By Kaitlyn Clark
The Haldimand Press
HALDIMAND—As cases of COVID-19 continue to climb globally and Ontario has declared a provincial state of emergency, Haldimand County and its residents have begun taking measures to curtail the disease before it enters the region and to prepare should the virus find its way here.
“Though there are currently no reported cases in Haldimand and the risk to residents – as defined by the Province – remains low, staff are prepared to respond if required and continue to take steps to protect community health and safety,” said Haldimand County in a press release on March 13, 2020. There were still no confirmed cases in Haldimand or Norfolk as of press time on March 17.
The Haldimand Norfolk Health Unit (HNHU) is the lead agency for pandemics, but the municipality has its own supporting plan for operational contingency, response logistics, and so on. “Should COVID-19 become an issue in Haldimand County, plans are in place to respond and mitigate adverse impacts,” said the release.
COVID-19, also known as 2019 novel coronavirus, causes a respiratory infection and originated in Wuhan, China. About 80% of people recover on their own without needing special treatment. About one in six people (16.7%) become seriously ill and develop difficulty breathing, which is more likely to occur in older people and those with underlying medical problems. Less than 5% of cases become critical. It is possible that more mild cases have gone unreported or that availability of tests has been limited in some areas, so these statistics could change as screening is expanded.
A mortality rate of approximately 3.4% has been discussed by comparing the number of deaths to the number of confirmed cases, but others have estimated it is under 1% because of the unreported mild cases.
While the mortality rate is extremely low for those under 65 years of age, it is important that all community members take precautions and practice social distancing when possible, such as staying home, avoiding large groups, and greeting people with a wave or elbow bump instead of a handshake or hug. Doing this can create herd immunity and lessen the chance of illness amongst those most at risk of complications. Additionally, slowing the spread of the virus lessens the pressure on the health care system.
The first presumptive case of this infection in Ontario, and Canada as a whole, was identified on January 25; Canada is one of over 140 countries to have seen the virus currently. The World Health Organization classified the disease as a pandemic on March 11, 2020.
Haldimand County announced March 13 it was closing all museums, libraries, and arenas for the next three weeks; they also cancelled or postponed their March Break camps and any public workshops or meetings, such as the Business Excellence Awards Breakfast and the Official Plan Update workshop. While the County building is remaining open for service, anyone with symptoms of illness is asked to refrain from entering.
“We regret having to cancel programs and close community facilities but are doing so in the interest of community safety based on the expert medical advice of our local and provincial healthcare authorities,” said Craig Manley, Haldimand County’s Chief Administrative Officer. “Residents should remain calm and be assured that Haldimand County, with assistance and governance from the Haldimand Norfolk Health Unit, is ready to respond should COVID-19 become an issue in the community.”
The Ontario Government first announced it would be keeping all public schools closed for an additional two weeks after March Break as a precautionary measure from March 14 to April 5. Scholastic has launched a Learn at Home website to provide “day-to-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing”, which is available at scholastic.com/learnathome.
“We recognize the significant impact this decision will have on families, students, schools, as well as the broader community, but this precaution is necessary to keep people safe,” said an Ontario government release. “(These) steps build on a number of actions our government has taken in recent days to respond to COVID-19, including moving forward with additional public health measures, which include enhanced access to screening, expanding lab-testing capacity, and implementing new initiatives to keep the public and frontline workers safe.”
On March 14 the Haldimand Norfolk Medical Officer of Health ordered the suspension of all public gatherings of 250 people or more in accordance with recommendations from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. The Province reduced the limit further when it announced the state of emergency on March 17, which banned all public events of over 50 people until March 31, including services within places of worship. The Province also ordered the closure of all indoor recreation facilities, libraries, licensed childcare centres, theatres, cinemas, concert venues, and private schools. Bars and restaurants are only allowed to operate for takeout food or delivery during this ban as well.
“The vast majority of businesses, including those most vital to day-to-day life, will not be affected by this order. Essential services and needs will be available,” said Premier Doug Ford. Essential services include grocery stores. “I want to assure the people of Ontario the government is taking every step possible to flatten the curve. I want to urge calm. No expense will be spared to support Ontarians in need.”
Ontario has created a $100 million contingency fund and is also receiving $200 million from the federal government. As part of this funding, $100 million is going towards effective treatment, including 75 more critical care beds and 500 post-acute care beds being set up in hospitals. Ontario is investing $50 million for additional screening and testing, along with 25 more COVID-19 assessment centres. The Province is also purchasing more equipment for frontline health care staff, such as masks and gloves, along with additional ventilators as the virus can affect a patient’s breathing in serious cases. Long-term care homes are receiving $50 million in funding for additional staff and infection control measures, and a $25 million fund is being created to support frontline workers at assessment centres, such as for respite or childcare services.
Additionally, it was announced that only essential visitors will be allowed until further notice at all long-term care facilities in both Haldimand and Norfolk. Essential visitors are for residents who are dying or very ill, and even those visitors will be screened; those who fail screening will not be permitted to enter. Non-essential visitors are asked to keep in touch by phone and other technologies.
