As COVID-19 cases soar, Sudbury's health unit issues work-at-home instructions
After reporting 47 new cases on Thursday alone, Public Health Sudbury & Districts is tightening restrictions in the area in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, medical officer of health, issued work-from-home instructions Friday under Ontario's Reopening Ontario Act. They take effect Monday in an area that has seen seven COVID-related deaths in the last five weeks.
The instructions include "strong recommendations to area schools, businesses, and organizations, and implementing stricter protocols for contacts of COVID-19 cases," the health unit said in a news release.
The health unit is also bringing in a voluntary Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) screening of students, in coordination with local school boards.
"This is being rolled out now and in advance of the Holiday season, offering another layer of protection," the release said.
"Other strongly recommended actions also include requiring RAT screening or proof of vaccination for students participating in certain extra-curricular sports, strengthened health and safety measures, and mandatory daily confirmation of symptom screening."
While bringing back other restrictions has slowed the spread, Public Health said more needs to be done to get cases under control. The area is currently among the top three highest COVID-19 rates in the province.
"Case rates remain unacceptably high, threatening health and the health system, in-person learning, and local transition to a reopened community," the health unit said.
They are also enacting stricter measures for the follow-up of contacts of cases of COVID-19.
"Public Health will be tightening up our protocols for contact follow-up such that, in certain circumstances some people even if they are fully immunized, will be required to self-isolate," Sutcliffe said.
"We will also be requiring unvaccinated children to stay at home if they have an unvaccinated family member who was exposed to a case."
Sutcliffe said in the release that while schools and household spread are driving the current surge, everyone is being affected.
“With the widespread circulation of the virus in our community, our response also needs to be widespread, reducing mobility and face-to-face interactions overall," she said.
"This is the purpose of the work-from-home instructions. Further, every sector needs to do their part, voluntarily at this time, to pave the path to lower case rates and reopening.”
Public Health said it is reissuing its call to everyone to continue to limit outings, work from home, get vaccinated, wear a mask and keep two metres distance from those outside your household.
For more information or if you have questions about COVID-19 or vaccinations, click here or call the health unit at 705-522-9200, toll-free 1-866-522-9200.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.