BARRIE, ONT. More people in Simcoe Muskoka can sign up for a COVID-19 vaccination Tuesday. Appointments are now available for those with at-risk conditions, including people with dementia, diabetes and sickle cell disease. Essential workers in Group Two can also sign up for a COVID-19 vaccination. This group includes those who can t work from home, including grocery store, restaurant and transportation workers. A complete list of Group 2 eligible workers is available here. Starting Thursday, anyone 40 or older will be able to book a shot anywhere in the province. The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has multiple vaccination clinics open across the region seven days a week. They also have a same-day standby program to use up leftover doses of the vaccine at the end of the day. Anyone currently eligible to receive a vaccine can get on the standby list for their first dose only.
BARRIE, ONT. Simcoe Muskoka essential workers and individuals with at-risk conditions can sign up for a COVID-19 vaccination on Tuesday. Starting Thursday, residents 40 and older can also make an appointment. Essential workers in Group Two are those who can t work from home, including grocery store, restaurant and transportation workers. A complete list of Group 2 eligible workers is available here. The province is also adding high-risk health care workers, dialysis patients, and all First Nations, Inuit and Métis individuals to the list of those eligible to book their appointment to receive a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine earlier than the extended four-month interval. Eligibility will begin by the end of the week of May 10.
Every year on May 5th, the Parliament of Canada recognizes ‘Dutch Heritage Day’ (also known as Bevrijdingsdag – Netherlands Liberation Day), commemorating the sacrifices made by Canadians to liberate the Netherlands from the German invasion during WWII, and forging a unique bond between the two countries.
On Wednesday May 5, the Dutch flag was raised in front of the Bradford courthouse by Mayor Rob Keffer, accompanied by local resident Albert Wierenga who has significant Dutch roots, his brother Carl Wierenga, and longtime resident Cor Den Bleker.
The annual flag raising signifies the end of the German occupation in the Netherlands in 1945 where over 7,600 Canadian soldiers were killed in a successful attempt to free the Netherlands.
BARRIE, ONT. Residents of Bradford West Gwillimbury 18 and older are now eligible to book an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine. Clinics are set up at the Bob Fallis arena through the end of May, with additional clinic dates coming as supply allows. Two weeks ago, Bradford Mayor Rob Keffer called on the province to lower the vaccine eligibility age to get the shot into more residents. Keffer wanted more pop-up clinics for those who had no choice to go into the workplace every day. Important jobs, whether it be food processing or auto parts, as well as the grocery stores, he said on April 21.
BARRIE, ONT. Simcoe Muskoka health officials report a 30 per cent drop in confirmed COVID-19 cases over the past three weeks. Past president of the Ontario Medical Association, Dr. Sohail Gandhi, says it s a sign of progress. It s not quite what I d like to see, but at least it s a step in the right direction. Public health officials report 281 COVID-19 tests came back positive since Friday across Simcoe Muskoka. There are currently 1,585 active infections in the region. Still, Dr. Gandhi remains concerned about the rationing of health care. The health unit says there are 51 people in the hospital as of Monday fighting the virus. Of those, Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre in Barrie has 22 COVID-19 positive patients, seven on ventilators. It s unclear how many of these infected patients are transfers from overburdened GTA hospitals.