Yes, unfortunately, we are in another wave
Dr. Kieran Moore said Wednesday.
However, he tried to be reassuring.
I want to put that into perspective, he added. In January and February we had a very large wave of BA.1, in March and April a smaller wave of BA.2, and now we have BA.5, which we believe will be a wave less important.
He expects BA.5 to be the dominant strain for another four to five weeks and then fade. Two-thirds of cases are currently attributable to this strain.
Several indicators, such as the analysis of wastewater and the positivity rate, confirmed the hypothesis of a new wave.
Impacts in hospitals
In a series of posts on Twitter, the group of experts advising the Ontario government on the evolution of COVID-19 said the increase in hospitalizations should be less than in previous waves. However, he recalled that hospitals are already short of resources.
Hospitalizations are rising for the first time since May and are higher than last summer, according to Ontario’s Scientific Advisory Group on COVID-19.
Dr. Moore urges Ontarians who are eligible and have not yet received a first or second booster dose to do so immediately, to protect themselves, but also to protect the health care system.
Public health and the government are considering the possibility of offering a fourth dose to more Ontarians, but the priority, insists the medical officer of health, remains to immunize those who are at risk of being hospitalized or having complications.
The group of experts recalls that the fact of having been infected recently does not provide good immunity.
He recommends applying the usual protective measures: making sure you have all the recommended doses according to the age group and the state of health, preferring gatherings outside, wearing a mask inside s ‘there are a lot of people and open the windows.
