BARRIE, ONT. York Region s top doctor is asking the province to open up AstraZeneca vaccinations to younger residents in hot spots where infection rates are through the roof. Right now, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends the shot only be administered to those 55 years of age and older. Some countries like the U.K. are using it for age 30 upwards. If Ontario wanted to be conservative, we could go to the same as the U.K. strategy, said Dr. Karim Kurji. Kurji notes Health Canada has approved the vaccine for use in adults 18 years of age and older.
Posted: Apr 16, 2021 5:00 AM ET | Last Updated: April 16
A nurse with Toronto s Humber River Hospital prepares doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. CBC News contacted all 34 Ontario public health units to ask how many doses were wasted in March and why, as vaccination capacity ramped up significantly.(Evan Mitsui/CBC)
COLLINGWOOD, ONT. The numbers were already worrying, but throughout the pandemic, the opioid crisis has become devastating. Youth Haven s France Young says the situation doesn t discriminate. It covers all professions, all age groups, and it s an issue. It s an issue that has to be addressed. We have seen significant overdoses, she says. Public health statistics show 117 confirmed and probable opioid-related deaths in Simcoe Muskoka in the first 11 months of 2020, 50 percent higher than the average over the previous three years. In Collingwood, emergency crews recently responded to three reports of multiple people suffering drug overdoses. Naloxone is a potentially life-saving medication used to counteract the effects of an opioid overdose and was given to three people. Only two survived.
York Region issues statement defending top doctor as COVID cases, transmission rise 680news.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from 680news.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
York Region defends top doctor as calls for termination grow louder, COVID cases rise
by Lucas Casaletto
Last Updated Apr 15, 2021 at 4:48 pm EDT
York Region council is defending its top doctor and asserting belief in its public health unit as COVID-19 cases increase province-wide.
York Region Chairman and CEO Wayne Emmerson issued a lengthy statement on Thursday, saying officials “reaffirm our strong confidence in York Region Medical Officer of Health Dr. Karim Kurji and continued support of his leadership in our collective fight against COVID-19.”
“Throughout this global pandemic York Region and York Region Public Health’s top priority is protecting the health and safety of our residents while also balancing the needs of our communities on various levels,” said Emmerson.