By James Matthews Respiratory illnesses continue to surge at the four health care facilities in the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s catchment area. Dr. Nicole Bocking, the unit’s medical officer of health, introduced…
Of masks, decency, and the Tory heel
By James Matthews Just wear the mask. It’s the decent thing to do for the people around you. Go ahead: Put it on when you venture close to or within a crowd. If not for…
Region’s top doctor expects early flu season
By James Matthews (Local Journalism Initiative) The seventh wave of COVID-19 hasn’t ended and, as such, people need to remain vigilant to stifle the spread of the virus and its various strains.That vigilance is all…
Pediatric COVID-19 vaccines available
Local families encouraged to make informed decision about vaccinations for children As of 8 a.m. today (July 28), parents and caregivers of children aged six months to under five years are now able to book…
MOH recommending boosters, especially for seniors
By Sue Tiffin The following are brief reports from a Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge district health unit press conference with medical officer of health Dr. Natalie Bocking, held virtually on Jan. 19 and press releases…
COVID-19 outbreak declared at Community Living home
By Sue Tiffin An outbreak has been declared at a community home in Haliburton. The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District health unit reported the outbreak at the Community Living facility on Mountain Street on Jan.…
Premier Doug Ford announces easing of COVID-19 restrictions
Indoor dining, gyms, and movie theatres will be able to open at 50 per cent capacity beginning Jan. 31, according to an announcement made today by the provincial government. After days of announcing “positive news”…
Council approves fairground use for ice racing
By Nick Bernard Ice racing season is a go. Earlier this month when the provincial government announced a modified version of Step Two of the province’s Roadmap to Reopen, the township of Minden Hills closed…
Hike Haliburton – Winter Edition cancelled
By Stephen Petrick Another event is taking a hike, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hike Haliburton - Winter Edition festival, scheduled for Feb. 5 and 6, has been cancelled. The news was made official…
HHHS staffing stable, but still a ‘significant challenge’
By Sue Tiffin While staffing levels at Haliburton Highlands Health Services have remained stable enough that emergency departments have avoided closure, HHHS CEO and president Carolyn Plummer said staffing remains a “significant challenge.” After…
Changes to testing, outbreak guidelines impact daily reports
By Sue Tiffin The following are brief reports from a Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge district health unit press conference with medical officer of health Dr. Natalie Bocking, held virtually on Jan. 12. There have been 4,858…
Ice racers ready to slide into new season
By Stephen Petrick The coolest type of car racing is (pandemic pending) set to return to Minden this winter. Ice racing was originally scheduled to resume at the Minden fairgrounds on the weekend of Jan.…
Long-term solutions needed for long-term care: advocate
By Stephen PetrickSpecial to the Times New measures by the province to protect long-term care residents from COVID-19 seem necessary, but more work needs to be done to improve their quality of life long-term, said…
Focus on mental health critical during winter months
By Nick Bernard Winter – the coldest, darkest time of the year. Where the holidays can be difficult for many, the long trudge towards springtime can be even worse for those who have concerns about…
Minden 50’s Diner ordered to close
HKPRDHU press release, issued Dec. 30 A Minden restaurant has consented to an Order of the Superior Court of Justice to close after failing to comply with a Section 22 order issued by the local…
Schools still planning to return in-person following break
By Nick Bernard Trillium Lakelands District School Board director of education Wes Hahn gave his last COVID-19 update for 2021 ahead of the winter break at the final meeting on Dec. 14. He reported that,…
Ontario announces restrictions for businesses, gatherings as COVID-19…
This afternoon, Premier Doug Ford announced new restrictions for businesses and social gatherings as COVID-19 cases throughout the province continue to rise in part due to the Omicron variant. “Throughout this entire pandemic, we’ve never…
Small, smart, safe
By Sue Tiffin We are all so tired. While there is still excitement and hope in our lives – for the upcoming holidays, for a booster shot, for a new year in which maybe this…
The intersection of fate, luck, and a really…
By Nick Bernard Hi, I’m Nick – reporter for the Haliburton Echo and Minden Times. That’s how almost all of my conversations have started over the past few months. That first half is easy enough…
Vaccine clinics for kids book 122 appointments
By Sue Tiffin The following are brief reports from a Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge district health unit press conference with medical officer of health Dr. Natalie Bocking, held virtually Nov. 24. On the first day…
That other pandemic
By Jim Poling Sr.From Shaman's Rock There’s another pandemic infecting Canadians, and millions of others around the world. It’s a pandemic-within-the-pandemic and medical experts say it will continue long after COVID-19 is brought under control.…