Oakville, Burlington, Milton, Halton Hills residents asked to wear masks indoors

By

Published April 18, 2022 at 11:22 am

COVID-19 transmission in Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills has increased. PEXELS PHOTO

Halton Regional’s Medical Officer is “strongly recommending” Oakville, Burlington, Milton and Halton Hills residents wear their masks indoors.

With public health measures and restrictions lifted in the province, COVID-19 transmission in the community has increased says Dr. Hamidah Meghani.

Wastewater viral signals for COVID-19 in Halton indicate test positivity rates are increasing every week, especially the BA.2 variant.

“While it is known that the BA.2 variant can cause infection in immunized individuals and is more transmissible than previous Omicron sub-lineages (BA.1m BA.1.1), the severity of BA.2 infection is still unclear,” she said.

“Most recent available data shows that Halton reported the highest proportion of BA.2 cases in Ontario.”

Dr. Meghani says it’s important local residents consider their individual risk and the risks to those around you.

“I strongly recommend Halton residents continue wearing high-quality masks in indoor settings where physical distancing may be a challenge,” she said.

Dr. Meghani also suggest local residents keep up to date with all the recommended doses of COVID-19 vaccination.

“(It) is one of the most important things that residents can do to reduce their risk of severe disease and protect our healthcare system,” she added.

insauga's Editorial Standards and Policies advertising