Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services

The province has just announced that the Region will be moving into move the Red-Control category of the Provincial framework at 12:01 a.m. on Monday November 23, 2020. Read the release here: https://bit.ly/393LId0

The spread of COVID-19 has escalated rapidly in Waterloo Region. Residents should consider COVID-19 to be widely circulating in our community right now. All residents are advised to stay home and only go out for essential purposes including going to work, school, getting groceries, keeping medical appointments or exercising outdoors. Stay home and protect each other. For more info visit regionofwaterloo.ca/COVID19

COVID-19 spreads easily when you have close, unprotected contact. It is spreading where face coverings are not worn and/or physical distance is not practiced. This is happening at social gatherings, but we're also seeing it in workplaces and sports/recreation settings. Over the past few months we have managed 4,595 high-risk contacts. For info on how to protect yourself and others visit regionofwaterloo.ca/COVID19

On Monday Region of Waterloo moves to the Orange-Restrict category of the Provincial Framework. We recommend that businesses make plans for each level of the Framework. As we have seen, as cases accelerate we can move quickly into the next level of measures. https://www.ontario.ca//covid-19-response-framework-keepin

Not sure if you should get tested for COVID-19 or where to go for a test? The Ontario Government has eligibility info and a listing of all testing locations at covid-19.ontario.ca/covid-19-test-and-testing-location-info

Effective Monday, November 16 at 12:01 a.m. Region of Waterloo will move into the Orange-Restrict classification of the Provincial Framework. For full details on the new measures, visit https://www.ontario.ca//covid-19-response-framework-keepin

Over the past week we have seen a significant increase in the number of cases and outbreaks in the Region of Waterloo. We see that spread often starts at social gatherings or events. This is leading to multiple clusters of cases and outbreaks in various settings. We all have a role to play to slow the spread in our community. Find more information at regionofwaterloo.ca/COVID19

Our Public Health flu clinics are all booked. For families with young children, you can still visit your family health care provider or a walk-in clinic for the flu shot. If we have additional appointments become available, they will be posted online at regionofwaterloo.ca/flu

Looking for low risk ways to celebrate Halloween this year? Make new traditions for your household. If you choose to trick-or-treat, Ontario Ministry of Health has guidelines to help you celebrate safely. Find them at https://www.ontario.ca//how-celebrate-halloween-during-cov

Beginning today, our dashboard will be updated daily at 1:30 p.m. This allows us to report cases for the previous day, from midnight to midnight going forward. Please note, for today only, the update will include the period of Monday at 5 p.m. to Tuesday at 11:59 p.m. You can view the update at 1:30 p.m. at regionofwaterloo.ca/COVID19summary

We are already almost a month into the school year. It hasn’t been without its bumps. We’ve had cases and even outbreaks not to mention shifts in process, but through it all we continue to work together with the local school boards to help reduce the risk to students and teachers. We have always said reopening is not without risk. Public Health will continue to work closely with our school board partners to ensure appropriate infection prevention and control practices are in... place and that they have the necessary supports they need. In terms of what happens when there is a positive case who was in school while infectious sometimes the circumstances will vary but many of the steps are the same. Public Health receives notification of every COVID-19 positive test in the region. Once we are aware of a positive case the case and contact management (CCM) process begins. At the same time that nurses are determining high risk contacts and necessary follow-ups with the positive case, we are also working with our school board partners to determine who needs to be contacted. Typically the focus begins with the classroom or cohort of the case. Most of the time, the cohort of the case is sent home to self-isolate to help contain further exposures as we continue with case and contact management. All high risk contacts will be called directly by us. If you are a high risk contact you will know. Otherwise you may be receiving general information from your school. Sometimes you may find out about a case from the school board website. We will take care of reporting any outbreaks in schools. Outbreaks are determined through our CCM work. Sometimes we discover a case which is connected to another case and could reasonably have been transmitted within the school. This could lead us to declare an outbreak. Multiple cases in a school do not necessarily mean outbreak if they are not connected and there’s no evidence of spread within the school. When a case has completed their self-isolation as directed by Public Health, they can return to school. Remember they are in regular communication with us so they have our guidance before returning to the classroom. If we have said they can return, it’s because we are in the background working with them and have determined that it’s safe for them to go back. We know this is stressful. Reopening schools is not without risk. We want to assure you that we are here and we are working hard with our school board partners to ensure the proper processes are in place to reduce the number of cases and spread of COVID-19. Thank you to the students who screen themselves before they show up every day, wear a mask, wash their hands and help protect each other. Thank you to the teachers who do the same and are trying to teach and keep our kids safe in this new normal. We are in this together and we appreciate your efforts!

How big the second wave becomes in the Region of Waterloo is up to all of us. To prevent widespread transmission in the coming weeks, we need to do these three things now: 1 Limit close contacts (smaller is safer) 2 Physically distance from everyone else and wear a face covering ... 3 Stay home if you feel sick and make an apppointment to be tested Find more information at regionofwaterloo.ca/COVID19

Still have some questions about your child returning to school? Not sure what to do if they have symptoms of COVID-19? Check out our frequently asked questions at regionofwaterloo.ca/ReturnToSchool

Early support and reassurance is key for a successful breastfeeding journey. You can get that support and reassurance from our public health nurses who are specially trained to help! Call 519-575-4400 to book an in-person or virtual appointment with them. Learn more at regionofwaterloo.ca/Breastfeeding

We are hearing reports from residents who are receiving spam calls that appear to come from the Region of Waterloo or Public Health. If Public Health is trying to reach you, we will leave a direct extension for you to call back.

The small actions we take now, to gather safely, can make a big difference in reducing the spread of COVID-19 in the Region of Waterloo. regionofwaterloo.ca/COVID19

If you are supporting local businesses in the Region of Waterloo by dining out during COVID-19, you will see some added measures in place to help keep you safe. regionofwaterloo.ca/COVID19

The Province has issued an update to COVID-19 testing guidance, effective immediately, across Ontario. For details visit: https://news.ontario.ca//ontario-updates-covid-19-testing-