SIMCOE Healthy people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can return to life as normal during the pandemic, Haldimand-Norfolk’s acting medical officer of health says.
But others should evaluate their risks with their physicians, Dr. Matt Strauss said at this week’s meeting of the Haldimand-Norfolk board of health.
“If you’re fully vaccinated, in general, COVID-19 is about as risky as to you, at least in terms of hospitalization or death, as influenza,” Strauss said. “If you’re a healthy 25-year-old who’s fully vaccinated and you get COVID-19, the treatment is chicken noodle soup and ginger ale.”
However, Strauss said the response to COVID-19 symptoms changes for those who have medical problems, are older and are not fully immunized against the virus. Those individuals should get tested and see a physician or nurse practitioner about getting a prescription for the antiviral drug, Paxlovid, he said.
Paxlovid helps stop COVID infections from progressing to more severe symptoms in people who are at higher risk, potentially averting a hospital stay. But the drug needs to be taken within five days of first experiencing symptoms, so anyone who might benefit from it needs to be able to get it quickly.
Strauss said efforts to make Paxlovid more readily available in Haldimand-Norfolk paid off.
“I’m delighted to report that our advocacy on the subject of local Paxlovid availability was successful,” he said.
“I do not have statistics, but I know from conversations with local physicians and community members that several high-risk community members availed themselves of this treatment of the last two weeks.”
Lsat month, Strauss, with the backing of the health board, lobbied the province to ensure the Paxlovid was readily available in Haldimand-Norfolk. The province announced expanded access to the drug on April 12.
Speaking about COVID-19 safety measures, Strauss said people should follow the advice of Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, and Ministry of Health officials.
“We’re at a stage where we have to do more of our own personal risk evaluation rather than this idea that one size fits all and that everyone should undertake the same precautions.”
Strauss said he that COVID-19 is a low-risk disease for people who are up-to-date on their vaccines and healthy.
“In terms of their risk evaluation, I don’t think they should be avoiding any activities.”
He said the sixth wave of COVID-19 was the least deadly in Haldimand-Norfolk largely because of the vaccine rollout and natural immunity from previous infections.
Overall COVID-19 mortality in Haldimand-Norfolk is declining relative to neighboring and comparable health units, Strauss said.
Meanwhile, temporary foreign workers are returning to local farms, Strauss said.
“I do not expect to see any COVID-19 deaths in this highly vaccinated population, particularly as standards of medical monitoring have been improved and Paxlovid is now readily accessible,” Strauss said.
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