WELLINGTON COUNTY – Local union representatives and an education critic are frustrated with the provincial government’s decision to suspend COVID-19 case reporting in schools and are questioning the province’s transparency and its ability to keep students safe.
COVID-19
Mount Forest Family Health Team prepares for staff shortages
MOUNT FOREST – The Mount Forest Family Health Team (MFFHT) is preparing for staff shortages and alerting the public to the possibility of service cancellations due to pandemic pressures.
Active cases in Wellington County reach all-time high as regional cases decline
WELLINGTON COUNTY – Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) has reported 640 new COVID-19 cases between Jan. 7 and 9. As of Jan. 10, active cases sat at 2,318 after hitting an all-time high of 2,972 cases on Jan. 4.
Rapid antigen tests available at University of Guelph Jan. 10 to 12
GUELPH – The University Guelph will distribute rapid antigen testing kits early next week. A limited supply of testing kits will be available Jan. 10 to 12 while supplies last.
New ‘treat-and-release’ option could help prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed by Omicron
WELLINGTON COUNTY - Paramedics in Wellington County and Guelph could, with a medical directive recently made available to emergency medical services, soon treat those with COVID-19 symptoms at home instead of transporting patients to emergency departments.
Province anticipating arrival of 54.3 million rapid antigen tests
TORONTO - The provincial government is expecting to receive millions of rapid antigen tests this month following a Jan. 5 federal announcement that 140 million rapid tests would be distributed across the country.
WDGPH confirms first death of a child with COVID-19
WELLINGTON COUNTY – A Wellington County child under the age of 10 has died after testing positive for COVID-19. It's unclear if the child's death was caused by the virus.
School board to ask province to add COVID-19 to immunization act
GUELPH – The Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) will be sending a letter to the province requesting several actions to ensure a safer return to in-person learning.
Staffing a struggle but local hospitals keeping up as Omicron spreads in community
WELLINGTON COUNTY – Administrators are managing to cover shifts at the three hospitals in Wellington County, but they are keeping a watchful eye on case numbers in the community and bracing for more challenges ahead.
Students learning from home after province flip-flops on return to classrooms
WELLINGTON COUNTY - Students were supposed to be back in-class this week following a belated Christmas gift of a delayed return to school on Jan. 5.
University hosting public vaccination clinic starting this week
GUELPH – As part of a community-wide effort to increase the availability of third doses and promote vaccination, the University of Guelph (U of G) is hosting a second public COVID-19 vaccination clinic on campus beginning Jan. 4.
Schools closed, hospitals limit surgeries as Omicron variant spreads
TORONTO – With case rates skyrocketing due to the highly-transmissible Omicron variant as the…
Guelph/Eramosa, Erin close facilities in wake of provincial restrictions
WELLINGTON COUNTY – In response to the Ontario government moving to a modified version of step two of the province’s Roadmap to Reopen, the Township of Guelph/Eramosa will be temporarily closing all municipal facilities.
County offering emergency child care for eligible frontline workers
GUELPH – The County of Wellington is back in the emergency child care business. The county announced on Jan. 5 it is working with licensed child care operators in Guelph and Wellington County to offer an Emergency School Age Child Care Program.
Public health expands drop-in vaccine eligibility – notably for children, teachers
WELLINGTON COUNTY – Public health is encouraging more drop-in vaccinations, particularly for students and education workers, while also reserving Pfizer doses for those under 30 due to limited supply.