodies to their infants in the process. Patients with kidney failure are receiving vaccines through their dialysis specialists. Cancer patients are getting vaccinated and are encouraged to book their second shots sooner.

As the Ontario three phase vaccine rollout picks up steam, adding more eligible categories almost daily, our heads are swirling with all the different groups, locations and booking instructions.

And, as of April 13, the strategy has taken another turn. In direct response to high infection rates, scientific analysis has dictated that vaccines be moved to Ontario’s hotspots and to essential workers (bank tellers, food service, police, education, transportation, shipping, trades, sales and services, utilities, construction …).

These are people whose jobs are critical to society’s functioning. These are people who cannot work from home. It turns out that COVID is being spread most by these essential workers.

Until April 8, vaccine eligibility in Ontario was based on age, health conditions, high risk congregate living (LTC homes), and status as a health care worker. Analysis of this approach has revealed that communities and neighbourhoods with high numbers of essential workers have been least likely to receive vaccines using this method. It is now believed that by more rapidly vaccinating people in hotspots, and targeting essential workers, it will prevent considerably more SARS-CoV-2 infections, hospitalizations, ICU admissions and deaths, as compared to Ontario’s initial mass vaccination strategy.

Ontario’s COVID-19 Science Advisory Table is a group of scientific experts and health system leaders who evaluate and report on new evidence relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic and then guide the best response. They provide weekly summaries of evidence, integrating scientific sources and determining the best overall approach. They have shown that the hotspot-accelerated strategy would decrease COVID hospitalizations between April 9 and June 7 by 14 per cent more than the current vaccination approach (6,272 vs 8,003). It would decrease COVID-19 ICU admissions by 14 per cent more (933 vs 1,191), and deaths by 11 per cent more (2,228 vs 2,745) in people 16 years and older, compared to the existing strategy.

As of April 28, 2021, 30.8 per cent of Ontarians had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Evidence is showing that vaccinated people are not only protected directly from getting sick with COVID-19 but are also protected against asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, and against spreading it to others. Therefore, there is an indirect benefit to people who are not yet vaccinated, as they are protected by those who are. Considering that essential workers are, out of necessity, traveling on public transit, sharing public places, work environments, and taking their community and work exposures home to their families, it is not surprising that the benefit of vaccinating this group is considered to be very high.

In Toronto, neighbourhoods with the highest proportion of essential workers have a threefold higher incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections compared to neighbourhoods with fewer essential workers. Accelerating the vaccination of essential workers, their families, and other residents living in COVID-19 hotspots is projected to prevent considerably more infections in those aged 16 to 59 years.

They say vaccination of Ontario’s 74 hotspots would be completed within 25 days, assuming vaccine coverage of 80 per cent in those 60 years and above, and 70 per cent in those 16 to 59 years. The remaining vaccines would be distributed equally.