Health & Medical: 1) Paramedics at your door: Ontario’s $89M commitment 2) How to protect yourself from the bad air caused by wildfires; 3) Got the sniffles? Here’s what to know about summer colds, COVID-19 and more; 4) Dangerous illicit drug combination found in region: SMDHU; 5) SMDHU finds West Nile virus in pool of mosquitoes in New Tecumseth; 6) Low-income renters press governments for ways to cool apartments in heat waves

1) Paramedics at your door: Ontario’s $89M commitment

Leave a Comment / News / By Seymour Streets, Courtesy of Barrie Daily

Ontario’s latest investment—a permanent $89 million annual commitment to the Community Paramedicine for Long-Term Care program—signals a defining moment for Simcoe County’s most vulnerable residents. Promising more than just numbers, it’s a nod to the notion that seniors deserve comfort and autonomy, even as age chips away at independence.

Launched in 2020, the CPLTC’s premise is deceptively simple: send trained paramedics to the doorsteps of those waiting for long-term care, offering basic diagnostics and routine check-ins. Across Ontario, over 81,000 people have received more than 310,000 hours of care. In Simcoe County, nearly 2,300 seniors have benefited, though the ripple effect extends well beyond these figures. With fewer 911 calls and less strain on emergency departments, the program is quietly rebalancing the local healthcare system.

At the heart of this shift is a reimagining of the paramedic’s role. No longer just first responders, these professionals now serve as a vital bridge between home and hospital, diagnosing, advising, and—sometimes—simply listening. For many families, the program’s permanence means peace of mind. “It means a permanent program,” said Sarah Mills, her satisfaction measured but unmistakable. “Securing support for our communities as our seniors age at home and really diversifying the portfolio of paramedics in the County of Simcoe.”

The logic for Ontario’s investment is straightforward, if quietly radical: keep seniors in their homes, reduce institutional bottlenecks, and empower families to care confidently. The ability for clients to refer themselves or loved ones underscores a shift toward accessibility and agency.

Of course, challenges remain. The expansion to Indigenous communities and 56 municipalities will test both resources and resolve. Yet the program’s early successes suggest that, for Simcoe County’s aging residents, dignity and safety need not be at odds.

This $89 million commitment is, at its core, a wager on community—one that may reshape the way Simcoe County, and perhaps all of Ontario, thinks about growing old.

References: Province invests $89M to help seniors age ‘safely at home’

2) How to protect yourself from the bad air caused by wildfires;

Courtesy Barrie360.com and The Associated Press

By Caleigh Wells, August 3, 2025

When wildfires burn, the smoke can travel long distances and degrade air quality far away, which presents risks for those breathing it.

Fires burning in one state can make air worse several states away, and wildfires in Canada can send smoke into U.S. cities.

Here’s what to know about taking precautions against poor air quality due to wildfires.

What counts as bad air?

The EPA’s Air Quality Index converts all pollutant levels into a single number. The lower the number, the better.

Anything below 50 is classified as “healthy.” Fifty to 100 is “moderate” while 100-150 is unhealthy for “sensitive groups,” and anything above 150 is bad for everyone.

Sensitive groups include people with asthma, lung disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, said Dr. Sanjay Sethi, chief of the division of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at the University of Buffalo’s medical school.

“If you have heart or lung problems, then you’ve got to be definitely more careful,” Sethi said. “I would either avoid going outside or wear an N95 (mask) or at least a dust mask.”

Is my air unhealthy?

Sometimes the air is bad enough to see or smell the smoke. Even if you don’t see the pollution, it can be unhealthy to breathe.

The EPA maintains a website with up-to-date, regional air quality information. PurpleAir, a company that sells air quality sensors and publishes real-time air quality data, has a citizen scientist, air quality monitoring network with a more granular map of street-by-street air quality readings.

The best way to get indoor air quality readings is to buy a monitor, said Joseph Allen, director of Harvard University’s Healthy Buildings Program.

“You can find these low-cost, indoor air quality monitors just about everywhere online now. They don’t cost all that much anymore,” he said.

What if I have to go outside?

For most people, going outside for just a short time won’t have a negative long-term impact, said Sethi.

Wearing an N95 mask, which became common during the coronavirus pandemic, will help filter out the pollution.

“N95 is going to get rid of 90-95% of the particles,” said Jennifer Stowell, a research scientist at Boston University’s Center for Climate and Health. “If you have access to a mask that has a respirator-type attachment to it, then that’s the very best.”

If you must be outside and you experience symptoms, experts say you should head indoors or somewhere else with better air quality. Even if you are healthy, it’s good to take precautions.

“If you start wheezing, which is like this whistling sound of the chest, or if you’re feeling short of breath, that’s definitely more concerning,” Sethi said.

How do I make my air cleaner?

Close the windows and turn on the air conditioner, if you have one, setting it to circulate the indoor air. Use blankets to cover cracks that allow outside air into your home, such as under doors.

Finally, swapping the air conditioner’s filter for a MERV 13 filter can help, though you should make sure it’s installed correctly.

“If you happen to have access to an air purifier, even if it’s just a room air purifier, try to keep it running and in the room that you’re doing most of your activities in,” said Stowell.

