'You have to hunker down and wait it out': Newmarket Mayor John Taylor tests positive for COVID-19

Mayor began feeling ill hours after attending June 18 York Pride parade, which attracted thousands

Yorkregion.com
June 22, 2022
Lisa Queen

Newmarket Mayor John Taylor is isolating at home after testing positive for COVID-19.

He started feeling poorly the night of June 18, hours after cycling in the Pride parade on Main Street, an event that attracted as many as 10,000 people.

“It was late Saturday night where I felt not great, but I just thought ‘long day, allergies, who knows?’" Taylor said. "But Sunday, I started going ‘Oh, I’m really not feeling very good’. Got up Monday morning to see how I was doing and thought I better test myself before going to work and tested myself and tested positive."

“It is what it is. I’m working from home, not going to events for the week... Like so many people who have gone through it, you have to hunker down and wait it out.”

Taylor is experiencing symptoms such as sore throat, cough, restricted breathing, fatigue and runny nose.

The rest of his family has tested negative for the virus.

Taylor has been in contact with York Region Public Health, which said he can end his isolation on Friday.

He’s not sure where he contracted the virus.

While Taylor said there is a possibility someone could have picked up COVID-19 from him at the Pride event, he pointed out he was outside and distanced from people as he rode a bicycle in the parade.

Anyone with concerns should monitor themselves for symptoms and if symptomatic, take a home test, widely available for free at pharmacies, grocery stores and community partners, he said.