The four Canadian deaths as of press time were all residents of one BC long-term care home. A 77-year-old Ontario man had tested positive for COVID-19 after death, but it was unknown if the virus caused his death at that time.
Haldimand War Memorial Hospital is closed to visitors, except on compassionate grounds, and have cancelled all elective surgeries and non-essential clinic appointments. West Haldimand General Hospital has stringent visitor restrictions and will be notifying those with scheduled procedures on a week-by-week basis of cancellations. Those who do have to attend the hospitals are being actively screened.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank our team who are doing their best to take care of our patients, their families, and each other during this time of uncertainty. We ask for the community’s patience and understanding as this situation continues to unfold,” said Kelly Isfan, President, Norfolk General and West Haldimand General hospitals.
HNHU announced March 17 that it is suspending a number of non-core services to allow staff to focus on outbreak prevention and to lower the risk of the virus spreading through meetings. This includes all clinics, home visits, baby and breastfeeding drop-ins, food handler courses, external partner meetings, health promotion activities, etc. All case and contact management of diseases of public health significance, infection, prevention and control lapse complaints, and outbreak management will continue, as will needle exchange service, naloxone distribution, and 24/7 follow-up response protocols for rabies investigations, adverse water responses, etc.
The federal government advised all Canadians to suspend or cancel any travel outside of the country and to return home immediately if they are abroad. Additional screening measures have been added at border points and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced March 16, as part of “increasingly aggressive steps”, that no one showing symptoms, including citizens and permanent residents, would be allowed on airlines coming to Canada. International flights will only be accepted at four airports, not including trade/business flights and flights from the US, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Cruise ships with 500 people or more are not being allowed to dock in Canada. The border has been closed to most foreigners besides US citizens. The American land border is remaining open and trade is continuing to ensure the supply of important goods is not disrupted.
Trudeau announced a fund to help Canadians with an emergency loan of up to $5,000 to return from abroad or to temporarily cover basic needs while they work towards returning. Last week he also announced that the government is preparing a significant fiscal stimulus package to help Canadians and businesses hit hardest by the effects of the disease’s presence, such as those who are unable to work or small businesses that may struggle in the “economic slowdown”. This includes eliminating the waiting period for EI benefits to give financial relief to people who must stay home or are laid off because of COVID-19 and small business loans, working capital loans, and purchase order financing. Further details were expected later this week after press time.
“The health and safety of all Canadians is the number one priority. It’s important for everyone to do their part so that we can stop the spread of COVID-19,” said Diane Finley, MP for Haldimand Norfolk. “These are unprecedented times. My office will continue to be available to answer all of your questions. Feel free to contact us toll-free at 1-866-496-3400 or at diane.finley@parl.gc.ca.”
Various sports organizations began announcing suspensions or cancellations of the remainder of their season since around March 13 as well. This includes the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League under the recommendations of Hockey Canada; the Caledonia Corvairs were up 2-0 in Round 2 of the playoffs, but will have to wait for further updates on whether they will have a chance to complete their 2020 playoff run.
The Caledonia Legion cancelled their meeting and is requesting members call or follow social media for future updates; this practice should be considered for all public events. Additional local closures include Lansdowne Children’s Centre sites; the Grand River Conservation Authority’s nature centres and events; Lighthouse Festival Theatre performances in Port Dover; provincial offences court in Cayuga; Caledonia Chamber of Commerce; Catch the Ace lottery in Hagersville; and the opening of all Haldimand Farmers’ Markets.
“To err on the side of caution I decided to cancel the March 17 meeting of the Selkirk Chamber of Commerce to follow suit with many of our local community groups, organizations, and workplaces that have decided to limit, if not eliminate, non-essential group meetings,” said Selkirk Chamber President Jenny Bryce, who currently plans to continue with the April 14 meeting. “Let’s pray that this current health disaster stays well clear of our lives here in Haldimand County.”
In addition, all Ontario Works life skills workshops are cancelled until further notice and clients are asked to call their Case Manager before visiting. Ontario Works participants do not need to submit income cards for March, and will still receive their monthly benefits cheque.
Residents are encouraged to educate themselves about COVID-19 and follow the Health Unit’s recommendations to help prevent the spread of viruses:
- Wash hands often with soap and water.
- Avoid close contact with sick people.
- Cough or sneeze into a tissue/sleeve.
- Avoid touching your face, eyes, and mouth to prevent illness.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Only wear a mask if you are ill with COVID-19 symptoms (especially coughing) or looking after someone who may have COVID-19. A disposable face mask can only be used once. If you are not ill or looking after someone who is ill, then you are wasting a mask. There is a world-wide shortage of masks, so the World Health Organization urges people to use masks wisely.
While there is a shortage of masks, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture released a statement March 17 to reassure Ontarians about the strength and safety of the local food supply system. They asked that consumers practice normal shopping habits to ease the immediate short-term supply pressure that has been created by panic buying.
“Our food system has never been stronger, and we want to assure all Ontarians that they will not run out of fresh, affordable food during these challenging times,” said OFA President Keith Currie. “Consumers are understandably anxious about the uncertainty we are all facing, but one thing we want to do is quell their fears about food running out. There is no reason to hoard food. There is enough to feed us all.”
