WINGHAM, ONT. -- The third wave of COVID-19 hasn’t really arrived in Huron and Perth counties, yet. The region has averaged about 2.5 new cases per day in March.
“But, everyone around us is orange or red, so it would impact us eventually. There are no borders where the virus is concerned,” says Huron-Perth’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. Miriam Klassen.
Which is why as much as it pains her to see her region, which is performing so well, pulled into lockdown, Klassen understands the province’s logic.
“As hard a pill as this is to swallow, it is going to be more effective if the whole province does that at the same time,” she says.
In Grey-Bruce, where cases had been very low for most of the pandemic, the past two weeks have seen new cases skyrocket to 65 active cases, including 46 variants in total.
“Moving to the shutdown will assist our efforts to limit transmission. In particular it helps us to address concerns we’re having with bars and recreation classes that have been a source of transmission,” says Dr. Ian Arra, Grey-Bruce’s medical officer of health.
The warden of Huron County’s message to local businesses affected by another lockdown is simple.
“It’s tough, I acknowledge that, on the restaurants, we all get that, however we also have to look out for all the human beings that could be afflicted with this,” says Warden Glen McNeil.
“We are so close to the end, we just need to do this a little bit longer. We need to do this last part to get us through this this third wave, as the vaccines rollout,” adds Saugeen Shores Mayor Luke Charbonneau.
“I have great empathy for the many businesses that have been adversely impacted by this pandemic,” says Klassen. “But, I can see that now is not the time for half measures."
