Steps 2 and 3, vaccines, flights to the states: Top stories of the week
Waterloo Region likely to move into Step 3 along with the province next Friday: Dr. Wang
As Waterloo Region gets ready to enter Step 2 of the province’s reopening plan on Monday, the area’s top doctor says the plan is to then enter Step 3 with the rest of Ontario on Friday.
Friday morning, provincial officials announced Ontario would move into the third stage of its reopening plan on July 16 – five days ahead of schedule. Should Waterloo Region follow suit and enter Step 3 at the end of the week, there would be less than five days between Step 2 and Step 3.
Provincial health officials had initially said the province would stay in each phase for a minimum of 21 days to monitor COVID-19 trends. Step 3 will allow for a further loosing of COVID-19 restrictions. Indoor dining and fitness can resume, gathers inside can hold up to 25 people, and large indoor and outdoor events can begin again.
"Our indicators have stabilized since being designated a Delta hot spot," Dr. Wang said. "Going to Step 2 Monday, residents must continue to get vaccinated so that we don’t lose the gains we have made and slide backwards. We can't take our foot off of the gas."
Big COVID-19 vaccine push in region, most new cases amongst unvaccinated people
In hopes of being ready for Step 3 on Friday, health officials were able to break the single day vaccine administered record for Waterloo Region on Saturday at a “hockey hub” style clinic. The Bingemans “Every Dose Counts” clinic saw 4,904 shots administered, with more appointments, first dose walk ins, and second dose walk ins set for Sunday as well.
Ahead of the clinic, Medical Office of Health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang reported during a Friday briefing that 72.7 per cent of COVID-19 cases in the region since May 1 were among unvaccinated people. Comparatively, 24.8 per cent of cases were logged among individuals who were partially vaccinated, or had received two doses but were not yet fully protected.
Among COVID-19 deaths in Waterloo Region since May 1, 72.7 per cent were individuals who were not vaccinated or were vaccinated but not yet fully protected. The health unit has logged four deaths among vaccinated individuals. Dr. Wang said three of those deaths were residents in long-term care settings.
"Vaccines are highly effective at reducing the risk for severe outcomes," Dr. Wang said. "Full immunization, two doses, plus two weeks, is your best protection against COVID-19, including the Delta variant."
COVID-19 cases by the numbers (as of July 11):
- Waterloo Region: 18,004 confirmed cases, 278 deaths, 17,437 resolved
- Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph: 8,211 cases, 125 deaths, 8,037 resolved
- Brant County: 3,409 cases, 20 deaths, 3,382 resolved
- Haldimand-Norfolk: 2,716 cases, 53 deaths, 2,652 recovered
- Huron Perth: 1,909 cases, 57 deaths, 1,843 recovered
Flair Airlines to launch U.S. flights out of Waterloo Region in October
This fall Flair Airlines will offer flights to destinations in the United States out of the Region of Waterloo International Airport (YKF). On Thursday, the airline announced that flights to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando-Sanford, Florida would begin flying out of YKF on Oct. 31.
These new routes are in addition to the domestic destinations already operating out of YKF multiple times a week, including Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Vancouver, Victoria and Winnipeg. Flights to Kelowna are also set to start on Aug. 1.
The fares will start between $79 to $109 one-way.
A Flair Airlines plane arrives at the Region of Waterloo International Airport (Dan Lauckner / CTV News Kitchener)
Guelph 'not anti-magic,' but staff banning fairy doors at parks and on trails
While many residents welcome the magic of fair doors, small and colourful displays nailed up trees, the City of Guelph has received an increase of complaints about how the doors are ruining the natural beauty of the parks and trails.
David Beaton, Guelph’s program manager of forestry and sustainable landscapes, is asking locals to stop drilling fairy doors to trees because of the damage it can cause.
“Trees are already dealing with insect pests, climate change, frequent droughts,” said Beaton. “Over time they go from being magical to litter.
“The city is not anti-magic, the city is not anti-fairy, but we are for the magic of nature.”
A fairy door on a tree in Guelph. (Carmen Wong/CTV Kitchener)
Waterloo chemist putting a dent in next years gypsy moth infestation through sex and science
Rosemary Chong of Waterloo has a PhD in chemistry, specializing in making insect pheromones, which is a sex attractant. She is now using her skills to help put a dent in the gypsy moth’s reproductive cycle.
The invasive species are beginning to pupate and will soon become moths. Once they do, male gypsy moths immediately begin their search to find female moths.
“So [if the male moths] don’t find the females, we’ll have a lot less eggs that get hatched next year,” she said.
She created lures, a rubber band soaked with an artificial version of the female gypsy moth pheromone. The saturated rubber bands can then be used to make a homemade trap.
Gypsy moth infestations are popping up throughout southwestern Ontario. (Heather Senoran/CTV Kitchener)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.