With rising COVD-19 levels in the capital, Ottawa Public Health is asking people to reconsider their Thanksgiving plans, even suggesting having the traditional dinner outdoors as an option to help reduce the spread of the virus.

The number of COVID-19 patients in Ontario hospitals has now risen to its highest level in two months, and health officials are expressing concerns about the impact of rising cases due to gatherings.

Dr. Dale Calina said, "The reality is that we are seeing more COVID, flu, and cold." "It is important to keep everyone around you healthy because we want to keep people out of the hospital.

The infectious disease doctor at Joseph Brant Hospital said that getting a booster shot can help keep people out of hospitals.

"Even if you don’t have a third or fourth booster, get the bivalent because it targets what we are seeing now."

The latest data shows that 225,000 people in Ottawa have received a fourth dose so far.

The bivalent COVID-19 booster has been available to most people for nearly two weeks.

Christina Paquette, while on a walk with her son and granddaughter, said, "I will probably book for myself for this place because I am over sixty."

She told CTV Ottawa that she is not too worried about this weekend. She said, "We have a small family, so we do not have a big gathering to worry about." But they are taking measures to keep healthy.