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The Canadian Paediatric Society is calling on the Ontario government to immediately reopen outdoor recreational spaces for children and return students to classrooms before the end of the school year.
“We cannot overstate the extent of the mental health crisis facing our children and youth,” said a letter posted on Twitter. “Our clinics and hospitals are overrun with families seeking care for children and youth in distress — eating disorders, anxiety, hopelessness, depression, problematic substance abuse, and more.”
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The letter is addressed to Premier Doug Ford, Education Minister Stephen Lecce and Sports Minister Lisa MacLeod.
The province backed down after public uproar and allowed playgrounds to remain open under the six week stay-at-home order that runs until May 20. However, other outdoor spaces such as soccer pitches, basketball courts, baseball diamonds, golf courses and skateboard parks remain closed.
Elementary and secondary students shifted to online learning at home on April 19 as case COVID-19 counts rose in the province.
Lecce has said he wants schools to reopen for in-person classes as soon as it is safe to do so. The government has given no indication when classes will resume or what would trigger that decision, saying the minister relies on advice from Ontario’s chief medical officer of health.
Ontario has had more school closures because of COVID-19 than any jurisdiction in Canada, the letter from the society notes. “Yet we have heard nothing from your government about getting students back in classrooms before the 2020-21 school year ends.”
“Ontario’s children and youth depend on all of us to protect them not just from COVID-19, but from the devastating effects of these public health measures. We urge you to place a higher priority on their mental health and well-being.”
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Ontario reported 2,864 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, plus 25 additional deaths.
The hot spot for new cases was Peel Region, which reported 803 more, followed by 684 in Toronto, 285 in York, 133 in Hamilton and 125 in Durham.
The number of people hospitalized with the illness as of Saturday was 1,832. Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 have been declining gradually since mid April. The peak was on April 20, when 2,360 people were in hospital.
The number of people in ICU, a key indictor of the health system’s ability to cope with the third wave of the pandemic, was 851. That number has plateaued since late April.
Ottawa Public Health reported 112 new cases and one additional death, bringing the total number of fatalities to 521.
The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Ottawa was 81, including 21 in intensive care. The seven-day average number of people in the city hospitalized with the disease has been gradually dropping since early May, while the number of people in ICU is also down slightly from late April.
Ottawa Public Health reported one new outbreak in a childcare centre and one in a community setting.
The Eastern Ontario health unit, which includes Cornwall, reported 23 new cases, Leeds, Grenville and Lanark reported 10 and Renfrew County reported four.
COVID-19 vaccination news
Ottawa is opening a mega pop-up clinic this weekend at the Infinity Convention Centre as it ramps up the vaccination rollout.
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The centre at 2901 Gibford Dr., just north of Ottawa International Airport, is meant to target nearby COVID-19 hot spots that have been identified by the province for vaccination priority. Residents 18 and older in these locations can book appointments through the provincial vaccination website.
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People eligible for vaccinations at other immunization clinics booked through the provincial website now include anyone over age 50, Group 1 of the essential workers category and people with high-risk medical conditions.
Ottawa’s Vaccine Distribution page has more details on who is eligible for a vaccine and the location of clinics and pharmacies offering the shot.
The city plans to open drop-in clinics that don’t require an appointment next week for residents in Parkwood Hills, Carlington, Bayshore and Belltown.
As supplies of vaccine ramp up in the coming weeks, the city is also ready to set up a clinic at the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne Park and is studying the idea of a drive-though vaccination clinic.
Family doctor Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth sponsored a second “Jabapalooza” vaccination clinic on Saturday to offer vaccines to the community. It was set up at Immaculata High School on Main Street near the Rideau Canal.
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COVID-19 across Canada
Quebec reported 958 new cases of COVID-19 Saturday and seven deaths over the past 24 hours.
Health authorities said hospitalizations fell by 27 to 547, with 130 patients in intensive care, a decrease of nine.
The province said it administered just over 91,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine for a total of more than 4.1 million doses injected across the province.
Montreal reported the most new cases with 204, followed by Monteregie, south of Montreal, with 131 and Chaudière-Appalaches with 123.
Slightly more than 40 per cent of Quebec’s population has received at least one dose of vaccine.
In the Outaouais, three more deaths and 58 more cases of COVID-19 were reported Saturday, bringing the regional death toll from the pandemic to 205 and the total number of cases to 11,616.
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COVID-19 by the numbers: reported Saturday
Ontario
2,864: New cases
489,087: Total cases
447,938: Resolved cases
25: New deaths
8,261: Total deaths
1,832: People in hospital
851: People in ICU
47,800: Number of tests conducted the previous day
138,125: Vaccine doses administered on Friday
6,023,610: Total vaccine doses administered
Ottawa
112: New cases
25,220: Total cases
23,241: Resolved cases
1,458: Active cases
1: New death
521: Total deaths
81: People in hospital
21: People in ICU
COVID-19: Ontario reports 2,864 new cases, 25 deaths; paediatric society calls for reopening of outdoor recreation and schools - Ottawa Citizen
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