‘It’s time to get back to normal,’ North Bay officials say as COVID-19 measures phased out
COVID-19 protocols are starting to ease at certain health care institutions, including North Bay's hospital and the local health unit.
For example, after three years, the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit will no longer provide regular updates on COVID-19 cases in the city.
"We're not seeing the impacts that we once did with COVID-19,” said the health unit’s Dr. Carol Zimbalatti
“COVID-19 is moving into a more stable situation and moving into an endemic state. We have a lot of other priorities that we are looking to address and move towards."
Zimbalatti said the COVID-19 situation in the region has “remained stable for quite some time,” allowing some safety measures to be dropped.
"It's safe to loosen some of the restrictions that have been in place,” she said.
“Masking is one of those that can be loosened. If there's not very crowed spaces, and you're not near individuals who are at risk of severe outcomes of COVID-19, then it's safe to not wear a mask in those situations.”
It's a similar story at North Bay's hospital when it comes to transitioning out of the pandemic. The regional health centre has closed its COVID-19 assessment centre.
"I think globally people are recognizing that we have been successful in battling COVID-19, and it is time to get back to normal,” said Paul Heinrich, CEO of the North Bay Regional Health Centre.
“I am pretty proud of how progressive our organization has been in terms of predicting the right timing to remove different measures. The instruction from the government this past week was that all assessment centres will be closed by the end of June."
Zimbalatti and Heinrich said officials are still keeping a close eye on the COVID-19 situation, but said as the virus enters its fourth spring, it’s time to move on from pandemic measures.
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