September 15, 2020 – Special statement from Dr. Alan Forster, The Ottawa Hospital

I’d like to begin by telling you what is being done to increase the region’s testing capacity. We know people are frustrated by the long lines and we hear you. None of us want this. Believe me. These waits tell us that, with the COVID-19 surge we’re seeing now, the expansion of services so far is not enough. We have recently increased staffing and added a new site, and there is quite a bit more in the works. Because Ottawa continues to have a large portion of the new provincial cases, we will continue to build capacity. But we also need the residents of Ottawa to continue to wear masks, physical distance, and to stay home from work or school if you have any symptoms of COVID-19. I am here on behalf of The Champlain COVID-19 Response Committee, which is coordinating these testing efforts. This committee is made up of health-care partners throughout the region. It includes hospitals in Ottawa, Ottawa Public Health, Paramedics and other partners in care. Our work is based on guidance provided by Ontario Health, as part of carrying out the government’s testing strategy. As we shared yesterday, we have seen record-setting volumes at the COVID-19 testing sites in recent days. We knew that in Stage 3 and with kids returning to school we could see these volumes. To prepare, we have tripled staffing in the last month for testing children and youth at the centre. More are being trained and still more are being hired. Additional staff are being trained to extend hours of operation at the Brewer Assessment Centre by 4 hours/day, to 12 hours of operation, 7 days/week. The hours for the drive-through Assessment Centre on Coventry Rd. will be extended as well, and the technical issues related to the booking system have been resolved. The extended hours will begin as soon as the staff are trained and we aim for that to occur within a week. We will be letting people know with your help and through social media when those new hours are in effect. We are also looking to expand the hours for the Care Clinics run by Hôpital Montfort and the Queensway Carleton Hospital, and are exploring options for an additional testing site. In terms of the long lines- the new drive-thru facility at Coventry road is based on online booking. The IT issues have been resolved and we are now considering how to roll out the online booking at Brewer. We have mobile testing capacity. So, if there is an outbreak in a school, we can send a mobile unit to that school to do the testing. In the meantime, that capacity is added to what we can offer at Brewer. This brings me to a call to action I have for the community. We are actively seeking health-care professionals, perhaps retired nurses, who would be willing to join the effort to combat COVID-19. The region’s ability to increase testing capacity and open more testing sites is affected by the human resource pool that is available. The pandemic means there is increased demand for the care providers we are seeking to staff the testing facilities. That finite human resource pool is now providing more care in hospitals, staffing more in long-term care homes and there are more nurses in schools. This is all essential work. So, if there are health-care retirees willing to join the effort, they would be more than welcome as we look to build additional testing capacity. It would be helpful to understand the reasons why we test: to diagnose people who have COVID-19 symptoms, so that they have access to any treatment or advice they need; and know to remain in strict isolation until they are no longer infectious to others

to perform contact tracing and follow the spread throughout the community, to ensure that anyone who has been exposed to COVID-19 is aware of their options

to proactively identify cases amongst high-risk populations, including long-term care homes. We are working day and night to increase our ability to test people and to create additional capacity in the local lab to get folks timely results. The testing strategy continues to evolve and tomorrow the CCRC will be speaking with city councilors to continue the collaborative nature of this historic effort. There is a lot in the works, and we want to do more. I hope to have more we can tell you about in the near future. We all want what is best for those who need care and who need testing. But we also need everyone to help. Let’s do everything we can to bring down our infection rates, so Ottawa isn’t a hotspot. Wash your hands, physically distance, wear your masks and stay home if you aren’t well. It all makes a difference, and everyone can make that difference.

September 15, 2020 - Special statement from Dr. Vera Etches

Over the last several days, Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has seen an increase in the number of individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19. On Monday, OPH reported 61 new cases and today we are reporting 52 new cases – we haven’t seen numbers this high since May. I have three very clear and important messages today: The first one isn’t new, however it can’t be said enough and I am concerned some have forgotten: we must limit our close contacts. Close contacts are people that we see, particularly indoors, without masks on, where two metres distance is not kept, for more than 15 minutes.Provincial guidance limits “social circles” to 10 people however it may not be clear to people that groups of 10 cannot mix with other circles without greatly increasing risk of COVID-19 transmission. And, less is better. My strong recommendation is to prioritize your household members and any essential supports such as childcare help or grandparents. Keep your distance, wear masks and stay outside with anyone else. I have been talking with the province about how to provide clear direction that without these layers of protection our social gatherings must be smaller. Where is the increase coming from? While it takes time to investigate the source of transmission and identify trends, it is clear that a large proportion of transmission is occurring primarily in private social gatherings such as parties and large family get-togethers where you may come in close contact with multiple people. We all need to reassess our behaviours. We’ve seen how just one person with cold-like symptoms who attends a small get-together can lead to 40 people testing positive in a short period of time. Today, I’m asking you to check in regarding your social behaviours. Ask yourself how many close contacts you’ve had recently (again, close contacts are those you spend time with less than two metres apart with no mask or other precautions in place). Are you spending time with these same people every day, or different groups? Do you have an understanding with your close contacts not to have other close contacts outside your group, or, are you potentially connected to a long chain of transmission?

I know parents may be asking how limiting close contacts matters if their children are attending school in person, where it seems contacts are already increased; however, these settings have extra precautions in place. If you have children attending school in-person, you need to increase precautions your family takes outside the school setting. Large gatherings with close contacts, even with the same school friends, are not a good idea. It’s not an all-or-nothing approach. Each decision we make to reduce risk helps. Our collective actions are what adds up to keep our community safe. My second message is that OPH is currently only recommending COVID-19 testing for those who are showing symptoms of COVID-19 or if you are a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. We are hearing of very long wait times at testing sites and we need to prioritize testing for those who have symptoms or are close contacts who have been instructed by public health to get tested. We need the laboratories to have the capacity to be able to provide rapid turn-around times to manage outbreaks and school exposures quickly. The purpose of a test is to determine if you have COVID-19 so we can provide information on treatment, identify close contacts and prevent further spread. Instead of engaging in activities that give you a concern that you might need testing, please rethink the things you are doing and with whom, to reduce your risk and testing. Together with our hospital partners, we are working on ways to adapt the testing strategy to meet the needs of the community as the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic changes. Improving access to testing for children and families is a priority to keep people in school. My third and final message is we are concerned about the rise of individuals testing positive in long-term care settings. When there is more COVID-19 in the community, the risk of it entering LTCHs, where death is a devastating outcome, increases. OPH recognizes the substantial challenges facilities face in safeguarding residents, staff, family and essential visitors. However, strict adherence to infection prevention and control best practices and outbreak management guidelines is essential to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and other illness among our most vulnerable. We continue to work closely with the province and owners of long-term care homes to ensure the guidance on outbreak management is clear and carried out in a timely manner. OPH is seeing an increase in the number of Ottawans who test positive and in the number of close contacts people have. We are seeing an increase in outbreaks at long-term care and retirement homes. And there has been an increase in deaths. We must act collectively to counter these increases. The decisions we make and the actions we take today will directly impact our situation in the near future. Thank you. Merci. Meegwetch

September 11, 2020 - Special statement from Dr. Vera Etches

It’s hard to believe it’s been six months since we announced the first individual who tested positive for COVID-19 in Ottawa. The fear about contracting the virus when going out has been countered with evidence that if we practice physical distancing, wear a mask, stay home when sick and keep our hands clean, we are unlikely to see transmission of the virus. The fear of not enough masks and not enough hospital space has been addressed with better supply chains and contingency plans and the preventative behaviours of all of us. The uncertainty of how long the pandemic will last has given way to recognition that we are living with a constant risk of resurgence for the next year or more. We know the virus has caused significant hardship to families and businesses, so we are resolved to enable schools to open and people to work and to continue social supports. We have learned that social isolation is unsustainable and we must find ways to stay connected to older adults in our communities. Now is still a time to keep our social contacts limited and invest in the relationships of people closest to us. I am hopeful that with our COVIDWise actions in place, limiting community transmission, we will come through the next six months stronger together. Supporting a safer back-to-school We have another week of back-to-school under our belts. Ottawa Public Health’s (OPH) COVID-19 school support team continues to work closely with all four of Ottawa’s school boards and school staff to support a safer return to school. Unfortunately, we have already seen individuals who work at or attend schools test positive for COVID-19. However, to date, no outbreaks in schools have been declared because transmission of the virus occurred in the community, not in the schools. Our case management team is working hard to reach individuals who test positive and their close contacts to ensure everyone knows the next steps they need to take. And we are working with school boards to ensure there are clear protocols for assigned seating so entire busloads of students don't need to be isolated because of potential exposure. I want to make this very clear: if someone in your household has symptoms that could be COVID-19, all household members in close contact must stay home until that person tests negative or 14 days have passed (the whole family does not need to be tested in this instance). This added precaution in Ottawa is key to keeping COVID-19 out of schools. Daily screening is another way we can make schools safer for children, youth and staff. Parents and students can use our COVID-19 Screening Tool for Students which is available in seven languages. Make it part of your morning routine. And speaking of routine, we’ve received questions about precautions students and school staff can take when returning home from school. What’s most important is washing your hands and cleaning or properly disposing of your mask (information on proper mask cleaning can be found on our website). You can also leave your shoes at the door and wash or disinfect high-touch surfaces like doorknobs, countertops, faucets, light switches and lunchboxes. Have your say This isn’t a one-way conversation; we continue to welcome feedback from residents about how COVID-19 is affecting your life including your long-term aspirations and concerns living with the virus. Visit Engage.Ottawa.ca/Covid19 to have your say. Your feedback will continue to help us develop a recovery plan that meets the needs and expectations of our community. COVID-19 and stigma The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a rise in stigma and prejudice against people who have the virus. This stigma can provoke discriminatory behaviours because of a perceived link with the disease. OPH has developed a position statement on stigma and COVID-19 to address the stigma and prejudice in our community against those who have the COVID-19 virus, people who are thought to be carriers of the virus based on appearance and people who are thought to be from areas where the COVID-19 virus originated. Some solutions include using person-first language. Instead of referring to a COVID case, we say “individual who has tested positive for COVID-19". We can also speak positively, and recognize that the reasons people test positive for COVID-19 are often beyond their control, as people’s need to work and inability to self-isolate may be challenges that increase risk of exposure. We need to point people to supports that exist and we can correct myths, rumours and stereotypes. More ideas can be found within our statement which is available on our website. Let’s work together to keep our community free from stigma. COVID-19 and mental health As always, I encourage everyone to check in regularly on your own mental health. Try to unplug and find a balance. Know that you are not in this alone. Try to stay active and get outdoors. And talk to someone. It’s OK to not be OK. Visit our website for more information and resources.

