Just a day after the Federal government asked Canadians not to leave the country unless it is necessary, the Thunder Bay District Health Unit (TBDHU) has a recommendation of its own.
It is being strongly advised that you do not travel outside of Northwestern Ontario, unless it is essential. This statement is for everyone, regardless of their vaccination status.
This comes as the TBDHU has been recording a steady drop in the active case count throughout the week. The larger concern lies with what we have seen provincially.
“With the rise in case numbers in many jurisdictions, and the increased risk related to omicron, travel is not advisable at this time and should be for urgent or essential reasons only,” said Dr. Janet DeMille, Medical Officer of Health. “People that are planning to travel are encouraged to rethink their plans and consider deferring their travel to a better time.”
Ontario recorded 2,421 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, and projections show that number could be over 10,000 in the near future.
Many recent cases of COVID in the TBDHU area have been a result of travel outside of Northwestern Ontario. This includes Minnesota, Wisconsin, Manitoba, and many other jurisdictions both inside and out of Canada.
The Omicron variant is the largest concern at this point, and is quickly becoming the dominant variant in Ontario.
If you have recently traveled to other areas, you are being asked to limit your interactions and monitor yourself for symptoms for 10 days following travel.
If you develop any COVID-19 symptoms, even mild ones, isolate immediately and arrange to get tested at your local assessment centre. Visit the TBDHU website for more information.