Caledonia Zehrs announced they will be opening from 7-8 a.m. for seniors. The business stated: “The store will be stocked, cleaned, and sanitized to allow our senior shoppers to get the supplies they need in a less crowded and stress-free environment. Please share this message with any seniors you may know that will find this beneficial. Regular store hours will resume for all customers at 8 a.m.”
Current geographic areas that are identified as “affected” by the Province are: China (mainland), Hong Kong, Iran, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. Travellers returning to Canada are advised to self-isolate for 14 days, monitor for symptoms, and contact Telehealth Ontario or their local health unit if they have any COVID-19 symptoms.
Those with mild or moderate symptoms should call, not visit, Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 or HNHU at 519-462-6170 ext. 9999 for information; only call 911 or visit emergency departments for urgent situations. A self-assessment tool is also available at ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus.
HNHU has launched a dedicated COVID-19 webpage for information at:
hnhu.org/health-topic/coronavirus-covid-19.
Note: The information provided here is accurate as of press time on Tuesday, March 17. The Press will provide updates online when available.
Updates
For newer statistics, visit the following websites:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/685d0ace521648f8a5beeeee1b9125cd
For up-to-date information on Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan:
March 19 – WHGH Update
Effective Friday, March 20, 2020, there will be no visitor access at West Haldimand General Hospital. For compassionate reasons, there may be some exceptions so visitors seeking access to a loved one receiving palliative care are encouraged to phone ahead to the hospital to discuss access.
These actions are being taken to ensure the safety of our health care workers and patients receiving care and to limit the spread of infection. Active screening will continue at the ED entrance at both hospitals for new patients, hospital staff, physicians and other essential service providers.
WHGH is following Public Health guidelines to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Ontario. For example, if a patient has just returned from international travel, presents at the ED for other health reasons and is showing no signs of symptoms at screening, then that patient will be required to be placed in isolation for 14 days upon hospital admission.
When you arrive at the Emergency Department, it is important to immediately let the person who greets you at Triage know about any international travel in the past 14 days, whether you or a family member have been in contact with an ill person who recently travelled internationally or been in contact with a person with a known case of novel coronavirus.
Most non-urgent surgeries, procedures and clinic visits have been cancelled. If you do have a clinic appointment, test or other procedure scheduled, and have any respiratory symptoms, please call the clinic before the appointment to ask if you should still come to the hospital. It is important to immediately let the person registering you know about any recent international travel, whether you or a family member have been in contact with an ill person who travelled internationally or been in contact with a person with a known case of novel coronavirus.
March 20 – Haldimand and Norfolk counties proactively preparing for COVID-19
HALDIMAND COUNTY, ON – Haldimand and Norfolk Counties are continuing to work closely with the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit, hospitals, healthcare centres and physicians to respond to COVID-19.
While there are currently NO confirmed cases in Haldimand or Norfolk, both Counties have activated their Emergency Operations Centres and are taking action to support local hospitals should patient volumes increase.
Should increased capacity at local hospitals be needed, both Haldimand and Norfolk Counties have made preparations to open interim care centers, to be staffed by local healthcare professionals.
In Haldimand County, this site will be at Dunnville Memorial Arena.
In Norfolk County, the site will be at Port Dover Arena.
“I fully support and appreciate the coordinated, proactive efforts of County staff, the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit & local hospitals to ensure our community is prepared for COVID-19,” said Haldimand County Mayor Ken Hewitt. “Residents should be assured that we are taking all steps & precautions necessary to minimize the negative impacts of this virus in Haldimand,” he added.
“We all hope that the opening of these facilities won’t be necessary, but if the COVID-19 virus continues to spread, I want residents to know that we are fully prepared,” said Norfolk County Mayor Kristal Chopp. “By strategically co-ordinating with our neighbours in Haldimand, we’ll be able to quickly increase capacity at local hospitals and ensure residents continue to get the care they need.”
Haldimand and Norfolk Counties are recruiting volunteers for a variety of tasks to address community needs during the COVID-19 pandemic including delivering food, medications and other supplies to seniors in self-isolation.
Those with relevant skills and experience – for example nursing staff (registered or not), dieticians, personal support workers, food handlers, chefs, respiratory therapists, health care aides and others – are encouraged to securely register with the Counties at https://hnhu.org/covidvolunteers/. Potential volunteers can also leave a voicemail at 519-426-1947 or 905-774-1530.
March 21 – Haldimand Medical Officer of Health shuts down personal services settings
The Haldimand-Norfolk Medical Officer of Health has ordered all personal services settings and esthetic services to close, effective immediately, in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The order applies to all tattoo parlours, barbershops, hair and nail salons, spas, and tanning beds in Haldimand and Norfolk counties.
It also applies to all banquet halls found in both counties.
The decision is part of the Health Unit’s COVID-19 containment strategy, which also includes the limiting of public gatherings and strict social distancing protocols.
The order is effective until rescinded by the Medical Officer of Health.
