Peterborough Public Health Urges Residents To Take Precautionary Measures To Prevent COVID 19 Transmission Levels From Growing

Dr. Thomas Piggott, Peterborough’s Medical Officer of Health, urges that residents take caution as the COVID-19 Community Risk Index suggests high COVID transmissions in the area, he said in a virtual press conference on Wednesday.

Dr. Thomas Piggott became Peterborough's medical officer of health on Dec. 1 last year. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

According to Piggott, Peterborough has surpassed the level of transmission seen in January and is now in the sixth wave of the COVID pandemic.

“I am concerned by what I am seeing, I am concerned with what I am hearing,” said Piggott.

He urges community members to continue wearing masks ‘at least for a bit longer’ he says.

With Easter approaching, Piggott urged people to take caution when gathering with friends and family.

Screenshot.

The COVID-19 Community Risk Index incorporates data such as wastewater surveillance signals, number of hospitalizations and deaths, percentage positivity of PCR tests and community-reported rapid-antigen tests (through Peterborough Public Health’s online survey), and the local case incidence rate per 100,000.

“It hasn’t yet pushed us into a ‘Very High Risk’ rating, but we are close and I am very concerned if the trend that we’re observing continues that very soon we will be into that position,” he said.

Piggott says that the increase in transmission Peterborough is seeing is on trend with the rest of Ontario.

“If we all come together and take precautionary measures now we can avoid the situation from getting worse, and potentially having a very negative impact not only on our healthcare system but on our communities,” he said.

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