COVID-19: Ontario tightens long-term care and retirement homes restrictions as Omicron cases surge

Ontario’s chief public health officer Dr. Kieran Moore reported on Tuesday 1,429 cases of COVID-19 in the province, saying the provincial weekly case increase rate is now at 56.4 cases per 100,000 people.

The test positivity rate has been steadily increasing and currently at 6.6 per cent, while hospitalizations increased by 13 per cent last week.
He added that the Omicron impact on ICU occupancy is still not clear, but “good evidence” is showing the variant is 4 to 8 times more transmissible than the Delta variant, and is spreading among fully-vaccinated people.

Due to the Omicron surge, he said long-term care homes and retirement homes in the province will be tightening health measures.

General visitors and caregivers will need to be fully vaccinated to enter facilities, and testing for staff, students, volunteers and caregivers will be required twice a week regardless of vaccination status.

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