September 8, 2020 - Position statement on stigma and COVID-19

Ottawa Public Health has developed a position statement on stigma and COVID-19 to address the stigma and prejudice in our community against those who have the COVID-19 virus, people who are thought to be carriers of the virus based on appearance, and people who are thought to be from areas where the COVID-19 virus originated. We encourage you to review the position statement and follow the recommendations included so that we can all work together to keep our community healthy and free from stigma.

September 4, 2020 - Special statement from Dr. Vera Etches

This week Ottawa surpassed 3,000 lab-confirmed positive tests of COVID-19. More young people are testing positive for COVID-19, however, we continue to see positive results in all age groups and across the city. Recently, Ottawa experienced a concerning increase in the number of persons being diagnosed with COVID-19 linked to indoor gatherings (e.g. parties) and behaviours that have demonstrated a relaxation of COVID-19 precautions. Earlier this week, I issued an open letter to post-secondary students welcoming them to the community and encouraging everyone to continue to do their part to keep COVID-19 transmission low. The letter highlights important information for students new and returning to Ottawa, including the importance of being COVIDWise, OPH resources, the City’s Temporary Mandatory Mask By-law, limits and recommendations for social gatherings and requirements for international students. It also references a variety of resources for students not related to COVID-19, including our youth portal The Link and mental health, nutritional and sexual health resources. We look forward to continuing to engage with our post-secondary community. Supporting a safer back-to-school The start to school is different this year as OPH works with school boards, school staff and families towards a safer back-to-school experience. I invite you to watch this short video where I answer some of the most common questions from parents and caregivers as they start the school year. COVID-19 screening tool for students Active screening of children and staff will play a key role in keeping COVID-19 out of schools. OPH has updated the screening tool for parents to use each day to help monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. New testing site and when to get tested OPH is currently recommending testing for people showing symptoms of COVID-19 and people who are in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Testing for students, teachers and school staff before returning to school is generally not recommended if they do not have COVID-19 symptoms. A full list of symptoms can be found on our website. Earlier today, The Ottawa Hospital in partnership with OPH and the City of Ottawa opened a new COVID-19 drive-thru assessment centre on Coventry Road. This new site will help increase testing capacity across the city. This is an out-of-hospital testing site where people with pre-booked appointments can get tested by a healthcare provider from their cars. Please note you must book an appointment before visiting this site. More information is available on our website. OPH and healthcare partners are currently exploring additional access points for testing. As we enter September, a month of new beginnings for many in our community, I am reflecting on the last six months since COVID-19 arrived. In that time, we've learned a lot and continue to learn new things every day. This is a new virus and we've been doing our best to make the best decisions we can based on rapidly evolving information. We know what works; we simply have to apply these principles to new settings. We can avoid more drastic measures by keeping the level of COVID-19 manageable. I am grateful for all who have helped with the return to school and the supports they provide to students, families and the community. We must balance the risk of COVID-19 transmission with mitigating other harms to the well-being of children, youth, families, school staff and the broader community. We are all impacted when people cannot rely on schools to support childhood development and economic activity as we usually have. We will get through this, Ottawa, and every one of us here at OPH will be there with you every step of the way.

September 2, 2020 - An open letter to post-secondary students from Dr. Vera Etches

August 28, 2020 – Special statement from Dr. Vera Etches

On Wednesday this week, Ottawa City Council voted to extend the temporary mask by-law until October 31. The by-law was also amended to include mandatory masks in additional enclosed spaces, such as taxis and rideshares, the common areas and shared services of condos, apartment and multi-residential buildings, and the option of establishing mandatory mask zones in crowded outdoor areas where physical distancing is difficult. Wearing masks correctly helps control the spread of COVID-19 in our community and is associated with less deaths. Since the original decision to implement the temporary by-law on July 15, most residents of Ottawa have embraced masking practices, and understand it is one of the tools we have to minimize COVID-19 transmission. These latest amendments were in response to public input about gaps in protection in our community, and will help limit the spread of the virus as children and youth go back to school, and businesses continue to reopen. It is incredibly important to keep COVID-19 transmission as low as possible in our community, to minimize the risk of it being introduced in schools and long-term care homes. Masks should be well fitted, comfortable, washed regularly, and properly put on, taken off and stored. Masks should also be used in addition to other protective measures, such as physical distancing, hand washing, not touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands, and staying home if you are sick. Be sure to visit OPH’s FAQs and guidance about masks on our website. Please remember that not everyone is able to wear a mask. We must continue to be kind to each other as we navigate these difficult times. In our letter this week to the Ottawa Carleton District School Board (OCDSB), OPH recommended that younger students from Kindergarten to Grade 3 should not be discouraged from wearing a mask if they are tolerated and if they are able to wear them properly. While there is lots of evidence to support the benefits of mask use for the general population, limited information is currently available on the benefits of mandatory masks for younger children. The size and fit of masks for children is important and OPH recommends practicing at home to get used to them. For those who can only tolerate a mask for a short period of time, schools and parents should prioritize situations such as drop off and pick up when physical distancing may be a challenge. Once we’ve gained experience from voluntary masks with younger children, the question of making them mandatory may be revisited. The majority of new people diagnosed with COVID-19 are from close contacts and household transmission The data tells us we are not seeing COVID-19 transmission where people are wearing masks – that is excellent news! To date, there have been no known outbreaks directly linked to bars, restaurants, gym facilities or other business establishments where people gather and where masks are currently mandated under the Temporary Mandatory Mask By-law. Where we are seeing COVID-19 transmission is mostly linked to close contacts. It includes settings such as your home, visiting loved ones or friends, where familiarity and comfort make it easier to let your guard down. Remember that anyone can be infected with COVID-19 and they may not know that they are transmitting the virus – even your family and friends. New COVID-19 screening tool and other resources for students and parents This week, Ottawa Public Health (OPH) released its new screening tool for students. This screening tool will help parents and guardians make that important daily decision of whether or not their child should attend school. Active screening of children and school employees will play a key role in keeping COVID-19 out of schools. Screening should be done every day and this tool can be used as often as you like. No personal information is requested or tracked when using the tool, which means that you and/or your child cannot be personally identified or linked to your responses. Its sole purpose is to assist in decision-making. If you have more questions about your child’s health, it is recommended that you contact a healthcare provider. For school staff, a separate health screening questionnaire is available on our website. Multilingual resources In the continued effort to prepare for back to school and to reach as many of our residents as possible, OPH is using different channels to connect with the diverse communities attending Ottawa schools. We will be issuing public service announcements on a local radio station in multiple languages to address various topics of interest, including the return to school, how to support a safer return to school, what happens if your child is a close contact of someone infected with COVID-19, and how to maintain and limit your social circle. OPH continues to work in partnership with school boards to reach families in various languages. Multilingual Resources for Diverse Communities During COVID-19 continue to be available on our website including videos, posters, factsheets and other resources. OPH recently collaborated with Refugee613 to develop Multilingual mandatory mask videos. Also new on our page are Staying Safe During COVID-19 Multilingual Videos. Receiving critical information in your language of choice helps us to make informed decisions about our health and well-being, especially during COVID-19. OPH will continue to update these resources as more information becomes available. OPH is also thrilled to share these new COVID-19 videos in American Sign Language and la langue des signes québécoise to support the Deaf. It’s OK to not be OK COVID-19 has impacted everyone differently, and we continue to hear about the negative mental health impacts from business owners, employers, employees, parents, children and youth and older adults. Help is available. Please continue to check OttawaPublicHealth.ca/COVIDMentalHealth for mental health information for all ages. This weekend, I hope you take time to take care of your mental health by being active and spending time outdoors. Try to unplug when you can and reach out for help when you need it. Let’s continue to do our part caring for neighbours and looking out for each other by wearing a mask, washing hands often, keeping at least 2m of distance from others and staying home when you feel unwell. Thank you for your continued efforts to support a safer city of Ottawa.

