Dr.  Kashif Pirzada, a Toronto emergency physician, told the CTV News Channel on Wednesday that reduced public health vigilance paved the way for BA.2 to lead to infections and hospitalization.
“I think it was quite predictable that when they dropped the mask orders it was almost certain that this would happen,” Pirzada said, adding that the sudden increase in Ontario hospitalizations was “worrying.”
Despite hopes that Canada’s vaccination rates and community-level protection through infection could mitigate the effects of the so-called “stealth” subtype, Pirzada said recent sewage surveillance suggests otherwise.
Officials in Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and BC recently reported a sewage analysis indicating that COVID-19 infections are rising again.
However, Pirzada said it was not yet clear whether this sixth wave would be a wave or a ripple, but noted that what is currently happening in Ontario and Quebec could be a sign of what is going to happen in other provinces. .
“It seems that the capacity of hospitals can be exceeded again. Therefore, we are repeating the same mistakes we made before, unfortunately,” he said.
With hospital admissions rising, Pirzanda said provincial governments may need to re-impose mask orders to help reduce infections in the midst of the upcoming spring break.
“Governments need to be smart, but they need to get away from the mask in some way because the big religious holiday season is approaching. Ramadan, Easter, Easter, these are large groups of people who are going to gather indoors. it magnifies things, “he said.
Top Canadian public health officials have said that continuing to use the mask amid easing restrictions in many provinces is a “personal choice”.
The PHAC website states that even if masks are no longer required by local or provincial public health advice, mask use is important and provides “an extra level of protection”.
“Whether you are vaccinated or not, you should consider wearing it in public areas with people outside your immediate family. This is especially important indoors, whether in private or in public areas,” PHAC said on its website. .
Dr Peter Juni, director of the Ontario Science Board for COVID-19, told the CTV News Channel on Tuesday that Ontario is “definitely back” in a phase where case numbers are rising “actually quite sharply” and said that now is not the time to concentrate or go to busy events without a face mask.
Johnny said case numbers, based on sewage surveillance, had returned to levels experienced during the Omicron wave last winter.
He explained that the difference between these waves is that during the Omicron winter peak, changes in human behavior and relaxation of restrictions were “moderate” compared to now that mask orders and vaccine requirements were completely over.
With few public health measures still in place in Ontario, Johnny said it was unclear how serious this spring wave of infections could be.
“What’s important to realize is that we now have about 7.2 million people on the third dose, plus probably about 4.5 million people who have been infected since December 1st.  “This will offer a lot of immunity, but we are definitely not out of wood,” he said.


CONCERNS ABOUT VACCINATION RATES 
Experts say that taking the third dose of the vaccine, which has been shown to be crucial in protecting against the serious effects of Omicron infection, lags behind the first and second doses.
A recent study in the UK found that the effectiveness of two doses of Pfizer vaccine against Omicron-induced symptomatic disease was 65.5 per cent after two to four weeks, before dropping to 8.8 per cent in 25 weeks or more. after vaccination.  With a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine, protection increased to 67.2 percent after two to four weeks, but again began to decrease over time.
Experts say this is a concern for those who are more vulnerable to severe COVID-19 effects, such as older or immunocompromised individuals.  These groups were given priority for early boosters in many parts of the country, so the immunity provided by these doses is more likely to have weakened in the months that followed.  This has sparked discussions about a possible fourth installment for some.
According to data compiled by CTVNews.ca, less than 15 percent of Canada’s eligible population – those aged five and over – are not fully vaccinated, with nearly 11 percent not receiving a single dose.  When it comes to shotguns, about 50 percent of eligible Canadians – aged 12 and over – have taken a third dose.
Pirzada said the slower intake of boosters compared to previous doses was “very worrying”.  He said taking a souvenir could make the difference between having a “mild cold or spending a week in bed trembling” if infected with Omicron.
“People who have a souvenir have a much lighter course of illness, especially if you are four or five months away from your souvenir,” he said.
Dr Lisa Salamon, an emergency physician at the Scarborough Health Network in Toronto, told CTV’s Your Morning on Wednesday that those taking just one or two doses had a higher risk of serious illness if they became infected with the Omicron variant or its variant.
“Obviously we see cases in the unvaccinated, but the under-vaccinated are also a significant number of people who are being treated and could go to the ICU,” Salamon said.
With few public health measures in place, Salamon said individuals need to assess their risks and make informed decisions in the midst of this sixth wave, and urged those who have not yet been fully vaccinated, as well as any booster vaccines.
“What we really need to do if we are going to protect the people around us and the people who are most vulnerable, we really need to wear masks and those who have only one or two doses of the vaccine or even those who have not been vaccinated at all. “to make sure they are fully vaccinated,” he said.