More intense wildfires make it harder for forests to recover on their own. Scientists and entrepreneurs are exploring how we can give them a helping hand

More intense wildfires make it harder for forests to recover on their own. Scientists and entrepreneurs are exploring how we can give them a helping hand

 3) Here’s what to know about summer colds, COVID-19 and more

Courtesy Barrie360.com and The Associated Press

By Devi Shastri, August 2, 2025

Summer heat, outdoor fun … and cold and flu symptoms?

The three may not go together in many people’s minds: partly owing to common myths about germs and partly because many viruses really do have lower activity levels in the summer.

But it is possible to get the sniffles — or worse — in the summer. Federal data released Friday, for example, shows COVID-19 is trending up in many parts of the country, with emergency department visits up among people of all ages.

Here’s what to know about summer viruses.

How much are colds and flu circulating right now?

The number of people seeking medical care for three key illnesses — COVID-19, flu and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV — is currently low, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Flu is trending down and RSV was steady this week. But COVID-19 is trending up in many mid-Atlantic, southeast, Southern and West Coast states.

The expectation is that COVID-19 will eventually settle into a winter seasonal pattern like other coronaviruses, but the past few years have brought a late summer surge, said Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at University of California Davis Children’s Hospital.

Other viruses circulating this time of year include the one that causes “hand, foot and mouth” disease — which has symptoms similar to a cold, plus sores and rashes — and norovirus, sometimes called the stomach flu.

Do viruses spread less in the summer?

Many viruses circulate seasonally, picking up as the weather cools in the fall and winter. So it’s true that fewer people get stuffy noses and coughs in the summer — but cold weather itself does not cause colds.

It’s not just about seasonality. The other factor is our behavior, experts say. Nice weather means people are opening windows and gathering outside where it’s harder for germs to spread.

But respiratory viruses are still around. When the weather gets too hot and everyone heads inside for the air conditioning, doctors say they start seeing more sickness. In places where it gets really hot for a long time, summer can be cold season in its own right.

“I grew up on the East Coast and everybody gets sick in the winter,” said Dr. Frank LoVecchio, an emergency room doctor and Arizona State University researcher. “A lot of people get sick in the summer here. Why is that? Because you spend more time indoors.”

Should you get another COVID-19 booster now?

For people who are otherwise healthy, timing is a key consideration to getting any vaccine. You want to get it a few weeks before that big trip or wedding, if that’s the reason for getting boosted, doctors say. But, for most people, it may be worth waiting until the fall in anticipation of winter cases of COVID-19 really tick up.

“You want to be fully protected at the time that it’s most important for you,” said Dr. Costi Sifri, of the University of Virginia Health System.

People at higher risk of complications should always talk with their doctor about what is best for them, Sifri added. Older adults and those with weak immune systems may need more boosters than others, he said.

Are more younger kids getting sick with COVID-19?

Last week, the CDC noted emergency room visits among children younger than 4 were rising. That makes sense, Blumberg said, because many young kids are getting it for the first time or are unvaccinated.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in May that the shots would no longer be recommended for healthy kids, a decision that health experts have said lacks scientific basis. The American Academy of Pediatrics still endorses COVID-19 shots for children older than 6 months.

How else can I lower my risk?

The same things that help prevent colds, flu and COVID any other time of the year work in the summer, doctors say.

Spend time outside when you can, wash your hands, wear a mask. And if you’re sick, stay home.

4) Dangerous illicit drug combination found in region: SMDHU

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Ian MacLennan, August 6, 2026

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) has issued an alert about a toxic illicit drug combination that has been found in the region.

The alert, posted on the SMDHU website, warns that the drug combination can cause extreme sedation and risk of stopping breathing.

“Details of the substance are not available, but it is believed to be a form of fentanyl and/or fentanyl analogues with animal tranquilizers and/or benzodiazepines added in. It’s been referred to locally as ‘red down,’” the health unit states on its website.

There have also been a higher-than-usual number of suspected drug-related deaths in Simcoe-Muskoka in recent days, though the health unit adds details of the substances are not known.

More information here: at https://www.simcoemuskokahealth.org/

5) SMDHU finds West Nile virus in pool of mosquitoes in New Tecumseth

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Julius Hern, August 6, 2025

Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) office.

A pool of mosquitoes collected from a trap in New Tecumseth has tested positive for West Nile virus, according to the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU).

No human cases have been confirmed by the health unit this year. However, a dead bird tested positive for the virus in late July in Bradford West Gwillimbury

Monitoring of mosquito populations is continuing, with the SMDHU looking for larvae in select locations throughout the region.

It says positive tests results act as a reminder to take appropriate measures against the virus and mosquito bites.

SPREAD

West Nile virus circulates between birds and some species of mosquitoes. The virus can be transmitted to humans or other animals by a mosquito bite if the mosquito has first fed on an infected bird.

The risk of contracting the virus from an infected mosquito is highest in late summer. The typical season for it is mid-April to November.

Birds like crows, blue jays, and ravens are particularly susceptible to West Nile virus.