August 21, 2020 – Special statement from Dr. Vera Etches

As students and staff return to the classroom, Ottawa Public Health (OPH) continues to work with school boards, staff, parents and guardians, and children and youth to have ongoing conversations about a safer return to school. Our aim is to keep transmission as low as possible in schools and this will continue to be a community-wide effort. Active screening of children and staff will play a key role in keeping COVID-19 out of schools. OPH is currently working on a screening tool for parents to use each day to help monitor for COVID-19 symptoms. This tool will be available on our back-to-school website before the start of the school year. School staff can use the health screening questionnaire already on our website. If you notice symptoms and are unsure whether it might be COVID-19 or an underlying condition like asthma or allergies, you should speak to a healthcare provider who can help you decide if and when a test should be done. Addressing the “what if” scenarios We continue to receive many “what if” questions from parents and caregivers. What if my child tests positive for COVID-19? What if someone in my child’s class or school tests positive? What happens if there is an outbreak in my child’s school? Please know that you will not be left to guess the answers. OPH continues to be there every step of the way as we navigate this new territory. We are hiring 36 public health nurses to assist schools with everything from setup to hygiene recommendations, outbreak prevention and guidance if necessary. If your child tests positive for COVID-19, they will need to stay home and self-isolate for at least 14 days. An OPH nurse will contact you to determine who else inside or outside of the home needs to self-isolate or be tested. Every situation is unique and you will be supported by public health professionals along the way. Your child can return to school after: they have completed at least 14 days of self-i solation.

they have had no fever for 72 hours.

their symptoms have been improving for at least 72 hours. Note: a doctor’s note or a repeat COVID-19 test is not required for your child to return to school. If someone in a school setting tests positive for COVID-19 and your child is a close contact, an OPH case manager will contact you directly to let you know and advise you to access COVID-19 testing at the appropriate time. If your child is not a close contact, they do not need to be tested and can continue attending school as long as they do not have symptoms of COVID-19. An outbreak would be confirmed in a school when, after investigation, it is found that there are: at least two positive cases in a s chool.

transmission from one person to another i s thought to have happened at the school. All school outbreaks will be disclosed on the OPH daily dashboard available on our website. If there is an outbreak in your child’s school, OPH will reach out to parents and guardians of close contacts to let them know next steps which include staying home, monitoring for symptoms and testing if appropriate. Please continue to watch for updates from your school board and check our school webpage regularly for the latest guidance and resources. This will be updated as new information becomes available. How to wear and care for your mask OPH continues to encourage mask use when indoors, including in workplaces and areas not covered by the City’s Temporary Mask By-law. As more people transition back to the workplace, it is important for employers and employees to keep up with physical distancing and hand hygiene, and we strongly recommend wearing a mask indoors in high traffic and common areas, especially when appropriate distancing is not possible. Like any piece of clothing, cloth masks will get dirty and it is important to wash them regularly after use. For machine washing, you can wash the masks with other laundry using a hot water cycle. For hand washing, use laundry detergent and water as hot as it is safe. Wash, rinse and then dry thoroughly. For children wearing masks to school, anticipate a nightly hand-wash of the mask or rotating between a number of masks if possible. Remember to never touch the inside of your mask when putting it on and taking it off, and wash hands or use hand sanitizer before and after handling masks. OPH has important resources to show how to safely put on and remove a mask and additional frequently asked questions on our website. The next phase of engagement OPH wants to hear from the community about how COVID-19 has affected you. The next phase of our public engagement strategy, which launched today, focuses on the mandatory mask by-law, gatherings, high-risk sectors, schools, innovation in businesses and looking ahead. Let’s keep the conversation going: Visit engage.ottawa.ca/covid19 to have your say.

August 18, 2020 – Special statement from Dr. Vera Etches

It’s no question that the last couple of weeks have been a very stressful time for parents and school staff. Ottawa Public Health (OPH) will continue to be involved with back-to-school plans and the ongoing conversation with the Province, our school boards and school staff, parents and guardians and children and youth with the goal of keeping COVID-19 transmission as low as possible. With back to school around the corner, OPH is getting questions about when or if parents should have their children tested for COVID-19 infection. OPH is currently recommending testing for those showing symptoms of COVID-19 – this is the most important reason to be tested. Those who are in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 who do not have symptoms should also be tested. Testing your child before returning to school is generally not recommended if they do not have COVID-19 symptoms because it is extremely unlikely to find an active COVID-19 infection. For the same reason, teachers and school staff do not need to be tested before returning to school. Testing only provides information about one point in time. Additionally, a negative test is not a guarantee that one doesn’t have COVID-19 because a person will likely test negative in the first few days after an exposure to COVID-19. If someone in a school setting tests positive for COVID-19 and your child is a close contact, an OPH case manager will contact you directly to let you know and advise you to access COVID-19 testing at the appropriate time. Otherwise, the only reason to have your child – or yourself – tested is if they are showing symptoms consistent with COVID-19. A full list of symptoms can be found on our website. If after reviewing the symptoms on our website you’re still not sure if symptoms are because of COVID-19 or an underlying health reason such as allergies, you should speak to a healthcare provider such as a family doctor who can help you decide if and when a test should be done. However, a doctor’s note is not required before getting a test and please be aware that a doctor or healthcare provider cannot write you a note that says a child does not have COVID-19. If someone from a school setting tests positive for COVID-19 and your child is not considered a close contact, you do not need to have your child tested or keep them home. Continue to practice daily screening of children and/or youth and monitor for symptoms. OPH is currently working with the province to develop a screening tool to help parents screen their children. This tool is expected to be ready on our website before the start of the school year. School staff can use the health screening questionnaire on our website. Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 must self-isolate at home until: the individual has completed 14 days of isolation from when their symptoms began OR when they received a positive test result (if they never had symptoms of COVID-19)

the individual has not had a fever for 72 hours, and

the individual’s symptoms have been improving for at least 72 hours A doctor’s note is not required before returning to work or school after testing positive for COVID-19, nor is another COVID-19 test. New COVID-19 webpage for back-to-school I know this is a lot of information to take in and there are other questions people have about schools and COVID-19. So, I am happy to share that today OPH launched a new webpage that includes information and resources for parents. This webpage will be regularly updated and can be found at ottawapublichealth.ca/SchoolsCOVID19. This webpage includes: school reopening plans

health promotion and disease prevention measures

mental wellness supports

partner resources

and much more. I encourage parents to check this page regularly for the latest information and guidance to help support your family with a safer back-to-school. Collaborating across the health care system The entire COVID-19 response is a collaborative effort across the health care system, including the testing strategy. The Champlain COVID-19 Response Committee, which includes OPH and hospitals, continues to work together to implement the Ontario Ministry of Health’s policies on testing priorities across Ottawa.

August 14, 2020 – Special statement from Dr. Vera Etches

This week, Ottawa's four school boards announced back-to-school plans and parents are making decisions about what is best for their families when it comes to sending their children back to school. I know this hasn’t been easy for parents and guardians. When deciding whether to send your child back to school in September, each family should assess their own individual situation. Key factors in this decision include your child’s health condition, close contacts of your child, or other family members who may be at higher risk for serious outcomes with COVID-19 infection. Your family’s ability to find alternate childcare and time and resources to assist in providing home schooling will also play a major part in the decision. Perhaps your child has developmental needs that would require in-class learning with a trained professional. And of course, you want to think about your child’s mental health. When schools closed last March, parents reported concerns about their children missing social interactions. There is no one right answer for everyone; this decision is one that must be made by each individual family. For my family, we made the decision to send our children back to school after considering the variables involved: the level of the virus in the community, the health status of our boys and their close contacts and how available my partner and I would be if they were at home. Ultimately sending our children back to school is the best decision for us. Ottawa Public Health (OPH) will continue the conversations, monitor what’s happening in schools, revaluate and share new information as we become aware. We are in this with you, Ottawa. Keeping transmission low at the community level I’ve heard from some parents that they are feeling helpless about their decision; that they are feeling there is nothing they can do to keep their children protected from COVID19 transmission once they are back in school. I can tell you that this is not the case – there are concrete actions that parents, and all of us, can continue that will make a difference to the risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools. We must continue to do our part to keep transmission in the community low to help stop COVID-19 from entering schools in the first place. Data has shown children who test positive for COVID-19 are getting it from adult family members – mostly parents. Ottawa, you know what to do. We’ve flattened the curve before. Most recently, after a spike in mid-July where we were seeing cases double week by week, we are now seeing stable numbers once more thanks to your actions of wearing a mask, maintaining physical distance, staying home when sick and exercising hand hygiene. You’ve learned to be social wise when seeing friends and loved ones. Additionally, I want to stress how important it is for teachers and other school staff to stay home when sick and for parents to keep their children home when they are sick. Symptoms that could indicate COVID-19 infection include, but are not limited to, feeling feverish, new or worsening cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, runny nose or nasal congestion. For a more fulsome list of symptoms, visit our website. In the past, we may have gone to work or sent a child to school with ‘just a cold’, but in living with COVID-19, we need to be more cautious. We will continue to work with the four school boards to support them in implementing provincial guidelines. Our COVID-19 school support team will provide support to superintendents, principals and school staff. Our nurses will provide each principal a checklist to ensure their plans and practices, are implemented in such a way to meet our expectations of infection prevention and control. As OPH liaisons, our nurses will be available to the principals and will be present regularly in the schools. Working with businesses and employers Further to the guidance provided on our website and in the City’s Business Reopening Toolkit we are looking at additional ways to help decrease community transmission. We are encouraging all local businesses to actively screen their employees, use customer and employee logs and promote mask use in areas not covered by the City‘s Temporary Mask By-law. And, we are hosting a series of Business Reopening Workshops to provide sector-specific considerations for a safer reopening, covering off topics such as health and safety guidelines, planning for physical distancing, use of cloth masks and industry specific issues. We will continue to monitor workplace and business settings and provide further guidance and information as required. It’s OK to not be OK COVID-19 has impacted everyone differently, but we are consistently hearing about the negative mental health impacts from business owners, employers and employees, parents, children and youth and older adults. It is OK not be OK. Please continue to check OPH’s webpage for mental health resources for all ages. Let’s help each other through these hard times. Ottawa, you are doing a great job! With every precaution you take, we are one step closer to limiting the transmission of COVID-19.

