RENFREW COUNTY (Pembroke) — On Monday, the Government of Ontario announced it is taking decisive action by making an order declaring an emergency under s 7.0.1 (1) the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. The Ontario Ministry of Health has ordered the following establishments be legally required to close immediately:
- facilities providing indoor recreational programs;
- public libraries;
- private schools;
- licensed childcare centres;
- bars and restaurants except to the extent that such facilities provide takeout food and
- delivery;
- theatres including those offering live performances of music, dance, and other art
- forms, as well as cinemas that show movies; and
- concert venues.
In addition to the closures ordered by the Province of Ontario, Dr. Robert Cushman, Acting Medical Officer of Health for Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) is strongly recommending that the following premises be included to best protect the public and ensure social distancing:
- personal service settings (hair salons, aesthetician, tattoo studios and tanning salons
- etc.);
- hotel pools and spas;
- unlicensed childcare centres.
RCDHU expects the province to add the above recommended facilities to the list of closures imminently, and our advice is that it is best to be cautious in the meantime.
In regards to social gatherings, Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) is recommending that:
- individuals stay home unless necessary;
- any social gathering, activity or event that exceeds 10 people be cancelled or
- postponed including family gatherings.
- According to the Government of Canada, all international travellers who are returning to Canada:
- Self-isolate for 14 days.
- Monitor your health for fever or cough.
- Contact RCDHU within 24 hours of arriving in Canada and provide your contact
- information if you have returned from Italy, Iran, or Hubei province (China).
Additionally, RCDHU recommends that:
- EVERYONE self-monitor for symptoms, regardless of travel or contact with infected individual(s). If you develop symptoms, immediately self-isolate, then contact your primary care provider or RCDHU at 613-735-8654 extension 577 or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000.
- Any individual over the age of 70 years, self-isolate.
- RCDHU recommends following social distancing measures such as:
- Avoiding all international travel especially travel to the United States of America.
- Maintaining a two-metre distance between yourself and others.
- Any gatherings over 10 individuals be cancelled or postponed.
RCDHU also recommends the following measures to reduce the spread of germs including the novel coronavirus (COVID-19):
- Clean your hands frequently with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then clean your hands.
- If you don’t have a tissue, sneeze or cough into your sleeve and then clean your hands.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, unless you have just cleaned your hands.
- If you are ill, stay home.
- Avoid contact with people who are sick.
- Get your flu shot.
- Avoid crowded areas/events with more than 10 people.
- Avoid visiting family/friends who live in long-term care and/or retirement homes.
In order to better respond to concerns regarding COVID-19, RCDHU has extended our call hours and is taking calls 7-days a week; 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. We ask you to be patient as RCDHU is experiencing high call volumes. To ensure optimal health for all in Renfrew County and District, RCDHU has postponed all clinics and classes, except for some immunization clinics until further notice.
For more information on how to self-monitor, self-isolate, or isolate for COVID-19, visit the website.
RCDHU continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation daily and there are currently no confirmed cases in Renfrew County and District as of March 18 at 2:26 p.m. For more information, visit the RCDHU website.
Additionally, keep yourself up-to-date on the changing COVID-19 situation by visiting:
- Government of Ontario: The Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Information is updated everyday, seven days a week at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. ET.; and
- Government of Canada Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Outbreak Update
