Dr. Charles Gardner, Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit’s medical officer of health, said in his weekly briefing today that he will be sending a letter to municipalities recommending that they disallow residents from the province’s red (control) and grey (lockdown) zones from using municipal recreational facilities. Toronto and Peel health regions are in lockdown, while Durham Region, the City of Hamilton, Halton Region, the Region of Waterloo, and York Region public health units are in the red zone.
“I am advising strongly that people from those areas only come here for essential purposes and not come here in order to access recreational facilities that are provided by municipalities or other services or shopping. I am recommending that strongly in order to help reduce risk of transmission,” said Dr. Gardner. “In my letter to the municipalities, I am advising that they disallow people from the red or grey zones from using the recreational facilities of those municipalities.” Municipalities will have to decide individually whether or not to take his advice.
The letter to municipalities was prompted in part by movement of people into the region.
Although he doesn’t have specific data on how many people are travelling into Simcoe Muskoka from areas of higher transmission, Dr. Gardner said that he is aware of examples of people who have “gone out of their way to shop up here because we are more open than they are there and they might even be planning on doing so on an ongoing basis” as well as people renting ice time to play hockey “as far north as Muskoka” because they can’t rent ice surfaces in their own areas.
Dr. Gardner is also sending a letter of instruction to businesses in the region this week to reiterate what is required of them under provincial regulations and to help address workplace transmission of the coronavirus. Although Muskoka has been spared large outbreaks so far, there have been a number of workplace outbreaks in Simcoe County.
“It carries legislative weight, it is enforceable,” said Dr. Gardner of his letter to businesses. He noted, however, that enforcement remains difficult and that they depend on people’s goodwill to stem transmission. “We don’t have the resources to enforce everywhere…we really do depend on everybody understanding that we are in this together. That we flattened the curve together and everybody needs to be part of the solution.”
The health unit will take calls of concern and will follow up with businesses within their mandate, such as food establishments, or confer with municipal bylaw or police if it is appropriate for those services to respond. To date the health unit has issued orders for non-compliance but has not gone as far as levying fines, said Dr. Gardner.
The letter also recommends that businesses enable remote work for their employees wherever possible, and that they appoint a compliance officer who would systematically review the work environment to ensure they are following guidelines.
Although the letter doesn’t advise businesses to turn away residents of red and grey zones, Dr. Gardner said that he would not only support those that choose to do so, he would go as far as recommending that they do. He said he has also raised the issue of enforcement of non-essential travel restrictions with the province, but that “it would be difficult to do” and he didn’t expect they would take that step.
Simcoe Muskoka remains in the orange (restrict) zone in the province’s COVID-19 response framework, largely due to a higher number of cases in South Simcoe.
Dr. Gardner acknowledged that there is a large difference in the rate of disease in South Simcoe compared to Muskoka. “I can see why people in Muskoka might not want to be put in the same category. On the other hand, I am aware that there is movement of people from the south, including in the GTA, to Muskoka and Simcoe and accessing services and there is potential for exposure. So this would give an added level of protection against a surge starting to affect Muskoka in the same way that it is affecting South Simcoe.”
Today he also issued a statement to residents of Simcoe Muskoka, asking them to step up their efforts to stop transmission of the virus.
Dr. Gardner has called on the province to more strongly communicate to the public the advice they’ve put in their framework and “consider what else they can do to strengthen compliance with it.”
Read Dr. Gardner’s letter to municipalities here.
Don’t miss out on Doppler!
Sign up here to receive our email digest with links to our most recent stories.
Local news in your inbox three times per week!
Hans Marschdorf says
And how exactly does Dr. Gardner suggest local businesses identify people from red zones? By car brand such as Audi, Mercedes and BMW drivers not allowed in the store? 416 area codes on guest registries in restaurants might give it away, I guess. And what about people from red zones, who quarantine upon arrival for two weeks to then live here? Shouldn’t they be allowed here? And what if one member of the family commutes to the city for the week and spends the weekend here?