August 11, 2020 – Special statement from Dr. Vera Etches

This week, Ottawa’s four school boards are announcing their plans for a return to schools in September. I know many parents will be reading these plans carefully and considering what the best decision is for their family– in-person schooling or virtual education. Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is working with local school boards to implement provincial guidance to support infection prevention and control in schools. There are multiple protective layers involved in keeping COVID-19 transmission in schools as low as possible, not limited exclusively to reducing class and cohort sizes, but also keeping cases low in the community overall, screening of students and staff to allow for people who are ill to stay home, using masks, distancing practices, adapting schedules and student flow, and maintaining vigilance with hand hygiene, as well as responding rapidly to exclude close contacts when someone is confirmed to have a COVID-19 infection. I continue to have regular conversations with Ottawa’s four school boards to review specific questions, feedback and plans. We are planning for a variety of scenarios, including if an individual has symptoms, if an individual has a positive test for COVID-19 and if there is an outbreak where it appears the infection was transmitted in the school. We will be actively practicing these scenarios in the coming weeks, to gain parental input and to ensure school staff are equipped with the information they need to follow through with communications and other aspects of the protocols. Early detection and responding to outbreak clusters in schools will be vital to controlling the transmission of the virus in the community, just as adults’ physical distancing and mask use will be vital to keeping the virus out of schools. Surveillance systems will be in place to monitor for potential cases and potential outbreaks. Given the size of the student and school staff population in Ottawa, nearly 200,000, there will be people with symptoms similar to COVID-19 that will need assessment every day. Therefore, OPH is working with our healthcare partners to ensure maximized testing capacity is available to rule out or detect COVID-19 in this population on a daily basis. While this upcoming Fall may feel uncertain, we will evaluate the situation, our responses and continue to seek feedback about keeping the return to school as safe as possible. This is important dialogue to have with everyone involved – school boards, school staff, families, parents, youth and children, health professionals and employers. OPH recognizes the need to balance the risk of COVID-19 transmission with mitigating other harms to the well-being of children, youth, families, school staff and the broader community. We are all impacted when people cannot rely on schools to support childhood development and economic activity as we usually have. Ottawa children and youth have not been physically present in a school setting since early March and we know that this has been stressful for many within our community. According to a recent report on the Status of Mental Health in Ottawa During the COVID-19 Pandemic, parents of school-aged children are reporting poorer mental health and higher daily life stress than other sub-populations of Ottawa adults. Additionally, two thirds of parents with school-aged children at home are concerned about their children’s mental health and emotional well-being. After the school and daycare closures last March, parents were reporting they were concerned about their children missing social interactions. And, the closure of non-essential business, schools and daycares and stay-at-home measures in mid-March led to unemployment, a decrease in job seeking and income loss for some Ottawans. Many individuals and businesses applied for emergency response benefits, subsidies and payment deferrals. To the parents of Ottawa: I hear you. The decision is difficult for many parents, given so many variables and unknowns about the future. When deciding how to send your child or youth back to school in September, each family should assess their own individual situation. Key factors in this decision include your child’s health condition, close contacts of your child, or other family members who may be at higher risk for serious outcomes with COVID-19 infection. Your family’s ability to find alternate childcare and resources to assist in providing home schooling will also play a major part in the decision. Perhaps your child has developmental needs that would require in-class learning with a trained professional. There is no right answer for everyone; this decision is one that must be made by each individual family. Every one of us doing our part today will support a safer return to school in September. And in the fall, employers will play a particularly important role in adjusting to workers’ return to full-time work, and extra precautions to prevent transmission in workplaces. We also call upon employers to be flexible to ensure people are able to stay home when unwell or to care for a child, youth or family member with symptoms of illness. Please continue to check OPH’s webpage for mental health resources for all ages – it’s OK to not be OK. We are also creating a dedicated “schools, colleges and universities” webpage to help answer questions about what to expect with the re-start of schools and post-secondary. We are in this together. Together we will make it through this time of stress and uncertainty with a focus on keeping each other as safe as possible.

August 07, 2020 – Special statement from Dr. Brent Moloughney

Working with businesses Ottawa businesses have made many sacrifices over the last several months from closing their doors entirely in the early days of the pandemic to slowly reopening and carefully following municipal and provincial guidance to reopen as safely as possible. It may not be easy for businesses to follow the various changes to regulations for reopening. Ottawa Public Health (OPH) continues to work with all businesses to ensure they have the information they need to make the customer experience safer. OPH is still seeing cases where employees are going to work while symptomatic. For this reason, OPH strongly encourages all businesses to do active screening of employees to make sure no one is going to work when they are sick or feeling unwell. While many businesses have their own screening tools, OPH also has a health-screening questionnaire available on our Businesses and Workplaces website to assist businesses. Reminder: OPH does not recommend asymptomatic employees be tested before starting work since the results reflect just a snapshot in time and can be falsely reassuring. Please consult OttawaPublicHealth.ca/COVIDCentre for the latest information on testing. Starting today (August 7), Provincial regulations state that all food and drink establishments (e.g. restaurants, bars, food trucks, concession stands) must maintain customer logs for at least one month for every patron who enters an indoor or outdoor dining area in the establishment, other than patrons who temporarily enter the area to place, pick up or pay for a takeout order. OPH’s COVID-19 Guidelines for Reopening your Food Establishment provides a comprehensive, single source of guidance for business owners to support their reopening efforts including but not limited to recent changes to provincial regulations. For example, in addition to maintaining customer logs, OPH encourages all businesses to maintain secure employee logs since these would be a critical component to assisting OPH with case and contact management in the event of a someone being diagnosed with COVID-19 in these facilities. Contact tracing is an important step to stop the chain of transmission of COVID-19 and OPH continues to do contact tracing for all contacts of confirmed cases. Lastly, while the City’s Temporary Mandatory Mask By-law states that people must wear a mask when in an enclosed public space, OPH encourages businesses to promote mask use in areas not covered by the by-law including non-public common areas such as break rooms, kitchens, changing areas, etc. to help further prevent COVID-19 transmission among staff. For more information on guidance for businesses, visit our website. Businesses have worked extremely hard to reopen as safely as possible under unprecedented circumstances. I am asking residents and visitors to Ottawa to please respect local business policies and follow their guidance to protect yourselves and others. Keeping cases of COVID-19 low will allow kids to return to and stay in school, more people to return to work, residents to access important services, businesses to continue operating and our economy to return to some level of normalcy. NEW: Status of Employment and Income Pressures report One of the tools OPH uses to shape our understanding of the impacts of COVID-19 on the community is a population-level survey of Ottawa residents. Information from a recent survey done in June with supporting data from Statistics Canada provided some insight on the impacts COVID-19 has had on employment and income. Key findings include: The closure of non-essential business, schools and daycares, and stay-at-home measures in mid-March have led to unemployment, a decrease in job seeking and income loss for some Ottawans. Many individuals and businesses applied for emergency response benefits, subsidies, and payment deferrals.

One in ten (11%) Ottawans are not currently working because of the COVID-19 pandemic and 28% of all Ottawans report a decrease in income since mid-March. It is too early to know how many Ottawans will lose their job permanently as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent financial impact.

One-fifth (19%) of Ottawa residents said they had difficulty paying for either housing, food or utilities. This was more common among residents with a disability, those with lower household income and those who had a decrease in income since mid-March.

Groups that appear to be most impacted by income loss and the ability to pay for basic living costs (housing, food, utilities) include visible minorities and those with a disability. View the full report here: Status of Employment and Income Pressures During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ottawa. Results from a population survey (June 3 to 8, 2020) with supporting data from Statistics Canada [PDF 935k] Our health and well-being is strongly connected to our economic status, and both are influenced by factors such as gender, age, ethnicity and immigration status. OPH will continue to monitor this type of data so we can better understand both short- and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our community. Final Reminders: As we head into another beautiful summer weekend, I want to remind residents to continue to be social wise when you socialize. Keep visits with those outside your social circle shorter and outdoors, always carry your mask with you even if you’re planning on being outdoors in the event you cannot physically distance, don’t share food or drinks with others and leave any situation in which you are uncomfortable. Visit ottawapublichealth.ca/SocialWise for more information. Lastly, if haven’t already, please consider downloading the COVID Alert app so you can be notified if you have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19. For more information on the app visit canada.ca.

August 05, 2020 – Special statement from Dr. Brent Moloughney

It has been nearly three weeks since Ottawa entered Stage 3, more businesses have opened their doors and more people have gone back to work. We continue to monitor the Daily COVID-19 Dashboard indicators closely to evaluate where we are and how we are managing the virus in Ottawa. Reopening schools Last week, the Province announced its plan to reopen schools in September. Ottawa Public Health continues to hear feedback from parents, school staff and teachers about the plan to get our children back to school as safely as possible here in Ottawa. It is understandable that there are concerns with reopening schools and it is important for there to be a dialogue between everyone involved: school boards, school staff, families and children. We have to balance the risk of COVID-19 transmission with mitigating other harms to the wellbeing of children, youth, families and school staff. Ottawa children and youth have not been physically present in a school setting since early March and we know that this has been stressful for many within our community. We are having ongoing conversations with our school board and Provincial partners to allow for as safe a return as possible. We are planning for a variety of scenarios, including if an individual has symptoms, if an individual has a positive test for COVID-19 and if there is an outbreak. Enabling a return to school this September that is as safe as possible is crucial not only for childhood development and academic achievement, but for the health and well-being of the entire community. Everyone has a part to play. The fewer the number of people infected in the community, the fewer the opportunities for the virus to be introduced into schools. Be “social wise” when you socialize According to the latest data on our daily dashboard, the vast majority of people are wearing masks (97%) most of the time or always when indoors and are practicing physical distancing (91%). Thank you to those who continue to do their part. Unfortunately, over the long weekend we observed instances of large crowds gathering in outdoor public spaces while not physically distancing or wearing masks. I understand it’s hard; this virus has been with us for the past five months and many of us just want to get out and enjoy socializing with friends. I can’t stress enough that we must be wise about how we socialize. We’ve seen what happens in other areas that have let their guard down: cases have risen sharply; health care systems are overwhelmed and they are unable to meet testing and contact tracing demand. We can still visit with our friends and loved ones, but we have to do so in a way to reduce the risk for transmission. Remember, people can be infectious without any symptoms. To protect yourself and others, this means wearing a mask, even when outdoors, if you can’t physically distance. It means limiting the number of people you have in your backyard or at the cottage. You need to plan for how you will maintain distancing among households and their social circles. Maintaining physical distancing means avoiding handshakes and hugs. Always have your mask and hand sanitizer with you – consider them as valuable as your wallet and cell phone. If you’re uncomfortable in any scenario, leave. And if you’re sick, please stay home. We can still be social – we just have to do things differently. Be COVIDwise and assess the risk of your activities. Download the COVID Alert app Last week, the federal government launched the COVID Alert app, a joint initiative with the Province of Ontario that will help alert Ontarians of potential exposure to COVID-19. The app uses Bluetooth to exchange random codes with nearby phones. Every day, it checks a list of random codes from people who tell the app they tested positive. If you've been near one of those codes in the past 14 days, you'll get a notification. COVID Alert also provides access to the most up-to-date public health advice and resources to anyone who receives a message that they may have been exposed to the virus, including recommended actions, such as: get tested, self-isolate or monitor for symptoms. While voluntary, I encourage everyone to download the free app. The more people who use the app, the more effective it will be in helping to stop the spread. For more information on the app visit canada.ca.

July 31, 2020 – Special statement from Dr. Vera Etches

Reopening our schools Yesterday the Province of Ontario announced the plan for reopening of schools for in-class instruction beginning in September. I am happy to see that the Province has indicated that elementary schools and lower-risk secondary schools will be reopening with in-class instruction five days a week and part-time attendance with cohorts for the remainder of secondary schools. Ottawa children and youth have not been physically present in a school setting since early March and we know that this has been stressful for many within our community. There is significant evidence demonstrating the harms of not having students present in a school setting at both the individual and community level. We must balance the risk of COVID-19 transmission with other observed impacts on the health of children, youth, families and school staff. Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is committed to continuing its work with local school boards and partners to make the return to school as safe as possible, balancing the risk of COVID transmission with mitigating other harms to the wellbeing of children, youth, families and school staff. Keeping COVID transmission in the community low, through the actions of all of us, will be key to preventing introduction of the virus into schools. And, early detection and responding to outbreak clusters in schools will be vital to controlling the transmission of the virus in the community. OPH will follow provincial standards and provide infection prevention and control advice to schools for both in-class and transportation scenarios. In collaboration with stakeholders, we will develop and promote mental health resources and tools for schools to use to increase resiliency, to promote positive coping skills, to reduce stress and anxieties, and to increase connectedness. OPH will continue its work with the network of child and youth mental health community service providers in Ottawa, including the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and other partners to ensure that services, materials and resources provided to the schools are evidence-based and robust. In the meantime, please visit ottawapublichealth.ca/COVIDMentalHealth for more information and resources on mental health and COVID-19. I know the plan to return to school raises mixed concerns for families and that there will continue to be many questions in the coming weeks as we approach the beginning of the school year. It’s also not easy for school staff – they are being met with unprecedented challenges so we need to continue to support teachers and staff. We will be continuing to support school boards in communicating with families and school staff about the plans. Facilitation of a safer return to school by September 2020 is crucial not only for development and academic achievement, but for the health and well-being of the entire community. We are all in this together. Be social wise when you socialize As we head into the long weekend, I hope you will be able to safely participate in some of the activities that you enjoy with those inside your social circle of the same 10 (or less) people. I want to remind people that private gatherings (e.g. parties, get togethers) are considered a high-risk activity when doing so with those outside your social circle. If you are going to be participating in such an activity this weekend with people outside your social circle, please assess your risk and ask yourself how you can make the activity safer. This means keeping visits shorter and outdoors, wearing a mask inside and outside if you can’t physically distance, washing your hands often and avoiding touching your face. Make it a habit to carry hand sanitizer in your pocket or your purse. Avoid sharing food or drinks – bring your own. Avoid handshakes and embracing others. If you’re uncomfortable, leave. And if you’re sick, please stay home. This continues to be a community effort. We know sustaining behaviour change isn’t easy and I want to thank everyone for their individual efforts in adapting to this new normal. I know we have what it takes to flatten the curve again. Have a safe and enjoyable long weekend.

