Two people are dead following a two-vehicle collision on Saturday afternoon (October 9) south of Manilla, around 10 kilometres west of Lindsay.

The collision happened at around 12:25 p.m. on Simcoe Street at Brock Concession Road 6.

Both drivers, lone occupants of the vehicles, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Police are not releasing the names of the victims until their next of kin have been notified.

Simcoe Street is closed while Kawartha Lakes OPP investigate the collision. Detours are in place at Salem Road and Cresswell Road.

Police are asking any witnesses who have not yet spoken to the OPP about this incident to contact the City of Kawartha Lakes OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

The OPP is reminding the public to slow down on roadways and take their time while travelling this long weekend. Dangerous drivers can be reported to OPP by calling 1-888-310-1122 or 9-1-1 in an emergency.

The Ontario government has lifted all capacity limits on concert venues, theatres, cinemas, meeting and event spaces, spectator areas of sports facilities, and more, and is removing the requirement for physical distancing.

The changes, which come into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, were quietly announced by the government on Friday afternoon (October 8) before the Thanksgiving weekend.

“With public health and health care indicators remaining stable or improving, the government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, is cautiously lifting capacity limits in select indoor and outdoor settings where proof of vaccination is required, as well as certain outdoor settings that have a capacity below 20,000,” a media release reads.

Effective Saturday, capacity limits will be lifted to allow 100 per cent capacity in the following settings:

• Concert venues, theatres and cinemas
• Spectator areas of facilities for sports and recreational fitness (this does not include gyms or personal training facilities)
• Meeting and event spaces (indoor meeting and event spaces will still need to limit capacity to the number that can maintain physical distancing)
• Horse-racing tracks, car racing tracks, and other similar venues
• Commercial film and television productions with studio audiences.

According to the province, there have been a limited number of COVID-19 outbreaks in these settings.

Proof of full vaccination is still required for entry to these settings, and other public health and workplace safety measures remain in effect, which may include wearing face coverings, screening, and the collecting of patron information to support contact tracing.

In settings where capacity limits have been lifted, the requirement for individuals to maintain two metres of physical distancing is being removed, except in indoor meeting and event spaces.

Proof of vaccination will continue to be required in outdoor settings where the normal maximum capacity is 20,000 people or more.

Capacity limits will continue to remain in effect in all other remaining settings at this time.

Peterburgers, a restaurant located at 25 George Street North in Peterborough, has been charged with failing to comply with proof of vaccination checks and two other violations of public health requirements under the Reopening Ontario Act.

The charge for failing to comply with proof of vaccination checks is the first such charge issued by Peterborough Public Health, according to a media release from the health unit on Friday afternoon (October 8).

According to manager of environmental health Julie Ingram, inspectors with Peterborough Public Health used a “progressive enforcement approach” at Peterburgers, beginning with education of the owner two weeks ago, on September 24.

This was followed by issuing a written warning notice the following Tuesday (September 28). Inspectors delivered the warning notice in person and discussed it with the owner.

The warning notice was discussed further via email between Peterborough Public Health and the restaurant’s owner. Last Friday (October 1) during a follow-up inspection, the owner confirmed they would comply with the requirement to check proof of vaccination.

“While we were hopeful that the business would comply, continued investigation this week confirmed ongoing noncompliance by the establishment,” Ingram states, adding that three charges were issued to the owner today.

The charges under the Reopening Ontario Act are for failing to confirm proof of vaccination and identification of indoor diners, failing to ensure the use of masking and face coverings in the indoor area, and failing to collect contact information for patrons remaining at the premises to dine.

The three charges have a fine of $880 each, for a total amount of $2,640.

“Peterborough Public Health is working with enforcement partners to continue to monitor this premises and the situation,” reads the media release. “Additional enforcement action will be taken, if necessary.”

Peterborough County OPP is reminding drivers, especially on Highway 7, that it is both unsafe and illegal to pass a stopped school bus when its red lights are flashing and its stop sign is extended.

Police have recently received multiple complaints from school bus drivers that drivers are passing stopped school buses while children are getting on and off the bus.

“No students have been injured but dangerous situations were created,” reads a police media release. “Drivers cannot start moving until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm has been retracted, and the bus has started to move.”

The requirement to stop applies to all vehicles travelling on all lanes of multi-lane highways that do not have a median between lanes, such as Highway 7.

“Highway 7 continues to be an area of concern in regards to vehicles passing school buses that have its red lights activated and stop sign extended,” the media release states.

