We’re #1 in Ontario, or maybe it’s #34
Administrator | Feb 04, 2021 | Comments 9
To the Editor:
As of Jan 30 (latest data available), the seven-day COVID-19 case rate for Hastings-Prince Edward was 0.6 per 100K population, the lowest of all 34 public health regions in Ontario. Less than one case per week. The other regions had rates varying from 3.1 (Timiskaming) to 146.3 (Peel).
In its Feb. 4 issue, the Toronto Star shows Hastings-Prince Edward as the only public health region in Ontario in the category of “lowest risk” of transmission of the virus in schools, based on 14 days of data as of Feb. 2.
Seems like we’re excellent rule followers!
Gary Mooney
PEC
Filed Under: Letters and Opinion • News from Everywhere Else
Cars with Quebec plates in Sobey’s parking lot this morning. It is not Belleville and the surrounding area we need to fear, it’s visitors from the hot spots who are scared to venture out in their own backyards. So they grace us with their presence.
As an island it should be relatively easy to keep the County safe from the infected hordes as long as residents are also fine with staying put, including no trips to Belleville.
Between a rock and a hard place no doubt. Business are near bankrupt and the threat of the Covid Variant is at our doors. Health workers are stretched beyond. Tough calls.
If we can all be vaccinated before the visitors arrive we should stay fairly uninfected.
Unfortunately I don’t think we can depend on our out of country vaccine suppliers.
Shame we didn’t see vaccine supply problems becoming an issue last spring and summer.
Many of us started wondering then about the math (world population / the rough production capabilities)= inadequate supply likely.
Our politicians could have begun to build a huge emergency vaccine manufacturing facility then and they wouldn’t be running around trying to make emergency arrangements this spring and summer.
Fortunately we have become good isolators in the County and seem to be serious followers of the safety protocols.
We should therefore stay safe and continue with our low infection rate while our tourist suppliers and local businesses try to stay afloat for another 6 or 8 month until almost normal returns.
Good luck to all PEC residents and do next year’s Christmas shopping as much as possible locally and give Amazon and Shopify a rest.
They are coming! It will soon be an influx like we have never seen before.
Conspicuously missing from the Ontario government’s approach to COVID has been any strategy to protect Green Zones. Such protection would include a ban on nonessential travel into Green Zones from any zone of higher infection rates. A ban, not a suggestion, recommendation or guideline – these have not worked.
Credible strategies for bringing COVID rates down to zero, including the protection of Green Zones, are outlined in an article published this week in the online Canadian news magazine The Tyee which can be read at https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2021/02/03/Two-Radical-Proposals-Getting-To-Zero/
An excerpt from this article describes the Green Zone bubble: “Once a state, region or city reaches no cases, it becomes a Green Zone, and normal activity is allowed within carefully watched borders. Adjacent Green Zones are open to normal travel and interactions, thereby protecting hard-won successes and providing the rewards of COVID-free living. A rigorous test, trace and support system ensures the spread does not resume and keeps COVID cases at zero.”
Hastings Prince Edward is reportedly one of the few health units set to reopen as a Green Zone next week. Without strategies to protect the “hard-won success” we will not be stepping off the merry-go-round of half-baked lockdowns and reopenings and the resultant health and economic catastrophes.
Harping on about the supposed perils of hordes of infected outsiders flooding the County and infecting locals hasn’t come to fruition!
Exactly, Sandie. That’s how we ended up with so many tourists. We need to keep our heads down and hope we are not discovered as a COVID-free zone. Why do we need to publicize this?
I love the idea that we in Hastings Prince Edward are one of the lowest risk areas, but I do wish they wouldn’t advertise the fact. I have visions of masses of out of town visitors coming to our area thinking they can let their guard down and possibly bringing our numbers up again. This is just my opinion of course, meanwhile, keep up the good work local people.