July 30, 2020 – Special statement from Dr. Vera Etches

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) continues to see a higher number of positive COVID-19 cases in Ottawa than we have been seeing in recent months. While we had anticipated an increase in cases as result of reopening businesses and other sectors of the economy, the numbers are concerning and don’t appear to be linked to the implementation of Stage 2 and Stage 3. Rather, what we are seeing is primarily linked to social behaviours and indoor gatherings. All age groups under age 80 have had at least a five-fold increase in the COVID-19 infection rate since the first week of July. Sadly, this week, the first death we have seen in a month was a person in their 40s. We were able as a city to move from Stage 2 to Stage 3 because of the safe practices and good choices we had been making in recent months. Ottawa residents know what to do to keep transmission of the virus as low as possible as we resume our activities in the community and get back to work and school. We need to find a balance between acceptable COVID infection rates and resuming functions which are so important to our well-being and our health such as socializing and visiting loved ones, accessing services and simply moving about in our communities. Today, I’m asking everyone to get back to the basics: practice physical distancing. please stay home when you’re sick, always wear a mask while inside public spaces and outdoors when physical distancing is difficult and don't forget to wash your hands and avoid touching your face. We have flattened the curve before, and I know that Ottawa has what it takes to do it again. It is important to know that the number of cases that we are reporting today are a result of actions taken and decisions made 2+ weeks ago. Today, I’m asking you to look ahead two weeks from now and help us determine the number of cases we will be reporting – this is a time where we want the score to be zero! Let’s change the trajectory, together. Reopening childcare services Recently, we have seen outbreaks in four childcare centres in Ottawa. When OPH is notified about a confirmed case of COVID-19 in a childcare centre, OPH connects with the childcare centre and cases and high- and low-risk close contacts, to provide guidance and information, including daily monitoring. All high-risk close contacts are required self-isolate and to get tested at least 5 days after the initial contact with the case. A review of Infection Prevention and Control measures is completed to assist the case and contact tracing investigation. All the while, OPH continues to promote practices to prevent entry of COVID-19 into childcare settings. When we each do our part to limit COVID-19 transmission, we help keep COVID-19 out of daycares. The more transmission there is in the community at large, the more risk there is for COVID-19 to be introduced. We need daycares to reopen as safely as possible to support children’s health and development and to allow parents to get back to work. Socializing more safely COVID-19 is still in our community and this recent uptick in cases is a clear reminder of what can happen when we let our guard down, especially when visiting with friends and family members. Being with loved ones feels good and provides comfort, making it easier to let our guard down. Let’s protect those who are closest to us the same way that we would protect a stranger in the grocery store – by maintaining a two metre distance and by wearing a mask when indoors. If you have a cold, the flu, COVID-19 or some other infectious illness, it is important to stay home and not socialize or work until you are symptom-free to reduce transmission. It is recommended that you get tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19. Make sure your social circle consists of the same 10 people; less is better. If you plan to visit with people who are not in your direct social circle of 10, do the visiting with physical distancing and preferably outdoors. A negative COVID-19 test result is not a guarantee that you are not infected, as it takes about five days after exposure for a COVID-19 test to detect the virus. And, you may also be exposed to the virus after the test has been taken. Therefore, you should always remember to be COVIDwise, be diligent about the usual precautions (wearing masks, physical distancing, hand hygiene) even after a test. Getting tested for COVID-19 is not a free pass to let your guard down and forget these important measures to reduce risk of COVID-19 transmission. Stage 3 business reopening More businesses have opened their doors and are making significant efforts to do so safely. They need your help. Please adhere to public health guidance when visiting your local businesses. Furthermore, since it is difficult to maintain distancing while seated at the same table in a restaurant or bar, you should only sit with members of your household or exclusive social circle. OPH is working closely with several business improvement areas, community partners and City of Ottawa partners including By-law and Regulatory Services and Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development to promote practices that reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. OPH is considering all possible measures to support wise choices and practices during the Stage 3 reopening of restaurants and bars in the city. I am writing further instructions to businesses this week to require them to prevent people from coming to work sick, minimize opportunities for transmission, including reducing close contact with others, and record keeping to support the efforts of contact tracing, among other practices. Information for businesses will continue to be updated on our website. Keeping transmission of the COVID-19 virus low in our city will allow kids to return and stay in school, more people to return to work, residents to access important services, businesses to continue operating and our economy to return to some level of normalcy. Every single one of us has the capacity to make a difference. The future is in our hands and we can do this together. Thank you. Merci.

July 24 – Special statement from Dr. Brent Moloughney

The increase in reported cases of COVID-19 in recent days is a stark reminder of the potential for this virus to spread if it is given the chance to do so. With the virus present in our community and the vast majority of us being susceptible to infection, we all need to continue to be COVIDWise to prevent transmission. Many cases are linked to multiple large indoor social gatherings involving a range of age groups. Indoor gatherings are a high-risk activity that can lead to ‘super-spreader events’ in which multiple people can become infected who can then expose others in their households, social contacts and places of employment. Transmission is not limited to these large gatherings but can occur when distancing and mask use have not been maintained. In addition, people with symptoms have gone to social gatherings or work increasing the risk of transmission. Please continue to be COVIDWise and assess the risk of the activities in which you engage. Practice physical distancing, wear a mask when you are not able to distance or when in an indoor public space, isolate when sick and exercise proper hand hygiene. Social circles vs gatherings The Province has set limits at 50 people for indoor gatherings and 100 people for outdoor gatherings. These are with physical distancing (and mask use for indoor gatherings) for people outside your household and social circle. There are a number of strategies that can be used to reduce the risk of transmission for social gatherings: stay outdoors, remind people not to come if feeling sick or unwell, limit the number of people and plan seating to ensure physical distancing between households/social circles, sanitize hands frequently and limit the duration of gatherings. A social circle extends your household to include other family and/or close friends of no more than 10 people (less is better) with mutual agreement that they will exclusively interact with each other without physical distancing. Each person can only be in one social circle. If you establish your own social circle and just one person in your circle establishes another social circle, this opens transmission to up to 20 people. Imagine if everyone from your social circle did this. Knowing where the virus is coming from and who may have been exposed is another reason why contained circles are important. We have all made sacrifices, but we must continue to assess the risk of every activity in which we engage especially if it involves gathering with those outside your social circle. Please continue to distance when seeing those from outside of your circle and use a mask when you can’t to add an extra layer of protection. Be “social wise” when you socialize Last weekend saw crowded streets in the ByWard Market. As bars and restaurants reopen, we need to be cautious of congestion that can lead to the transmission of COVID-19 by not distancing and not using masks outside in crowded areas. While being outdoors generally lowers risk of COVID-19 transmission, you still need to maintain that physical space between others. Socializing is important for our mental health. So, it means being “social wise” when you socialize to reduce the risk of such activities. This means keeping visits with friends shorter, reducing the number of participants, meeting outdoors and maintaining a two-metre distance.If you are going out in public, please have a mask on you at all times if you find you are not able to maintain a physical distance of at least two metres from others. The City’s Temporary Mandatory Mask By-law also indicates masks are mandatory in enclosed public settings like restaurants, bars and movie theatres. For more information on masks, visit OttawaPublicHealth.ca/Masks. Workplace screening OPH continues to provide guidance to businesses and workplaces on how to reopen and provide service as safely as possible. OPH encourages daily self-screening for symptoms of COVID-19 among employees before they arrive at work to ensure they stay home if they are sick. Businesses have been provided resources including an employee screening questionnaire, posters and online tools to assist in the screening process. More workplace guidance and resources are available on our website at OttawaPublicHealth.ca/WorkplaceCOVID19. OPH is thankful to the business community for continued innovation, sacrifice and commitment over the past several months in our collective efforts to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on our city. Ottawa is lucky to have such an engaged and responsible business community. These actions have helped support the health of our city during this difficult time. Continued efforts to be COVIDWise and COVID Kind are incredibly important moving forward. Continuing the forward momentum Through our case management and data collection efforts, we can identify outbreaks and where they come from and are reaching 100 per cent of cases and 93 per cent of close contacts within 24 hours. If Ottawa enters a situation where we are seeing rapid community transmission, further increases in hospitalizations and outbreaks and overwhelming demand on testing and contact tracing capacity, we are at risk of undoing the hard work that has gotten us to Stage 3. Ottawa, now is the time to act. Being COVIDWise is the hammer in our toolbelt. Maintain a distance of two metres, wear a mask, stay home when sick and practice proper hand hygiene. Assess your own risk when choosing activities and ask yourself how you can make it safer. We did this successfully to get to Stage 3; we need to apply these techniques to the same degree moving forward. We anticipated some bumps along the way. It has been a long journey and now is not the time to let up. I know that we can continue to be cautious and COVIDWise to protect ourselves and others. Our community is a strong one and we will continue to move forward during these uncertain times. Thank you for the work you have done so far. Let’s continue to move through this together.

July 21 – Special statement from Dr. Brent Moloughney

Over the last few days, we have seen an increase in the number of positive cases of COVID-19. Today we are reporting 43 new cases. Many of these new cases are linked to higher-risk activities: indoor gatherings where people are not practicing physical distancing, gatherings with people outside their social circle or in some cases, people going to work when they have symptoms. While it’s too soon to know for sure if this trend will continue, the data over the past few days is concerning. All cases are linked to activities that occurred during Stage 2, meaning we are not yet seeing the impact of Stage 3 reopenings on new cases. In the coming days, we can expect to see more cases reported because those infections already occurred some days ago. What we can do going forward is to reduce the opportunities for new infections and further spread. I know it’s been hard to change our behaviour and learn new ways of doing things. Ottawa residents have so far, for the most part, been incredibly adaptive and resilient. Everyone has made sacrifices, and it can feel overwhelming to hear that this virus is going to be with us for some time. Our actions need to be based on what we know about this virus. People, and that means anyone, can be infectious without any symptoms. When people have symptoms, they can be mild and indistinguishable from a cold. We need to keep doing the things we’ve been doing that have been successful to protect ourselves and to protect others: physical distancing, wearing a mask, staying home when sick and washing our hands. It’s crucial that we navigate living with COVID-19 with caution. And we do that by assessing the risk of the activities in which we engage, by asking what we can do to make these activities safer and by being COVIDWise. It doesn’t mean we don’t see our friends and loved ones. Socializing is important for our mental health. So, it means being “social wise” when you socialize to reduce the risk of such activities. This means keeping visits with friends shorter, reducing the number of participants, meeting outdoors and maintaining a two-metre distance. It also means always having a mask with you in case you need to go inside a business or are outdoors and can’t maintain a physical distance from others. It means using platforms such as Zoom to meet with others virtually instead of in person as we are doing with our media availability today. In addition, we need to remember it’s not just about us: it’s about protecting our loved ones and those in the community who are more vulnerable. Ottawa Public Health will continue to monitor the situation closely. We are targeting health promotion and preventative messaging to people in their teens and 20s to emphasize socializing more wisely. We are adding to our team of case managers as case numbers and outbreaks increase. We are exploring options to address gatherings around bars with By-Law and Regulatory Services. And we are working with our health care partners to address wait times for testing at our assessment centres. Lastly, I want to remind everyone that there are mental health resources available to anyone who needs to talk to someone. It’s OK to not be OK. If you are in crisis, please contact the Mental Health Crisis Line (24 hours a day/7 days a week) at 613-722-6914. For a full list of resources, pleases visit our website at Ottawa Public Health dot ca forward slash COVID mental health. Thank you.

