Atikokan Progress
109 Main St. E P0T1C0 Atikokan, ON, Canada

Free heart health webinar, Thursday February 25, 6 pm https://choices_webinar_rainyriver.eventbrite.com

38 new cases in Kenora The Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) announced 38 new COVID-19 positive test results in the Kenora region on Sunday, February 14. We have seen a significant increase in the number of COVID-19 positive test results in the Kenora region since early January, says Dr Kit Young Hoon, Medical Officer of Health. Most of the cases appear to be linked to a small number of social circles who tend to gather together. However with such a large number of cases, th...ings can change rapidly and Kenora area residents must follow public health restrictions to prevent broad spread of the virus.. NWHU is working closely with area partners to make sure that case and contact follow-up is happening in a timely way, that those who have tested positive are provided with the support they need, and to generally minimize the impact of COVID-19 in the Kenora region. NWHU recommends that everyone assume COVID-19 is in their community and practise preventive measures like physical distancing, wearing a mask in enclosed public spaces and when physical distancing is a challenge, good hand hygiene, and not touching their face. Anyone who has symptoms, or who has been in contact with a positive case, should self-isolate and get tested.

Latest from the health unit on the lockdown.... What the extended lock-down means for non-essential businesses... The Province of Ontario has extended the lock-down and stay at home order for the Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) region until at least February 16th, 2021. Until our area returns to the Province’s COVID-19 Response Framework, it is status quo for businesses, restaurants, and operators of personal service settings. Currently, only essential businesses are permitted to have in-person shopping and all other non-essential retailers must operate using online/curb-side pick-ups. Personal service settings and recreation operators must remain closed. Looking forward to next week, if case numbers don’t significantly increase, we will transition back to the Framework. Based on case numbers, the NWHU area will be assigned a risk level/colour with associated public health measures that are required under the regulations. Once we know which zone our region will fall under, we will communicate the requirements that businesses, restaurants and personal service settings in our area must follow, says Thomas Nabb, Manager of Environmental Health at NWHU. NWHU thanks all local business owners and operators for their patience and dedication in keeping our communities safe during these trying times. The pubic is reminded that by following public health measures, our numbers will remain low and local businesses will have less restrictions in place. Most of the recent COVID-19 cases in our region have been spread through informal gatherings with others, which serves as a reminder to stay 2 metres away from anyone you do not live with.

EVENTS CALENDAR December 2 forward Wednesday, December 2 Last day to order Seniors Christmas dinner at the Legion. Call 597-2190. Dinner is pick-up or delivery, December 4... Walk fit, 9 am, Pioneer Ctr (register 597-6080) Atikokan Museum, 10 am - 4 pm Art therapy, 10:30 am, Pioneer Centre Craft class, 1 pm, Pioneer Centre ACW rummage sale, 1-3 pm, Church of the Good Shepherd Dec. 2-3 - Optometrist here, 1-807-345-3455 Thursday, December 3 Atikokan Museum, 10 am - 4 pm 50+ walkers, 1 pm, White St. diamond Legion clubroom open, 2-6 pm Friday, December 4 Walk fit, 9 am, Pioneer Ctr (register 597-6080) Gentle yoga, 10 am, Pioneer Centre Atikokan Museum, 10 am - 4 pm Resistance bands, 1 pm, Pioneer Centre Line dancing, 2 pm, Pioneer Centre Legion clubroom open, 2-6 pm Coffee & chit chat, 3 pm, Pioneer Centre Saturday, December 5 Legion clubroom open, 2-6 pm Monday, December 7 Walk fit, 9 am, Pioneer Ctr (register 597-6080) Atikokan Museum, 10 am - 4 pm Atikokan food bank, 1-2:30 pm Council meets, 4 pm Dec. 9 - Nor-West Animal Clinic, 274-7393 Dec. 10 - School board online info meeting re: New K-12 school. Details at www.rrdsb.com/calendar Dec. 14 - Atikokan Christmas Bird Count, 597-2008

With COVID-19 cases on the rise, Ely switches to home until until January https://www.elyecho.com/artic//11/27/school-moves-distance

NWHU Region Moving to COVID-19 YELLOW-PROTECT Level In consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) region has moved to the Yellow Protect level of the Ontario Government’s Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework. The shift to this level comes after a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases in the Kenora region over the past week. The new level for the region requires the implementation of stronger measures including requiring safe...ty plans for some businesses, targeted enforcement, fines, and enhanced education to limit the transmission of COVID-19. Some of the restrictions in the yellow level include: Some businesses now require a safety plan. This must be a written plan that includes things like screening employees, ensuring people maintain at least 2 metres between themselves, disinfecting surfaces and objects, and supporting hand hygiene. The Government of Ontario has a template to help employers create a safety plan. Food establishments and bars must be closed between 12 a.m. and 5 a.m., and no more than six people can sit together. Liquor can only be sold or served between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. and cannot be consumed in establishments between 12 a.m. and 9 a.m. Contact information must be collected from all patrons in settings such as restaurants, personal care service settings, meeting spaces, recreation facilities, and bingo halls. Patrons of sports and recreational facilities must be at least 3 metres apart where there are weights/weight machines and in exercise classes. Programs are limited to 10 people per room inside and 25 people outside. Preregistration or appointments are required. To find out which types of businesses require a safety plan, visit the Government of Ontario’s COVID-19 Response Framework Protect. To help businesses meet this new requirement, NWHU is contacting affected employers with further information and also expanding their hotline hours for the weekend. Health unit staff will be available until 8 p.m. November 27, and from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on November 28 to answer questions that employers may have. Dr. Kit Young Hoon, Medical Officer of Health at NWHU reminds the public that on top of the new measures put in place for the area, we must also remain vigilant in our personal preventive practises. To stay safe, limit your number of close contacts, stay two metres from anyone not in your household, wash your hands frequently, and stay home when you are feeling unwell, she says. If we do not act now, we face the possibility of further restrictions being placed on us during the holiday season, warns Dr. Young Hoon. See more

The National Public Alerting System will conduct a test today at 12:55 p.m. The test provides an opportunity for stakeholders to validate and improve the system's performance and reliability to ensure it operates as intended in the event of a life-threatening situation.

WE GOOFED! Somehow we managed to print last year's pages one and four in today's Foodland flyer. (If you look at the date on the bottom of page four, you will see November 25 to 30, 2019) Pages two and three in the big blue flyer are correct. We are reprinting the ad as a smaller black and white flyer and doing our best to get them out now. Sorry!... Here are the corrected pages one and four: