As you know, a few weeks ago the COVID-19 Omicron variant was identified in Ontario. We are writing today with an update about this new variant, and what you should do to protect yourselves and others – particularly as we head into the winter holiday season.
Ontario, and other jurisdictions around the world, are closely and cautiously monitoring the impacts of the new Omicron variant. Yesterday, Michelle E. DiEmanuele, Secretary of Cabinet, announced a temporary interruption in return to the workplace for some staff effective December 17, 2021 until February 7, 2022. This will mean some staff will return to working from home, while others may need to continue to attend the physical workplace in order to deliver essential justice services.
During this time, while our collective understanding about COVID-19 may continue to evolve, we continue to receive the following assurances from the Chief Medical Officer of Health’s Office:
- the ongoing review of evidence demonstrates that the dominant mode of transmission of the new Omicron variant has not changed;
- when the preventative measures in place within our courthouses are properly followed, they are robust and effective at mitigating the risk of transmission of all known variants of COVID-19, including Omicron; and
- no new recommendations have been suggested to enhance or improve the preventative measures we already have in place within our courthouses.
Vaccines remain a critical tool to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and we continue to encourage everyone eligible to get vaccinated. To date, more than 88% of Ontarians aged 12 and older are now fully vaccinated. The accelerated COVID-19 vaccine booster dose eligibility means that as of December 13, Ontarians aged 50 and over and additional high-risk individuals can book their booster appointments - further expansion is anticipated in January 2022. Please read the announcement to determine your eligibility.
The overlapping suite of health and safety measures we have in place in our courthouses, including vaccines, work collectively to prevent the transmission of COVID 19 – and adherence to all of them remains critical, even if you’re vaccinated.
Various organizations, including Public Health Ontario (PHO), have referred to this as the “swiss cheese” model of prevention. No one layer is perfect, but overlapping multiple layers of prevention can reduce the spread of COVID-19, as you will see demonstrated in the PHO fact sheet.
Given the holiday season is around the corner, we know that you will likely be spending more time indoors, and celebrating the holiday season, with colleagues and your families. Please be diligent about your health and safety and, while in our courthouses, please refrain from bringing or accepting shared food, drink or gifts. Please also continue to adhere to precautionary measures such as physical distancing and room occupancy capacities. The health and safety of everyone who attends our workplaces continues to be our top priority.
The months ahead will require our collective vigilance to ensure the gains we have made throughout the pandemic are not lost – together we can continue to keep ourselves and our workplaces safe.
Thank you for your ongoing cooperation and diligence.
Recovery Secretariat