Huntsville CAO Denise Corry told councillors at a special meeting held Thursday that the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) has requested that the province also extend restrictions on the number of people permitted at social gatherings here.
Corry said the medical officer of health for SMDHU, Dr. Charles Gardner, concerned about the rising number of COVID cases, made the statement on Thursday at a weekly meeting with the region’s municipal CAOs.
That same morning the province announced that it would be lowering the number of people allowed at indoor and outdoor social gatherings in three regions of Ontario that have seen an uptick in cases: Toronto, Peel, and Ottawa.
Premier Doug Ford said the restrictions would take effect today, Friday, September 18. No more than 10 people will be allowed to gather indoors at social events in those regions, down from 25. Outdoors, a limit of 25 people will be permitted to gather, down from 100. Organizers of social events who contravene the permitted numbers could face a minimum fine of $10,000 while attendees could be fined $750.
The restrictions do not apply to events or gatherings held in staffed businesses or facilities.
Corry said the indication at the meeting was that COVID numbers are rising and “we need to take action now in that regard to ensure that it doesn’t turn into something absolutely terrible.”
She said those who tuned into the meeting were told that it was hoped the province’s latest announcement would include the Simcoe Muskoka area, but that did not materialize.
“But what Dr. Gardner indicated is that if our area wasn’t included in those numbers that he would be looking at actually passing an order for Simcoe Muskoka that would actually follow the same restrictions that were put in place for the three areas that were identified by the premier,” said Corry.
Asked who would be enforcing such an order, Corry said she thought it would have to be enforced by the health unit, which would be difficult due to resources.
“The clear message that Dr. Gardner got across to the area CAOs was that he highly recommends that people discontinue interacting with anyone outside of their household. He said it’s really important that people focus on not bringing people together. So, any effort that we individually or as an organization can make that would restrict the ability for people to congregate, he would not stress that enough. So that was a clear message that the CAOs did receive today,” she said, adding that based on the increase in confirmed COVID contagions in the health unit’s catchment area in the last week, “he said it’s quite a bit higher than anything that we’ve seen since the end of June. So as they anticipated, the second wave is certainly well underway.”
If Dr. Gardner were to proceed with an order for the Simcoe Muskoka area, places like restaurants, cinemas, convention centres, and recreational sporting events would be exempt from the requirement of up to 10 people indoors and 25 outdoors, said Corry. “It would still fall under the 50 and 100, so we will wait and see what our local health unit decides to do.”
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Daily, the news shows us the results of people just south of our border who seem to have placed their “rights” that they have divined from some charter ahead of the common good and in the process completely forgotten what the doctors and scientists have been telling them.
You may have noticed that the result in the USA is a “chaotic disaster” ( a quote from Obama ) and that our border with the USA is closed as a result and likely to remain that way ( hopefully at least ) for some time going forward.
I think Barb Armstrong says it well and we know what to do. We just need to do it and always remember what we are dealing with. It is not some abstract thing “over the horizon”. It is here, around us and it waits patiently for anyone to let their guard down or slip up in any way. It is an opportunistic virus that respects nobody’s “rights and freedoms” no matter where they might be written.
If we can all work together, help each other, we just might see some kind of vaccine available near year end and if it all works well we might be able to start to be normal by this time next year. This thing is not going to “magically go away” (Trumps quote this time) and I fear we will be in this for the long term. It will take a lot of work and effort and thought over then next year to prevent a serious second rise in infections.
Thank you Barbara Armstrong for clearly stating the obvious! Right from day one, the government and health organizations have given us the tools to make our own decisions, and made suggestions as to the best way to utilize this information. Even so, numerous readers had decided that we were being “controlled” by our government, not acceptable in a free country! A large number of people supported, were thankful for this direction and followed through based on their own circumstances, and the number of cases dropped drastically. Some did not believe the suggested protocols and refused to abide by them. Easing the requirements was gradually initiated next as we moved into the next stages, and with school starting up, the numbers started to increase as we moved into the second wave of the virus. Each individual was able to make their own choices as it pertained to their own circumstances, based on the current information issued. The local economy slowly started to recover, based on the decisions made by each individual business and cautiously adapting to the most recent suggestions. Unfortunately, others still refused to follow anything published and by not doing so ran the risk of being a carrier of this virus and infecting those around them. The published ‘suggestions’ were ignored and now the government has had to initiate stronger rules for those who will not mask up or social distance. This is not ‘controlling’, but rather bloody common sense based on all the last few months of information, and clearly shows that the government definitely IS attempting to control the disease, not us, even though there are still many unknown variables surrounding it. Do your own thing, make your own decisions, and stay informed, changing the decisions you have made as required, but please stop trying to second guess what you think these more fully informed groups than you, are trying to do to us.
If any of you actually have visited a classroom in our area you would see that the school board and the teachers are doing an amazing job of precautions that keep the children safe. The kids are not crammed in classrooms, they are wearing masks and sanitizing. They have specified spaces and tactile learning materials that are designated to each child and kept in separate bins. Honestly, we all want the same thing and the teachers are doing a marvelous job.
Well said Barbara. Unfortunately some people have become very selfish and only think of themselves and their “needs” which are only self serving.
We need to Stop making Covid-19 a political soapbox.
We are All well informed at this point. It’s not New News! From almost January certainly February and March, we’ve all seen in the news, articles on global outbreaks, freezer trucks needed for the dead due to over loaded morgues, people dying before a ventilator is available.
For crying out loud – do the Right Thing – all by Yourselves! Wear masks. Don’t gather in groups, wash, PHYSICAL distance, don’t send your child to school if you’re able to keep them home, don’t eat out – but Do buy gift cards so you can eat out when it’s safe and to help our restaurants survive!
It’s Not Rocket Science, People!! We saw the first wave. We know the second wave is coming now. So NOW is the time to get Off your political horses, smarten up, tell your teens and early twenties to SMARTEN UP, follow Covid protocols, and We (no matter what political party we love our hate) can keep OURSELVES and or loved ones safe.
Please!!
Well said, Paul. Our Ford government professes to have the best plan for reopening schools, claiming to have taken the expert advice of the medical community. Yet, the medical community such as SickKids, has strongly advised that physical distancing via small class sizes, in addition to other measures such as masks, hand washing, staying home if exhibiting any symptoms etc. – must be a priority. Susan, I agree; putting 30+ students in a classroom with 1 or 2 adults makes no sense.
Health unit contemplates order to restrict social gatherings: Huntsville CAO
Contemplates. At least they are thinking about it, that’s something.
Maybe i’m wrong, but is it not already too late??
In schools the children are monitored by teachers. Out in public no one is controlling the social gatherers. I can speak personally of living beside an Airbnb where young folks are renting this Airbnb and the groups are anywhere from 8-14 non mask wearing, leaving the premises daily to wander around town. these social gatherers have been renting non stop since June and it is still going on.
Susan Lovell..Surely by now you realize that this government isn’t actually serious about controlling the disease. It is easy to “suggest” to the average Joe not to engage in behaviour that simply propels the spread of a disease that kills. But to actually control Covid you need consistent, clear and enforced restrictions on these pathological behaviours. This government has repeatedly made concession after concession to business and friends. In this way, the pandemic continues to control society, not the other way around. And ultimately the damage to business and the broader society is much greater than had it been contained initially.
I just don’t get how he restricts 10 for indoor gatherings but can put up to 30 children and two adults in a classroom. Does not make sense.