Fines are $400 to $2,000, with six demerit points, for the first offence.

For each subsequent offence, fines rise to $1,000 to $4,000 with an additional six demerit points, with possible jail time of up to six months.

On the eve of the Thanksgiving long weekend, Peterborough’s interim medical officer of health is “hopeful” last year’s post-Thanksgiving spike in new COVID-19 cases won’t be seen this time around.

During a Peterborough Public Health media briefing held Thursday (October 7), Dr. Ian Gemmill said with 70 per cent of the region’s total population vaccinated, that alone greatly lessens the chance of new infections arising as a result of Thanksgiving-related socializing. However, he warns, precautions must still be taken.

“Our actions matter more now than ever,” Dr. Gemmill said.

“Look at what’s happening in other parts of Canada like Alberta where, I think, they moved too early (easing restrictions) and like New Brunswick where I think they’ve just been surprised,” Dr. Gemmill added. “We can’t let our guard down until we are sure that it’s okay to do so.”

Dr. Gemmill provided some advice for those planning to hold social gatherings at their homes over the long weekend.

“For Thanksgiving, gather indoors only if you know everybody is immunized. The vaccine provides us that privilege. Gather outdoors if your group has mixed immunization status, but use public health measures like distancing and masking and so on.”

“What I’m really asking people to do is think carefully. If you’re including people who are unimmunized, you are increasing your risk and you need to practice the public health measures. If you can gather outdoors, that’s clearly better. It’s all about making sure you make the right decisions for you and your family.”

With a new outbreak involving three cases declared Thursday morning at St. Paul’s Catholic Elementary School in Lakefield, that brings to three the number of current outbreaks. An outbreak was declared at Havelock-Belmont Public School in Havelock on October 3, and the school was closed to in-person learning on Tuesday when the number of confirmed cases rose to 10. An outbreak in a workplace setting in Peterborough County is expected to be declared over tomorrow.

“Most of the cases are associated with activities outside of the school,” notes Dr. Gemmill, adding “The cases all seem to be relatively mild.”

While the outbreaks are cause for concern, the overall pandemic picture in the region is stable with 31 active cases at present and 252 close contacts of infected individuals being monitored, many of those associated with the school outbreaks.

To date this week since Monday, 11 new cases have been detected.

“We generally receive one new case per day and sometimes five to six,” said Donna Churipuy, Peterborough Public Health’s director of public health programs and COVID response incident commander.

As of late yesterday afternoon, 84 per cent of area residents aged 12 to 17 have been vaccinated with a first dose while 74 perc ent have received two doses. Those numbers represent a jump of three per cent and five per cent respectively over the past two weeks.

Meanwhile, the percentage of all residents aged 12 and up eligible for immunization has also shown some improvement as well, with 85.5 per cent having received a first dose and 80.8 per cent fully immunized with two doses.

As impressive as the vaccination numbers are, Dr. Gemmill says even higher coverage “is our ticket out” of the pandemic. Noting close to 81 per cent of the total eligible population has received two doses, he points out that the Peterborough region has just 70 per cent coverage when children under age 12 are taken into account along with those in older age groups yet to be immunized.

“Until we can get a vaccine for children, and convince those people who are hesitant, we can’t let our guard down. High coverage is crucial. The vaccine is not the sole weapon but it’s our primary weapon. We’ll be able to manage it someday but we’re not there yet.”

Meanwhile, another pandemic-related issue that has garnered much attention was broached: the outright refusal by some business and restaurant owners to ensure all their customers are fully vaccinated before allowing entry into their premises.

According to Julie Ingram, Peterborough Public Health’s environmental health manager, no charges have been laid to date as efforts have been directed toward voluntary compliance through education. However, she confirmed “a lot of active investigations are underway.”

“If it’s a new premise that we’re hearing about, we’ll start with a phone call or an initial site visit,” Ingram said. “If a repeated complaint comes in for a premise, since we’ve done the education, we will go back. If the complaint is valid and there are still issues of non-compliance, we will issue a formal written warning.”

“We have issued a written warning to two businesses. If there is still non-compliance after that, we will lay a charge. So, generally speaking — I’m a baseball fan — it’s three strikes and you’re out.”

Ingram added that if a warned business continues to be the subject of public complaints, it could be cut some slack if it can show it’s making a genuine effort to comply.

Also in attendance for Thursday’s media briefing was board of health chair and Selwyn mayor Andy Mitchell.