KEY UPDATES
FEDERAL
Prime Minister Trudeau did not address the media.
PROVINCIAL
The Ontario government is providing guidance to employees who want to self-swab for a rapid antigen point-of-care test under the supervision of a trained individual; the program is being expanded to more sectors including first responders, emergency medical services, trucking and transportation, wastewater management and post-secondary institutions.
Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, announced the province is seeing a greater number of small businesses complying with COVID-19 safety requirements;
The Ontario government is providing more than $15 million to support grassroots activities, sport and recreation organizations and high-performance athletes. Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, issued orders under the Connecting Care Act, 2019 to transfer the Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN) and non-patient care functions from the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) to Ontario Health; the transfers take effect on April 1, 2021. The Ontario government announced $7.3 million will be invested through social services relief funding to build 24 modular transitional housing units for vulnerable people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in York Region.
YORK REGION
Beginning Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 8:30 a.m. York Region residents aged 75 and older (born 1946 and earlier) can book an appointment for their COVID-19 vaccination by visiting york.ca/COVID19Vaccine.
York Region shared information regarding the recent decision by the province to follow recommendations made by Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) to increase the interval between all Health Canada approved COVID-19 vaccines to up to 16 weeks
COVID-19 VACCINATIONS IN YORK REIGON
93,790 total number of vaccines administered36,067 total number of vaccines administered to people 80 years of age and older 68.4% Proportion of people 80 years of age and older who have received at least one dose
COVID-19 IN YORK REGION:
Below is a summary of the detailed information contained in the Interactive Dashboard – Cases at york.ca/covid19data. As of March 17, 2021 at 5 p.m. there are:
30,830 total confirmed cases 167 new cases since yesterday 142.0 average daily cases over past 7 days 82.8 total cases per 100K population 1,478 total variant cases identified, of which 412 are active 8 new hospitalizations 136 confirmed cases in hospital, 18 of which are in Intensive Care990 cases among health care workers, of which 975 cases have resolved2 new fatalities 546 total confirmed fatalities 29,238 resolved cases 4.50% positivity rate49 open outbreaks under COVID-19 protocols 19 institutional (Long-Term Care/Retirement Homes/Community Care/Hospitals) 3 Child Care Centre0 Emergency Housing9 Schools; 43 Schools under surveillance 18 Workplaces 769 closed outbreaks.
KING TOWNSHIP
10 new cases reported today.