July 20 – Special statement from Dr. Brent Moloughney

This past weekend we saw the largest jump in positive cases of COVID-19 since May 2020. Additionally, we have seen an increase in positive cases in younger people with almost half among those in the 20-29-year age group.. Unfortunately, we are also seeing an increase in hospitalizations. Today alone, Ottawa Public Health is reporting 20 new cases, the highest one-day jump since May. Of those 20 cases, a small number are linked to community testing while the rest are due to activities people have engaged in during Stage 2. It has been more than a month since we entered Stage 2 so it is not surprising that we are seeing an increase of cases. What is striking about this data is that these cases are not linked to reopenings, but rather higher risk activities: indoor gatherings where people are not practicing physical distancing, gatherings with people outside their social circle or in some cases people going to work when they have symptoms.These are the behaviours we need to address as we transition into Stage 3 to avoid overwhelming our health care system and taking a step backwards, thereby undoing so much of the hard work that has gotten us this far. We have not entered Stage 3 because the virus is gone. We entered Stage 3 because we were able to take the necessary precautions that have allowed us to keep COVID-19 at a manageable level. It is imperative that we continue to practice public health measures and be COVIDWise as we learn to live with COVID-19. Additionally, assess your own risk when choosing which activities to engage in and ask yourself how you can make it safer. COVID-19 is present in every community in Ottawa, people of all ages are susceptible, and anyone who is infected can spread the virus to others. Safer ways to socialize, to get together with friends and family It’s no secret that changing the way we socialize has been challenging, and Ottawa residents have been incredibly resilient and have done a great job at adapting. As we enter Stage 3, our public health advice has not changed: people are still being asked to limit their contacts to their social circle of the same 10 people (less is better). It is strongly encouraged to limit your gatherings to the outdoors. Wearing a mask in enclosed public spaces is now mandatory. Stay home when you’re sick, seek to maintain a physical distance of two metres at all times from those outside your social circle and wash your hands regularly. It doesn’t mean we must stop seeing our friends and loved ones – those things are important for our mental health - but when we do see them, we must do so with caution, assess the risks and be COVIDWise. It’s too early to see any indications of how we are doing as we enter Stage 3, but what we do know is that our collective actions today will directly impact our future. Any Ottawa resident who feels they need a test, even if they are not showing symptoms, can go for testing at the COVID-19 Assessment Centre or COVID-19 Care Clinics and should not be turned away, unless volumes are significant.

July 17 – Special statement from Dr. Vera Etche s

Today as we enter Stage 3 of the province’s recovery plan, I am reflecting on how incredibly significant the changes in the behaviour of residents of Ottawa have been. Your actions have added up to protection against COVID-19 at the population level. By following public health measures like physical distancing, wearing a mask, staying home when you are sick and washing your hands, more people are able to get back to work and access more services. Because the virus is still in our community, we need to continue to take care. With new provincial guidance allowing up to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors and more businesses reopening, there are going to be increased opportunities to interact with others and therefore more cases of COVID-19 can be expected. Breaking these chains of transmission to keep the level of virus in the community manageable is our collective goal as we learn to live with COVID-19 into the future. No activity can be made completely safe, so I recommend everyone assess their own risk level before engaging in certain activities. Are you, or are you living with, someone who is at higher risk of complications from COVID-19? Is there something you can do, like wear a mask, to make the activity safer? Do the risks outweigh the necessity of the activity? Choose lower-risk activities that are outdoors, involve physical distancing from others and with smaller groups. Social circles vs gatherings Starting today, gatherings of up to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors are allowed in Ontario. However, provincial requirements are to maintain social circles at no more than 10 people. To clarify, social circles are the members of our household plus others (up to 10) where there is close contact, whereas physical distancing is still required for all other gatherings. The rationale is to keep the opportunity for COVID-19 transmission low. Mandatory masks To help limit the spread of COVID-19 and prepare for Stage 3 of the provincial reopening plan, City Council approved a temporary by-law to make masks mandatory in indoor public spaces. This includes restaurants, stores, places of worship, sports facilities, community venues, hotel lobbies and the public areas of City and health facilities. Masks continue to be required on transit and transit property. Evidence continues to build that masks are an additional layer of protection when there is community transmission of the virus, including from asymptomatic people. There are some people who are unable to wear a mask, such as children under two years of age, individuals with breathing or cognitive difficulties and anyone who is unable to remove a mask without help. Proof of exemption is not required and Ottawa Public Health will continue to communicate about this. I ask you to continue to be understanding and compassionate. For those who can wear masks: please do so to help protect those who can’t. Residents are encouraged to continue practicing physical distancing, wash their hands frequently and stay home when sick. Resources for businesses As businesses reopen, we encourage them to seek information from the Business Reopening Toolkit for guidelines related to masks and other ways to avoid outbreaks in workplace. Ottawa Public Health is not approving specific business plans for reopening but is providing proactive advice and addressing questions from businesses as needed. For businesses not yet permitted to open, they can connect with the Provincial government to discuss a reopening plan. For more information on preventing COVID-19 in the workplace, please visit our website.

Learning to live with COVID-19 I realize that for many it may be discouraging to hear that COVID-19 will be with us for the foreseeable future. The idea of living with COVID-19 for several months, even years, can sound overwhelming. It is important to shift to the long-term view and to be realistic. Until there is a vaccine available, we must learn to do things differently to continue to protect each other. Ottawa, you may not realize it, but you are incredibly resilient. Look at how much we have adapted to and accomplished in the last few months! You have learned new ways of living, some of which may seem normal now. I have every confidence that we will get through this new phase. This is in our hands. Please continue to be COVIDWise as we learn to live with COVID-19. It may be a long road, there may be some bumps, but we will continue as the strong community that we have become. We’re in this for the long haul, Ottawa, but we’re in this together.

July 10 – Special statement from Dr. Vera Etche s

I want to start by thanking businesses in Ottawa and the community for your constant ability to adapt and support each other as information regarding COVID-19 continues to evolve. The numbers show that we have been successful so far in keeping this virus pinned down. This is not a time to back down or lower our guard as this virus is relentless and still causing infections, particularly when people who are ill do not stay home. Mandatory masks As we have learned, not everyone feels sick when they are infected and so masks are used to help stop transmission from asymptomatic/pre-symptomatic people. This week, I noticed Ottawa Public Health’s (OPH) mandatory mask signage on storefronts across Ottawa. Businesses have been quick to respond to this new directive and I am seeing an increase in the number of residents wearing masks while in enclosed public spaces. This is encouraging and I thank everyone for doing their part to ensure that COVID-19 remains low in our community. Mask use is an important measure to help employees feel more protected in the workplace, and it supports customers in feeling safe enough to go out to stores and support the local economy. Getting our local economy back on track is important for the health of our residents. People need to return to their jobs to be able to support themselves and their family. As we start getting used to entering establishments with masks, businesses will appreciate us treating their employees with civility and respect. This is a time where many are anxious and getting used to change. Please do not direct your frustrations toward businesses or employees. To support businesses with the implementation of a mandatory mask use policy, we have added FAQs to our website along with signage, and a sample policy for businesses to use. Residents can learn more about how to properly wear a mask, and where to purchase a mask at OttawaPublicHealth.ca/masks. Schools Last night I had the privilege of participating in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) consultation with parents regarding the reopening of schools in the fall, where I noted my recommendation to balance the risk of COVID-19 transmission with other observed impacts on the health of children, youth and families. Specifically, given the situation in Ottawa now, and if the trends continue, I recommend starting with 5 days of school in-person and working to make this as safe as possible through reasonable and feasible infection prevention and control measures, including rapid responses to stop transmission when infections occur. Existing scientific research regarding children and COVID-19 indicates that children tend to have mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic infections and that they may play less of a role in population-wide transmission than adults, although the evidence is inconclusive. Ottawa children and youth have not been physically present in a school setting since early March and we know that this has been a major cause of stress for families. OPH has been assessing many factors including the impact of the school closures on children, youth and parents, on those working from home, on the return to the workforce of essential workers, including healthcare workers, on mental health, on domestic violence, on the risk of outbreaks and more. Having received significant feedback from Ottawa families regarding the Province’s School Safety Plan for the 2020-21 school year, we are sharing these concerns in our conversations with partners and the province. Taking these considerations in mind, there is mounting evidence related to the harms of children not being in school, at both the individual and community level. The challenge our community is facing is to balance the risk of transmission of the virus with the risks of keeping children home from school. Ongoing evaluation and input from all stakeholders and learning from other jurisdictions that have proceeded with school reopening ahead of us will be important as children return to school, ideally for 5 days a week, with a choice for parents who feel the risk for their family is too high for in-person school, and with extra supports in place. The return to school is a key part of learning to live with COVID-19. Keeping the virus level low in the community by being COVIDWise supports a safer return. Youth and Young Adult COVID-19 focus groups Recently, OPH commissioned a focus group project with an external consultant to ensure that we were hearing a youth perspective about COVID-19. We have learned that youth understand physical distancing and the importance of public health measures, however they have voiced that this pandemic is challenging on their mental health. We are seeing that they listen to friends and family, to sports figures and online personalities. As a community, we can continue to support and encourage them and show them that their efforts are working. We can lead by example and be open to conversation about their experience. OPH is currently working on a communications approach, primarily using Instagram, to continue to share information and engage with youth and young adults in preferred platform. Ticks and mosquitoes Much of our recent focus has been on COVID-19 and our efforts to ‘flatten the curve’. However, as the season progresses, we know there are other infections that pose risks to our health – those spread by black-legged ticks and mosquitos. Just as people in Ottawa are taking measures to protect themselves from COVID-19 infection, residents’ efforts to make tick-checks and avoiding mosquito bites part of our daily routines will help prevent unwanted infections. For more information on West Nile virus and Lyme disease, residents are encouraged to visit our website. In closing, I would like to invite everyone to take part in our new survey. We continue to value community perspectives and need your input to inform our response. We want to know your priorities and how we can help local businesses as we ease up on restrictions. Controlling COVID19 is a community effort and we need to hear your voice. The new survey and forum questions are available on Engage Ottawa Engage.Ottawa.ca/COVID19. This survey will close on July 23rd. Remember – wearing a mask is an added layer of protection to those around you and is not a substitute for other measures like needing to isolate yourself when sick, staying two metres apart from others and exercising proper hand hygiene. We must continue to be compassionate, as not everyone is able to wear a mask. It is important to be COVIDwise and COVID kind. Thank you for doing your part to help each other. You, Ottawa, are saving lives.

