Effective Saturday (November 6), the Ontario government will be expanding eligibility for booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to those aged 70 or older, health care workers, and First Nation, Inuit, and Metis adults and their non-Indigenous household members, as well as people who received two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Provincial officials provided details of Ontario’s booster dose rollout during a technical media briefing on Wednesday (November 3), prior to an announcement by Ontario’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore on Wednesday afternoon.

Currently, third doses of COVID-19 vaccines are only being offered to people who are immunocompromised, at an interval of eight weeks after their second dose. More than 161,000 of the 250,000 currently eligible for third doses have received them.

Beginning November 6, those eligible for a third dose can book their booster dose appointment through the government’s COVID-19 vaccination portal at covid19.ontariohealth.ca or by calling the provincial vaccine contact centre at at 1-833-943-3900. between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

People can also book their booster dose directly through public health units that use their own booking systems or at select pharmacies. Hospital-based health care workers are encouraged to reach out to their hospital employer to get vaccinated directly through their hospital’s vaccination program.

Either mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) may be used as a booster dose, regardless of which COVID-19 vaccine was used for the first and second dose.

The expanded eligibility for the booster shots represents around 2.75 million people.

Officials said the government is making booster doses for those aged 70 and over a priority based on increased risk of gradual waning immunity six months after receiving their second dose and a high risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

First Nation, Inuit and Metis adults and their non-Indigenous household members are being prioritized due to increased risk of gradual waning immunity, as well as these communities having been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 in Ontario and inequities related to the social determinants of health.

Health care workers are being prioritized based on increased risk of gradual waning immunity and a higher risk of exposure to COVID-19 due to their work environments. which could result in an increased risk of transmission to vulnerable populations.

The list of health care workers eligible for a booster dose is broad, including all hospital and acute care staff, all patient-facing health care workers and staff, medical first responders, health care workers and essential caregivers in congregate settings, and home and community health care workers providing in-person care.

The government also announced it would be proceeding with first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 beginning in November, pending approval of COVID-19 vaccines by Health Canada (expected during November).

The vaccine will be delivered through mass immunization clinics, school-based clinics, pharmacies, and more. Parental or caregiver consent will be required for the Pfizer vaccine for children, which will at a lower dose than the adult version.

Government officials said the province will focus on expanded third doses until the vaccine for 5 to 11 year olds is approved and available in Ontario, at which point the priority will shift to vaccinating that age group with first doses.

Officials said the province is also planning to gradually expand eligibility for booster doses to all Ontarians sometime next year, with timing for the rollout to the general public to be based on clinical recommendations.

A 78-year-old Omemee woman is dead after a vehicle collision on Highway 7 just east of Omemee.

At around 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon (November 2), Kawartha Lakes OPP and emergency services responded to a head-on collision involving a SUV and a sedan.

As a result of the collision, 78-year-old Elsie Lees of Omemee was pronounced dead at the scene.

The other driver was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Highway 7 just east of Omemee will remain closed for several hours while police investigate.

Detours are in place at Orange Corners Road and Emily Park Road.

Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has dashcam footage is asked to contact the City of Kawartha Lakes OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

Gymnastic Ontario’s lifetime suspension of Marcel Rene, the longtime owner and coach of Champions Gymnastics in Peterborough, isn’t the result of anything “nefarious.”

That’s the word from Rene, 71, who tells kawarthaNOW that if there were any reason for his suspension that should alarm the parents and guardians of his young athletes, Gymnastics Ontario wouldn’t have given him the option of re-applying for his membership in three years’ time and wouldn’t be allowing him to stay in his current position until January 1, 2022.

Gymnastics Ontario, the sport’s governing body in Ontario that sets operating standards and practices for member clubs, posted a notice about Rene’s lifetime suspension on its website on Monday (November 1) that gave no reason for the suspension.

In a statement about the suspension emailed to kawarthaNOW on Tuesday, Gymnastics Ontario CEO Dave Sandford states Rene’s suspension resulted “following complaints” received by the organization, but provided no details about the nature of the complaints.

“Out of respect for the complainants, Gymnastics Ontario is unable to provide particulars in respect of the matters that were raised in the complaints,” Sandford adds. “Gymnastics Ontario can confirm that when the complaints were made known to it, they were investigated and promptly dealt with. Gymnastics Ontario can further confirm that the individuals affected by the allegations made against Mr. Rene were involved in the complaints process, including its resolution.”

Sandford also states there is no “risk of harm” from Rene continuing as a coach of Champions Gymnastics until the suspension takes effect in the new year.

