During his first public appearance in over a month, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health said the province will not be reinstating a mask mandate — at least not yet — in indoor public spaces including schools.

At a media briefing at Queen’s Park on Monday (April 11), Dr. Kieran Moore said it is “clear” Ontario is in the sixth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by the omicron B.A2 subvariant.

“In the last few weeks, we have seen an increase in the per cent positivity, an upward trend in wastewater surveillance, and a rise in hospitalizations,” he said. “These trends are likely to continue for the next several weeks.”

While he issued a “strong recommendation” for Ontarians to continue wearing a well-fitted, three-layer face mask in all public indoor settings, he said the province has no immediate plans to reinstate a mask mandate.

“While we will not be reinstating a broad mask mandate at this time, we should all be prepared that we may need to resume a requirement for mask wearing in indoor public spaces if a new variant of concern emerges, a threat to our health care system, or potentially during the winter months when COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses are likely to circulate again.”

Instead, Dr. Moore said it is “critical to stay up to date with your vaccination” by receiving all recommended doses, including booster doses if eligible.

“It’s your best defence against severe illness, hospitalization, and death,” he said. “Booster doses save lives.”

Dr. Moore also encouraged Ontarians to determine whether they are eligible for assessment for antiviral treatments, including the oral antiviral Paxlovid, by visiting ontario.ca/antiviralscreener.

Shortly before Dr. Moore began his media briefing, the Ontario government announced it is expanding eligibility for COVID-19 antiviral treatments and PCR testing to more high-risk individuals, including those 18 and over who are immunocompromised, those 70 and over, those 60 and over who have had fewer than three vaccine doses, and those 18 and over ho have had fewer than three vaccine doses and at least one risk condition, such as a chronic medical condition.

After Dr. Moore finished his statement at the media briefing, a reporter questioned why he had not spoken publicly earlier during the sixth wave.

“At my last press conference I told you I’d come out if there was an issue — the purpose today is to remind all Ontarians that they are all eligible for boosters,” he said. “The purpose of coming out today is just to reiterate, yes, we’re in the sixth wave, yes, we will see a rise in admissions to hospital and to the intensive care unit, but as always we have tools that can mitigate that and prevent it for all Ontarians, and to call once again for people to come forward and get immunized.”

When the reporter repeated his question, asking “Is this the last we’re going to see of you for another month?”, Dr. Moore said it was the responsibility of all health care leaders to disseminate information.

“If I have new messaging of risk to any of the citizens of Ontarians, I will absolutely come out,” he said. “We share all of our key messaging — we did this last week — with all of our local public health agencies, all of our health system leaders, as well as our hospital leadership.”

As for the remaining mask mandate in high-risk settings — in hospitals and other health care settings, long-term care homes and retirement homes, congregate settings, and public transit — which is scheduled to be lifted on April 27, Dr. Moore said the province is considering maintaining it until the middle or end of May.

“We’ll present that to government and the government will make the final decision but, to me, that makes tremendous sense to maintain it,” he said.

The Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes has announced the new Rural Youth Leadership Fund that will cover the costs of Kawarthas Lakes residents aged 17 to 29 who want to participate in leadership training.

Founded by long-time Fenelon Falls resident Mike Perry, the fund will cover tuition for training programs offered by the Institute For Change Leaders as well as accommodation and transportation costs and even lost wages from participating in the programs.

“I started this fund as I know our local young people have the voice and power to strengthen our communities going forward,” Perry says in a media release. “I just want to help them access training from the best in the business, to bring their new knowledge home to their work in our Kawartha Lakes communities.”

A registered Canadian charity, the Institute For Change Leaders (ICL) was founded in 2016 by Olivia Chow, the long-time activist, Toronto politician, and widow of late federal NDP leader Jack Layton. Using unique methods from Harvard University, ICL combines the art of personal self-discovery with concrete organizing skills to help people channel their inner leader and learn to make change in areas they are interested in.

“We are pleased to provide this opportunity to build youth leadership here in Kawartha Lakes,” says Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes president Jack Roks. “This will help local young people to access the latest, greatest, leadership training.”

Lindsay resident Jessica Topfer, 25, says she is thrilled to have access to leadership training so she can grow both personally and professionally.

“As a young person, having affordable access to learning resources positions me better to participate in spaces and conversations that young folks are usually not truly included in, especially decision making.” Topfer says.

The Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes will be providing all high schools in Kawartha Lakes — Lindsay Collegiate and Vocational Institute, I.E. Weldon Secondary School, Fenelon Falls Secondary School, and St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School — with information about the Rural Youth Leadership Fund.