PREVENTION

The SMDHU recommends the following personal protection measures:

• Use an approved mosquito repellent, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Wear light-coloured clothing and cover up in areas where mosquitoes are present.
• Stay indoors when mosquitoes are most active – at dusk and dawn – when possible.

SYMPTOMS

• Fever
• Muscle weakness
• Stiff neck
• Confusion
• Severe headache
• Sudden sensitivity to light
• Brain illness (in rare cases)

Although most people will not become sick if bitten by an infected mosquito, the virus can cause severe illness in some people.

Last recorded in 2022, the Public Health Agency of Canada reported 47 human cases of West Nile Virus for that year.

In July, the City of Toronto collected three batches of mosquitos which tested positive for the virus. Other positive tests have been confirmed in other parts of the GTA.

6) Low-income renters press governments for ways to cool apartments in heat waves

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Michael Tutton, Aug. 6, 2025

Sandra Walsh was struggling to breathe in her apartment when temperatures across Nova Scotia soared in July, but the woman on social assistance says her pleas for a government-funded air conditioner have been ignored.

“With the high humidity, it effects my breathing and I have to gasp for air,” says the 46-year-old woman, recently diagnosed with a progressive lung disease. “Even taking frequent, cold showers isn’t really helping.” 

The resident of New Glasgow, N.S., is among many low-income Canadians with health conditions struggling to get government help to stay cool. She wants to buy a $300 air conditioner, but that would leave her with little money for food or medications.

As of Wednesday, Walsh said it had been more than two months since she asked her income assistance caseworker for money to pay for an air conditioner. She said she has made the same request every summer since 2020, but has been refused.

Similar struggles over what advocates call the “right to cooling” are gaining attention across the country.

Renters’ groups argue AC units are sometimes required to prevent illness and death, and some experts are calling for wider solutions that could include public cooling centres. 

Last year, another resident of New Glasgow, Julie Leggett, won an appeal before an adjudicator who decided the province had to pay for air conditioner due to her chronic pain condition. But the ruling only applies to Leggett. 

Nova Scotia’s Department of Social Development said in a recent statement its policy of refusing to cover the cost of air conditioners for low-income people with health conditions has not changed. 

“In situations where health risks are worsened by extreme heat, caseworkers may refer individuals to local charities such as St. Vincent de Paul or churches,” a spokeswoman for the department said in an email.

Meanwhile, the province says Efficiency Nova Scotia — a non-profit energy conservation utility — can help landlords purchase heat pumps for affordable housing.

Leggett says these solutions aren’t always available to people living in poverty. “The province

should not be trying to push its legal obligations onto non-profits that are already maxed out,” she wrote in an email.

In Ottawa, where temperatures soared in mid-July, 75-year-old apartment dweller Marie Lourdes Garnier said provincial governments should be helping low-income renters purchase air conditioners.

She said her apartment was stifling during a recent heat wave, adding that in recent weeks she’s found herself growing faint despite continually splashing cold water on her head.

A spokesperson for the Ontario government said people on income assistance can apply for an air conditioner when municipal or First Nations programs permit it. In addition, people with disabilities can apply through the Ontario Disabilities Support Program. And the City of Toronto recently started offering a pilot program for low-income seniors.

Garnier, who lives on a small pension, isn’t eligible for these programs because she is not receiving income assistance. 

“It’s very, very expensive for me … (and) I’m not talking about (needing an AC unit) for comfort. It’s a matter of life and death.”

Last year, an advocacy group for low-income renters known as ACORN found that a “negligible proportion” of its membership received public funds to buy an air conditioner or heat pump. A majority of the 737 people who responded to a survey reported poor sleep, fatigue and headaches from excessive indoor heat.

In Moncton, N.B., Peter Jongeneelen — vice chair of ACORN New Brunswick — said that during a recent heat wave, he was admitted to an ER because he was suffering from heat exhaustion.

He said people living on disability pensions need help, “(but) there’s no real programs out there in New Brunswick. It’s something we would like to change.”

Meanwhile, the number of people showing up at emergency rooms with heat-related problems continues to rise. Last month, Health Canada reported this type of case rose from about 600 in 2004 to about 1,100 in 2023. 

In British Columbia, where a “heat dome” in the summer of 2021 caused 600 deaths, the province committed $30 million in 2023 for a free air conditioner program run by BC Hydro. Since then, about 27,500 free AC units have been installed, the utility said.

Still, University of British Columbia researcher Liv Yoon says the program has faced challenges. Some landlords, for example, have said their buildings simply can’t support air conditioning. 

Yoon, co-author of a report titled “A Right to Cool,” said there’s a need for public cooling centres and access to free public transit to reach them. The report also calls for creation of affordable housing that includes passive shade systems to reduce indoor heat. 

Alex Boston, a B.C.-based urban planner and consultant, said air conditioners may be necessary for some low-income renters, but other solutions are often available.

Indoor temperatures can be lowered by using window shades and fans, he said in an interview. Simple shading and air movement can decrease indoor temperatures by as much as 10 C, he said.

In New Glasgow, Walsh said shades and fans might help.

“But a refusal (of assistance) would mean I would suffer and not be able to breath with the extreme heat, which can lead to death,” she said.