July 6 - Joint Statement – Medical Officers of Health from Eastern Ontario Health Unit; Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit; Renfrew County and District Health and Ottawa Public Health

Today Medical Officers of Health from Eastern Ontario Health Unit; Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit; Renfrew County and District Health and Ottawa Public Health announced a regional approach to the use of masks in their respective jurisdictions.

July 3 - Joint Statement – Mayor Jim Watson and Councillor Keith Egli (Chair of the Ottawa Board of Health)

Over the course of Ottawa’s response to COVID-19, Dr. Vera Etches and Ottawa Public Health (OPH) have encouraged the use of cloth masks when unable to maintain a two-metre physical distance. It is not always possible to know going into an indoor public space whether or not maintaining a two-metre physical distance can occur. It is often dependent upon the nature of the space and the number and actions of others. Additionally, increasing scientific evidence indicates that the use of masks is an important measure to help control the spread of COVID-19. This is why the City of Ottawa will join other municipalities across the Province of Ontario and will mandate the use of cloth masks in many indoor public spaces. The City of Ottawa has engaged in conversations with City partners, neighbouring health units and members of the business community to explore all possibilities for the establishment of a City of Ottawa By-law requiring residents to wear a cloth mask. Following these conversations, the City of Ottawa is confident in moving forward with the decision to mandate cloth mask use in indoor public spaces. In speaking with the members of our business community, we’ve heard from business owners that they are in favour of mandating the wearing of cloth masks in indoor public spaces. This by-law would ensure that all businesses are on a level playing field. The decrease in transmission will benefit our local economy by allowing increased use of our excellent local establishments and greater customer comfort. We believe that one of the many ways to support local small businesses is to do whatever we can, such as wearing a cloth mask, to help them stay open. The motion to institute a by-law ensuring that residents of the City of Ottawa wear a cloth mask that covers their nose, mouth and chin, without any gaping in certain circumstances will be brought up at Council on July 15th. The Motion will be moved by Councillor Egli and seconded by Mayor Watson. Until such by-law is in effect in Ottawa, the four health units in the Champlain region are looking at a regional approach to mandate masks in their respective jurisdictions. More information about this regional approach will be provided at a joint media availability on Monday, July 6 to be held with Medical Officer’s of Health from four surrounding public health units. Ottawa Public Health’s most recent public engagement survey found that the vast majority of residents from Ottawa are willing to have cloth masks use made mandatory in stores in order for them to feel comfortable shopping. Socializing and normalizing cloth masks in indoor public places will help protect our community. According to phase 1 of OPH’s engagement survey, 90 per cent of respondents said that they would willingly wear a cloth mask in order to be allowed access to services. In our phase 2 survey, so far 73 per cent of respondents say they already wear a cloth mask when visiting an indoor public space. In addition, we strongly believe that the benefits of wide-spread cloth mask use will set us up for a better transition into Stage 3. The Province of Ontario states that a transition to Stage 3 will only be allowed if it can be done as safely as possible. The wide-spread use of cloth masks will assist with better protecting Ottawa residents from COVID-19 transmission during the transition to Stage 3. The COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented and has impacted the way we live, work and play. Information about the virus continues to evolve but what we know today is that wearing cloth masks is a key component to protecting our community from COVID-19. Community spirit is strong in Ottawa. It is important to state that there may be many in our community who won’t be able to wear a cloth mask due to a variety of reasons such as pre-existing medical conditions, being a child under the age of two, being someone who requires accommodation in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code or someone who is hearing impaired or who is communicating with a person who is hearing impaired. Please be prepared to see some individuals in public without cloth masks and we ask that you please be respectful. We understand that this a change for many. Be patient. Be kind with yourself and others. Wearing a cloth mask in indoor public spaces is new to many of us and will be an adjustment. We are all in this together. Let’s continue to protect the people who live in our city because wearing a cloth mask is a small sacrifice if it means saving lives and reducing the spread of COVID-19 in Ottawa. My cloth mask protects you, and your cloth masks protects me.

June 29 – Special statement from Dr. Vera Etche s

This year, Canada Day is going to look and feel a little different. With no signature events downtown or large community gatherings, you may find yourself finding new ways to celebrate Canada Day. The most Canadian thing we can do is continue to care and protect others by being COVIDWise during Canada Day celebrations. However you choose to celebrate Canada Day this year, I encourage everyone to continue to practice physical distancing, wear a mask when physical distancing is not possible, limit your contacts, stay home if you’re sick and exercise good hand washing hygiene. While provincial emergency orders allow for gatherings of up to 10 people, the fewer close contacts you have the better. While planning your Canada Day activities, keep in mind these considerations to celebrate in a safer way: Try to keep celebrations outdoors in places where physical distancing can be easily followed

Avoid potentially crowded areas like parks or beaches

Celebrate with those inside your social circle; keep your social circle separate from other social circles

Consider the level of risk of your activities for yourself and those in your social circle and household. Certain groups are at a higher risk (older adults, people with weakened immune systems or chronic health conditions) and should take extra precautions. Let’s celebrate our country and our city by protecting the people who live here. Preventing/preparing for a second wave As we continue to move through Stage 2 of reopening, we are continuing the hard work that has allowed us to get here. We are seeing second waves emerge in other parts of the world and, while we are fortunately in a much better position here in Ottawa at this point, we are also at risk of a second wave. We can watch other countries and communities to learn about what works to control COVID19 and adapt approaches to what is appropriate for our city. Currently case numbers are steady, outbreaks are decreasing and we are maximizing testing and contact tracing capacity. This is good news, but the positive case numbers you see updated on our website every day are still just a fraction of the infections truly present in the community. The risk of an increase in COVID19 cases and outbreaks is real. Modelling data shows that a decline of just twenty per cent in public control measures could lead to a second wave. Our actions influence whether a second wave occurs and its severity. Ottawa residents have already shown that they are capable of doing what needs to be done to keep the virus at a manageable level. Masks Our community spirit is strong. According to phase 1 of our engagement survey, the majority of residents (90 per cent) agreed or strongly agreed that they would be willing to wear non-medical or cloth masks in order to be allowed to access services. Three quarters (74 per cent) agreed or strongly agreed that they would be willing to wear a non-medical or cloth mask in the workplace. And preliminary data from phase 2 of our engagement survey which started last Thursday so far indicates that 71 per cent of residents wore a mask in indoor public spaces either “most of the time” or “always” in the last seven days. This percentage has been growing and we continue to observe room for improvement in mask wearing to protect each other. While the data shows that many people are already doing the right thing by wearing a mask, we are seriously exploring our options for making masks mandatory in commercial settings in Ottawa. I am having conversations with the Mayor, our City partners and neighbouring health units to ensure we are well coordinated in our actions and will provide more information before the end of the week. It may be uncomfortable to wear a mask especially with the warmer weather, however wearing a mask will help protect others. If you are able, please wear a mask when going somewhere you cannot guarantee the ability to physically distance. If you’re not sure if where you’re going may require a mask, it’s a good idea to get in the habit of keeping one on your person at all times. My mask protects you and your mask protects me. Wearing a mask is a small sacrifice if it means saving lives. Beaches It is exciting news that City beaches are now open. This is a great way to cool off and enjoy time with those 