“Gymnastics Ontario has not been apprised of any information that suggests there is any risk of harm to its members in permitting Mr. Rene a brief period of time to remove himself from Champions’ operations.”

While at no point in his statement does Sandford state that Rene can re-apply for membership in three years, Rene says that’s the case as confirmed by an agreement rider.

“Whatever conflict that was involved has all been settled,” said Rene, who did not clarify what that “conflict” involved.

“This is just the finalized part of it,” Rene said. “I am in agreement with it because I was planning on retiring anyway. It’s not related to COVID. It’s a private matter between myself and Gymnastics Ontario. It doesn’t involve the (Champions Gymnastics) club. Whatever statements Ontario Gymnastics made yesterday were the culmination of everything.”

Rene confirmed his son Etienne, a partner in Champions Gymnastics, will take over as head coach come the new year. Rene added he has prepared his son, who has served as a coach for the past 25 years, for that position.

“I’m in agreement with the suspension but there are still some questions that I have,” said Rene, without clarifying what those questions are. “It’s not something I want to pursue any time in the near future. I just want to get through this COVID crap and get my club on a firm footing.”

Rene said the suspension is “strictly a personal thing” between him and Gymnastics Ontario, and does not affect Champions Gymnastics.

“Our club is a member of Gymnastics Ontario in good standing. We received a letter about that just the other day. Nothing changes in the operation of Champions Gymnastics.”

“My retirement was planned two years ago when I turned 70. If it hadn’t been for COVID, I would have retired. We wouldn’t be having this conversation. The only reason there’s a sort of sensationalist attachment to this is I run a gymnastics club. If I was CEO of a company and got bought out, this wouldn’t be in the media.”

“It’s not a big thing,” maintained Rene. “They (Gymnastics Ontario) have to put a statement like this out to basically inform all the clubs in Ontario that I’m not a registered member with Gymnastics Ontario, which means I’m not covered by any of their insurance. I can’t just walk out on the floor at a competition. They have to let people know.”

While both Gymnastics Ontario and Rene are elusive in terms of what’s at the root of the lifetime suspension decision, Sandford said in his emailed statement that his organization “is committed to creating and maintaining a safe sport environment.”

“Gymnastics Ontario invites its members and its stakeholders to report to it any behaviour that fails to uphold these values,” Sandford said.

An Otonabee-South Monaghan Township woman has died in hospital from severe injuries she sustained after her all-terrain vehicle crashed into a tree on Saturday night (October 30).

According to Peterborough County OPP, 44-year-old Nicole Richardson was travelling on Sandy Lake Road in Havelock-Belmont-Metheun Township around 7 p.m. on Saturday when her ATV collided with a tree.

Police and emergency crews were called to the scene, and Richardson was transported to a Kingston-area hospital with life-threatening injuries.

She succumbed to her injuries in hospital at 9:50 p.m. on Monday night.

Police are continuing to investigate the cause of the collision.

Ontario experienced a record number of wildfires this year, including one of the largest in the province’s history, due to severe drought and dry weather conditions that began in July.

The Ontario government released the information in a media release on Monday (November 1) marking the official end of the 2021 fire season and thanking fire ranger and support staff for their courage and dedication.

Between April 1 and October 31 this year, there were 1,198 fires in Ontario — almost double the 607 fires in 2020 and well above the 10-year average of 839 fires for this period.

According to the government, Ontario experienced arid and hot weather and faced drought conditions not seen in close to 50 years in northwestern Ontario.

Around 793,325 hectares of forests were burned, including a 200,000 hectare fire — one of the largest in Ontario’s history — that prompted the government to issue an emergency order for northwestern Ontario and call upon fire crews from the United States, Mexico, and Australia for assistance.

During this year’s fire season, Ontario received the assistance of nearly 500 fire personnel and 25 aircraft. This support included assistance from Canada, the United States, and 20 specialized fire personnel from Australia and over 100 firefighters from Mexico.

“We are deeply thankful to all members of our fire staff and the staff of our national and international partners,” says Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry.

“Our thanks and appreciation also go out to local businesses that worked with the province to protect their communities during these trying times,” Rickford adds. “Our hearts go out to Indigenous communities affected by this historic season. They faced hardship, enduring the pain of being separated from their homes, families, and communities.”

In addition to fighting fires in Ontario, the province deployed more than 80 fire personnel to Manitoba and one to the Northwest Territories to assist with their firefighting efforts.