Don’t put the onus on local businesses. Businesses are getting tired of that wishy washy. Grow a pair and mandate what you consider necessary and design such mandates so that they are enforceable, by the authorities and as you are at it, put a price tag on violations.
brian tapley says
Dr. Gardiner has a point, but if there is one thing I have noted over the years of operating a tourist based business it is that humans are an ingenious and often devious bunch. They can twist definitions and logic to best suit themselves in ways never expected when rule makers make their rules.
When someone arrives at my site I can follow the rules and protocols but those questions depend on the person being honest about things like where they have been.Even if everybody does their absolute best in attempting to stop the spread of the virus there is the possibility in every person that travels to an area like Muskoka that they are indeed carrying the virus. Tests are slow to turn around, imperfect in the results and limited in number and by the time symptoms display themselves the damage of infection can often be quite extensive. As a business operator I am sadly not clairvoyant and despite what Hans points out above, I fear the brand of car they drive might not be a good indicator of the relative hazard a person visiting the area might present.
Bottom line is that Gardiner’s point is a good one and we all need to be more careful over this winter until we get access to a working vaccine sometime later in 2021 and even then, maybe for a few more years, we all need to be careful and restrict our travels. Like testing a vaccine is not “perfect”.
The Thanksgiving holiday in the USA for example sounds like two different realities when you watch the news. On the one hand they tell you of the hundreds of thousands of new cases all over the country and warn folks not to travel and in the next reality there are millions of people flowing through airports to go visit with family. They say “visit at Thanksgiving, die for Christmas” and they say it I guess with tongue in cheek because their actions are 180 degrees in the opposite direction and they watch the disaster unfold on nightly TV but it seems not to take hold of the one reality.
And we laugh at the stories of lemmings running to the sea!
Anja Marunde Lowe says
Well this is what happens when you have lockdowns.These ppl will flock to other places because they can’t get the products perhaps that they need and those other places will then be Simcoe and perhaps even as far as Muskoka,I don’t like it but how do you control it??
Brenda Begg says
I do agree with Dr. Gardiner’s recommendations; although that’s easier said than done. Never in all of my years living in Huntsville have I seen so many non residents out and about in an off-season, even downtown this past Sunday afternoon. (Yes, sometimes it is obvious that they are not locals). There is no disputing the fact that extra revenue from visitors is welcome to businesses. However, my concern is that perhaps some visitors from hotspots come to our area to shop and/or dine, visit, without adhering to appropriate safety measures (e.g. quarantining upon arrival for 14 days). Related to this concern is that although our medical facilities are excellent, they have limitations. It is imperative that we keep our number of COVID cases low. Otherwise, we’ll be in the red zone. This pandemic has proven to be a challenging path to navigate for everyone. Be kind.
Bob Slater says
WOW! Here we go .. vigilantly justice! .. and … it is up to YOU to enforce the ‘rules’! Watch what happens! It is going to get nasty! .. And who caused this? Over to you FORD and JT!
Ryan Vallentin says
As a local volunteer, who has spent many years helping to run and operate youth sports activities, I have some experience in this situation. Since parts of the Province have moved into Red and Grey (lockdown) protocol, we have had several out of area parents contact our local hockey and figure skating associations looking to enroll their children here. We have put a stop to it, as it endangers all of our community. We empathize with these children, but the virus spread needs to slow.
William Pinckard says
100% agree with Dr Gardner
Having I.D shown upon arrival is the only way I can see enforcement being implemented.
Bob Vtech says
As Mr. Spock would say “Its the logical thing to do”!
Who ever said humans were logical?
Take a stroll down the rows of parked cars in any large parking lot in Huntsville.
Going by the dealer name and licence plate advertisement it’s frightning.
North Bay to New Market. Peterborough to Brampton/Mississauga*.*Lock down?
Humans spreading the virus or flu. Take your choice and pray!
Tomorrow is another day. Severe weather alert and all.
Ralph Cliffe says
Bob is correct. You can’t help but notice them.
What I worry about is the vehicles and people from
Huntsville that are visiting Toronto and Brampton
and will forget to isolate when they return home.
Hopefully showing ID will work both ways?
Man will destroy himself through ignorance!
Will Moore says
Never mind the Brampton et al vehicles. How do you reconcile all of the vehicles sporting United States license plates ?
From New York and New Jersey to Florida and points in between.
I thought the Federal Government stated that the border was closed to nonessential travel ?