- by Hub staff

"Over the past four days, Grey Bruce has witnessed a sustained increase in the number of cases locally. This increase has seen daily case numbers jump to an average of 25 new cases per day. This is a significant increase from approximately 5 cases per day in prior weeks. The majority of these cases are complex and are related to disadvantaged groups within our society, including transient individuals, people who are homeless /or using drugs." - Grey Bruce Health Unit

While only one active case of a Variant of Concern was reported in the Situation Reports of the past 48 hours, Public Health states in their media release "the Delta variant appears to be driving the surge. Evidence of the Delta variant has been established in numerous lab confirmed cases and is further supported clinically by the short incubation period, high transmissibility, multiple cases and clusters of cases."

Public Health has scaled up its staff capacity in Case and Contact Management and will "continue to work with partners on increasing isolation compliance and adhering to public health measures within this sector."

Although the focus has been on large vaccination clinics, we at the Hub have been informed that some vaccines have been made available through Safe and Sound in Owen Sound.  There are no official dedicated shelters for the homeless in Grey and Bruce counties; there are two women's shelters in Owen Sound and Kincardine. The Public Health media release states that "second doses of COVID-19 vaccine have now been offered to all residents living in shelters in Grey Bruce. Mobile units, with ongoing support from EMS, will be offering the vaccine to individuals living in unregistered shelters/rooming homes this week."

Public Health has placed large orders for vaccines for each week of July.

"We continue to advise the public to get the first and second doses of vaccine, when eligible, as soon as possible. We ask the public to remain vigilant in observing protocols to prevent transmission."