COVID-19 not going away, but worst is likely over for Mississauga residents

The worst of the COVID-19 pandemic may have passed, but Mississauga’s mayor and Peel’s top public health official are urging people to remain vigilant in efforts to keep the virus at bay.

While province-wide lockdowns have ended and the majority of public health measures and restrictions have been lifted, with the exception of masking, it doesn’t mean the virus has packed up and left town, Mayor Bonnie Crombie said today (March 3) at her weekly press conference.

“This is a pretty monumental step forward given where we were in January…and to say we’ve come a long way in a short amount of time would be a huge understatement,” said Crombie of the restrictions being lifted earlier this week. “(But) while we’re no longer living with restrictions and lockdowns, it doesn’t mean that COVID is over. We know it isn’t going away anytime soon, but what’s most important is that we have the tools to blunt its impact, and we are using them.”

Dr. Lawrence Loh, Peel’s medical officer of health, said the work of many people at Peel Public Health (PPH) and beyond has made a big difference in “shifting the risk around COVID from what was formerly catastrophic…to something I think with some common sense and our continued collective efforts” can be more manageable.

Loh, making his final scheduled appearance at the weekly Mississauga press conference, added he wanted to be clear in his final remarks

“Even if we’re coming in for landing, or what seems to be a landing, there will be a few bumps along the way. So, I urge everyone to remain patient and vigilant as we continue to navigate forward on this transition,” he said, noting PPH will continue to monitor COVID-19 trends and “we won’t hesitate to act should the situation warrant.”

As person-to-person contact increases with the reopening of Mississauga and areas beyond, Loh said he strongly urges all residents to get vaccinated and boosted “without delay to protect our progress, protect loved ones and protect the community.”

He added people should continue to wear masks in public settings and to stay home if they’re sick to reduce the risk of spread.

“Masks have been an important, life-saving intervention throughout the pandemic. At a time where we didn’t have vaccine, they helped to reduce spread and therefore limit the cascade of severity,” said Loh.

“We’re not fully out of the woods yet,” he continued, so “for the time being…it is extremely important to continue with masking.”

Crombie praised residents “who have shown and continue to show an incredible amount of patience and selflessness through another long lockdown while doing the right thing by getting vaccinated and boosted, and following all the public health guidelines.”

She said she believes things are headed in the right direction.

“I’m confident what lies ahead is an incredibly bright spring and summer where people can fully get back to doing the things they love (and) businesses can fully start the recovery process and once again thrive,” said Crombie. “…we will continue to closely monitor the health trends. And while I hope we never have to move backwards, what gives me confidence is that we can respond quickly if cases were to move in the wrong direction.

“I encourage the Province not to hesitate to bring back (masking and other measures) we know are effective if we were to see a sudden surge of cases and especially if our hospitals were to once again come under serious threat. Being proactive will ensure we never have to see another lockdown again.”