“Our young people know what’s missing in our communities and I’m thrilled that this fund wants to engage with youth in this capacity,” says Elizabeth Alton, vice-principal of Fenelon Falls Secondary School. “Students here have already expressed interest in strengthening our community through their leadership and this opportunity will definitely help.”

One of those students is 17-year-old Ryder Lytle. The Grade 12 student, who lives in Kirkfield, also runs his own business.

“It’s awesome this fund is being created to help us grow and learn about how to lead and change things for the better,” Lytle says. “I’m considering taking the program and would recommend everyone check it out.”

For more information about the Rural Youth Leadership Fund, contact the Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes at info@kawarthafoundation.ca or 705-928-5953. For more information about ICL, visit www.changeleaders.ca.

Amid growing criticism about his absence, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health is set to provide his first media briefing about the pandemic in over a month on Monday afternoon (April 11).

According to the Ministry of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore “will provide an update on how the province is managing COVID-19 and expanding access to antivirals” at 1 p.m. at Queen’s Park. You will be able to watch his remarks live in this story.

His last media briefing was on March 9, when he announced the lifting of the province’s mask mandate. At that time, he said he would speak publicly if the pandemic situation warranted it.

VIDEO: Ontario’s chief medical officer of health provides COVID-19 update

If you are experiencing audio issues with CPAC’s YouTube live stream, visit ola.org/en/legislative-business/video/media-studio.

However, Dr. Moore not appeared publicly since then to address the status of the pandemic, despite rising cases and rising hospitalizations largely attributed to the lifting of the mask mandate on March 21. He has also not done any interviews with media since early March.

Dr. Peter Juni, the outgoing head of the province’s COVID-19 science advisory table, said last week that wastewater surveillance data suggest the province is seeing 100,000 to 120,000 new daily cases of COVID-19.

Last Tuesday, Ontario health minister Christine Elliott said it was “Dr. Moore’s choice” not to do any interviews since his last media briefing.

“He felt that we were at the point now with the pandemic that we have the tools that we need to to learn to live with it and so that frequent representations and meetings with him aren’t necessary,” Elliott said. “If he feels that the situation changes and he wants to come back and do more frequent interviews and meetings, then he’s certainly free to do so.”

During a media conference last Wednesday, Premier Doug Ford defended Dr. Moore when a reporter asked about the chief medical officer of health’s public absence.

“He is on the job 24/7 looking at the figures, looking at the stats and giving myself and our cabinet advice and he has done an incredible job from day one,” Ford said. “I am his biggest fan.”

The Peterborough Petes’ Pink in the Rink game was held on Saturday night (April 9) at the Peterborough Memorial Centre, with the campaign raising $76,952.18 for cancer research.

The 13th annual fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society, played before a season-high crowd of 3,228 fans, also saw the Petes clinch their spot in the playoffs with a 5-1 win over the Niagara IceDogs.

Petes players wore special Pink in the Rink fundraising sweaters, which were sold in a post-game live jersey auction, with forward Tucker Robertson’s game-worn jersey selling for $3,610.

Other fundraising efforts at the game included a chuck-a-ball, a silent auction, and a bucket pass, along with t-shirt sales and an online fundraiser.

Petes alumnus Doug Gibson and Global sports anchor Meaghan Roy, who were co-chairs were this year’s campaign, raising a combined total of $13,425,28.

Pink in the Rink is the top fundraising event in the Ontario Hockey League. With this year’s proceeds, Pink in the Rink has raised almost $900,000 for cancer research since 2010.

A Scarborough resident and a Peterborough resident are facing multiple charges as part of a drug investigation by the OPP’s Peterborough/Northumberland Community Street Crime Unit.

With the assistance of the Peterborough police’s emergency response team, a search warrant was executed at a Peterborough residence on Thursday (April 7). Officers seized a loaded handgun, ammunition, fentanyl, crack cocaine, hydromorphone (an opioid), scales, cell phones. and Canadian currency.

As a result of the investigation, police arrested and charged 18-year-old Mahendra Mangrue of Scarborough and 39-year-old Crystal Fitzgerald of Peterborough.

Mangrue has been charged with possession property obtained by crime-over $5,000, possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking (cocaine), fail to comply with sentence, possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking (opioid), breach of firearms regulation (store firearm or restricted weapon), carrying concealed weapon, two counts of possession of firearm or ammunition contrary to probation order, possession of loaded prohibited or restricted firearm, knowledge of unauthorized possession of firearm, possession of weapon for dangerous purpose, and possession of a firearm knowing serial number was tampered with.

Fitzgerald was charged with possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking (opioid) and possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking (cocaine).

Mangrue is scheduled to appear for a bail hearing before the Ontario Court of Justice in Peterborough on Friday (April 7). Fitzgerald is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Peterborough on May 10, 2022.