As Ottawa Public
Health and the City of Ottawa continue to move forward in our response to the
novel coronavirus (COVID-19), we are writing to provide greater clarity on a
number of communications and ask for your support in sharing information with
members of your community.
It is important
to recognize that the COVID-19 situation is evolving very quickly. Please refer
to OttawaPublicHealth.ca/Coronavirus to stay up-to-date on the
latest information.
For information relevant to businesses and
workplaces, please visit: https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/workplacecovid19
Ottawa Public Health is urging everyone to
practice physical (social) distancing. More information on physical (social) distancing for you and your family
can be found on our website.
The province of Ontario is ordering non-essential
workplaces to close-down as of Tuesday March 24, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. Further
details can be found on the OPH website
for workplaces.
Our efforts are needed as a community. The
actions you take will affect not only you but your loved ones and our community’s
most vulnerable residents. While
we appreciate that people are thinking of their loved ones, now is not
the time to visit them in person. Luckily, we have technology on our side,
which enables us to communicate in other creative ways like video chats and
group phone calls.
Physical (social) distancing by all is
IMPERATIVE to limit transmission in the community, to protect older adults, vulnerable
populations and outbreaks in institutions. We must “flatten the curve” so we
don’t see spikes in cases. This means that we want to slow down transmission of
the virus and reduce the number of cases in the community that happen at the
same time, so that our health system continues to work properly. Here are some ways that you and your family can
practise physical (social) distancing:
- Talk to your supervisor, manager, or
employer about the possibility of working from home where possible.
- Avoid visiting elderly friends or
relatives. Use the telephone, video chats or social media to stay
connected unless the visit is absolutely essential.
- Avoid all non-essential trips outside your
home.
- Keep the windows down if you have to go
into the community for an essential trip via taxi or rideshare.
- Cancel group gatherings and limit your
contact to those within your home.
- Hold virtual meetings or get-togethers.
- Spend time outside and in settings where
people can maintain a two-metre (six feet) distance from each other.
·
Take precautions to
maintain distance in shared spaces in multi-unit dwellings;
·
Avoid crowded
elevators (wait for an empty one if you can).
·
Avoid using the mail room or
laundry room at the same time as other residents (keep to a small number at a
time to maintain distance).
Self-Isolation
Many people are
returning home from March Break or winter travel and will need groceries and
essential items. It is imperative
that all returning travellers self-isolate for 14 days, so
groceries and essential items should be picked up by a family member or friend,
or through on-line ordering options. Visit our website for further
guidance on self-isolation. We have been working with the Ottawa
International Airport to ensure this is being communicated clearly to returning
travellers.
You also need to
self-isolate if you live with, provided care for, or spent
extensive time with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, OR is suspected to have
COVID-19, OR who has respiratory symptoms (fever, cough, or shortness of
breath) that started within 14 days of travel outside of Canada.
Our community partners are working together through the
City’s Human Needs Task Force for those requiring assistance. The task
force is receiving, assessing and triaging all social and human needs
inquiries, while mobilizing and supporting community organizations to address
urgent community needs. The Human Needs Task Force aligns internal city
resources, external partners, existing funding and new funding to community
need.
Outreach to Isolated Seniors
The Good
Companions’ Seniors Centre Without Walls has expanded its services with a
focus on outreach to vulnerable and isolated seniors and other populations.
Emotional and practical support is provided via telephone. In addition, they
have trained 20 agencies (32 staff) to do similar outreach calls through
various programs.
Rural
Ottawa Support Services is working with Good Companions to provide similar
telephone outreach and practical supports to isolated seniors through their A Friendly Voice program, which does
wellness calls connecting seniors to local services and programs.
Ottawa Community Housing has facilitated
wellness check phone calls to approximately 2,700 residents, focusing on people
identified on the Fire Evacuation List.
Food Security
Ottawa
Food Bank is supporting the emergency food centres and are coordinating
with other task force members to sort and deliver food where needed. Demand has
increased by 30 per cent across community food banks. They are working with the
Salvation Army to support distribution of food hampers offered by local
restauranteurs. The City is providing facility space for safe storage of food
hampers.
Meals on Wheels has been
increasing offers of frozen food for seniors in the Ottawa area and connecting
with Ottawa Food Bank to provide hamper supplies and deliveries. Since the
COVID-19 pandemic, they are delivering 100 fresh and 700 frozen meals daily.
These services have ensured a supply of full dinners for those individuals in
need.
Urgent Transportation
Working with other non-profit
organizations, the Good Companions and Champlain Community Support Network are
coordinating urgent transportation to medical appointments, assessment centres,
and food centres/grocery stores for those with financial constraints,
transportation difficulties, and/or health and mobility issues.
Services can be accessed by contacting Good Companions website or by
telephone at 613-236-0428.
Volunteer Coordination
The City and United Way of Eastern Ontario
are developing a plan to support volunteer coordination during the COVID-19
pandemic. Volunteer
Ottawa has established a pool of pre-screened volunteers and will continue
to accept new applicants.
Information is
changing rapidly and Ottawa Public Health is working around the clock to
provide information to the public as soon as possible.
Please share this
information and receive the latest updates by:
-
Visiting OttawaPublicHealth.ca/Coronavirus frequently
-
Follow
us on Twitter: twitter.com/ottawahealth
-
Like us
on Facebook: facebook.com/ottawahealth
Reduce the spread of germs including
the flu and COVID-19
- Wash your hands
often with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
unless you have just cleaned your hands.
- Cover your cough and sneeze with a tissue or
into your arm, not your hand.
- Stay home if you are sick.
Thank you for
your partnership.
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