- Hub staff

Since the beginning of the pandemic 442 cases of Covid-19 have been reported in health care workers living in Grey Bruce and working both in and outside Grey Bruce. That number was only 180 on January 10, 2022, one month ago.

There have been 39 deaths of Grey Bruce residents attributed to Covid-19 since March 2020; 4 more in the past month.

8 Grey Bruce residents are currently hospitalized due to Covid-19.

There are currently 153 known active cases in Grey-Bruce; 38 of them in Owen Sound, but Public Health acknowledges that the number is inaccurate due to recent changes in access to PCR tests for the general public.

The Minister of Health, Christine Elliott, was joined by a Senior Vice-President of WalMart today at noon at a WalMart store to announce that more than 5 million rapid tests a week would be made available free to Ontarians over the next 8 weeks through pharmacies and grocery stores. Before the business day was over, Premier Ford was “firing back” at WalMart who said they were distributing the tests only to those who made a minimum online $35 grocery purchase.

As recently as December, the Grey Bruce Medical Officer of Health was not recommending the use of rapid tests. We have requested a comment from Dr. Arra on today's announcement and will share that when we receive it.

According to the media release from the Ministry of Health, “a person who tests positive on a rapid antigen test is no longer required or encouraged to get a confirmatory PCR or rapid molecular test. If you test positive on a PCR, rapid molecular or a rapid antigen test, you must isolate. Visit Ontario.ca/exposed to learn more about isolation directions.”

As part of the Provincial Antigen Screening Program, 3.62 million rapid antigen tests are being shipped biweekly to the education and child care sectors for use when children or staff are symptomatic.

source: media releases, GBHU, Ministry of Health