The Chief Medical Officer of Health says the province has seen a slight increase in COVID activity compared to the summer.

That’s similar to what’s been seen across the country according to Dr. Janice Fitzgerald. The numbers are rising earlier in the year than they did last year, but “not alarmingly so.”

An infectious diseases researcher and associate professor at the University of Toronto has released a Canadian COVID forecast, predicting a severe risk from now until November 3. Tara Moriarty says the forecast predicts that one in 21 NL resident will become infected over the next week or two.

Dr. Fitzgerald says it’s important to remember that the majority of people who get COVID suffer mild illness.

That’s not to say we won’t see a surge in cases, which is why it’s important to get vaccinated, staying home when feeling unwell and using that “same advice that we’ve been giving for the last three-four years.”

Some jurisdictions, like British Columbia, have reintroduced mandatory masking in health care settings. Dr. Fitzgerald says that’s an ongoing conversation in this province.

She says Public Health is continually monitoring the spread of COVID throughout the season and if masking needs to be brought back into health care facilities then notification will go out.