North Bay's top doctor in no rush to move into Stage 4

NORTH BAY -

North Bay’s top doctor told CTV News there should be no rush to jump into stage four. 

“I think we need to move very, very cautiously,” said Dr. Jim Chirico from the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit. 

“I fully support Dr. Moore and his approach, that it is to be very cautious and move slowly. We have learned from past experience that this will ultimately lead to the best chances of a prolonged re opening,” he added. 

Businesses in the community can operate with limited numbers under stage three  and physical distancing is still being enforced. 

North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Peter Chirico said members are taking a positive approach, and most aren’t worried about getting to stage four. 

“We don’t want an additional lockdown. That’s what the business community is saying, right across the board, that lockdowns are bad,” said Chirico. 

“We know that they are, and the hardship that businesses and small businesses have gone through over the past 17, 18 months due to those type of things, they don’t want to see it repeat. So they want to see it done safe.”

Although many restrictions are still in place, Chirico added that he’s hearing many local merchants are making money again. 

“They’re doing extremely well right now. They’re booked, they’re packed, they’re solid,” he said. 

“Would they like to be 100 per cent capacity, absolutely, but they also know they don’t want to go backwards.”

Health unit officials say 72 per cent of this region has been double vaccinated, but Dr. Chirico believes it’s not just vaccine rate that determines when it’s a good time to exit stage three. 

“I think case counts are important to see what the trend is. Is it going up, is it going down? How significant is the increase? With so many people being vaccinated is what effect is it going to have on our healthcare system?” 

“Are we seeing increasing numbers of hospitalizations and people on intensive care units? I think those factors are more important than an absolute vaccine level.” 

Dr. Chirico says in order to reach heard immunity locally, 90 per cent of the region needs to be fully vaccinated.