"Yes, get outside, enjoy the great outdoors. Please do not gather indoors."
There were stern but specific messages from Middlesex-London Medical Officer of Health Dr. Chris Mackie at a news conference on Thursday, ahead of the upcoming long weekend.
Mackie noted that case counts are on the decline, however, that could be reversed if rules aren't followed this weekend.
"This is the weekend we could blow it all," Mackie said about the region's recent progress in limiting COVID-19 cases. "The May 24 weekend is the biggest risk we see on the immediate horizon right now."
The news conference came on the heels of Ontario's science table saying that a near-normal summer was possible in Ontario. Locally, Mackie said that splash pads in London should open this summer, but not right now. The provincial government is responsible for announcing business and activity restriction changes.
On the vaccine front, the Health Unit said they're expecting 25,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine to come in next week - and an unknown amount of the Moderna vaccine. However, they don't believe that additional vaccination appointments will be available unless supply increases.
Over 50% of adults in Middlesex-London have received their first dose of the vaccine. 20% of adults are booked to receive their first shot over the next four weeks.
"We were seeing about 4,000 hits a minute at the peak," said Mackie of their booking website on Tuesday when vaccination was opened to all adults in the region. "We still do have about 5,000 appointments left in the system."
You can book your vaccination appointment on the Health Unit's website.
