By Cecilia Nasmith

Cobourg Chief Administrative Officer Tracey Vaughan noted at Monday's committee-of-the-whole council meeting that her regular COVID-19 updates are getting shorter, and expressed her hope that the time might come when they stop.

For now, however, Vaughan did report that a Nov. 22 deadline for the staff COVID mandate is coming up, requiring either full vaccination or exemption documentation.

“At that point, all employees who have not been vaccinated will have completed the educational component and will be submitting regular testing as well,” Vaughan said.

The province has announced that third or booster doses of the vaccine may now be administered to those over age 70, health-care workers, those who received viral-vector vaccines, First Nation communities, seniors living in congregate settings and those with certain medial conditions.

While capacity limitations remain on outdoor social gatherings, they have been lifted for outdoor organized events as long as participants are masked at any time the appropriate distancing is not possible. So the Santa Claus Parade is a go, with all participants masked and no handing out of candy or pamphlets.

It also means that the holiday season in Cobourg will include Christmas Magic, First Night, skating in the Rotary Waterfront Park, the Mayor's Skate and the Mayor's Levee.

Further relaxation of restrictions from the province will depend on ICU admissions, hospitalizations, test positivity, incident rates and vaccination coverage rates.

Vaughan is happy to announce that, for the first time in 20 months, Victoria Hall is open during its regular operating hours, accessible through the front door.

“I would like to take a moment to say a big thank-you to our residents for continuing to stay safe, to be patient, to understand there are rules in place we are all needing to follow,” Vaughan said.

“We are so pleased to have the opportunity to welcome our residents back into our building, back to events and activities.”