Renfrew County re-opens Wednesday as one of three districts in Ontario re-opening plan

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Eganville – It was good news for Renfrew County residents who have been hoping for some semblance of normality when Ontario Minister of Health Christine Elliott announced this county would be among the very few re-opening Wednesday as the stay-at-home order in the district was lifted.

“This is not a re-opening or a return to normal,” she cautioned during a joint press conference on Monday afternoon. “It is an acknowledgement we are making steady progress. As always it remains critical to continue following public health advice and measures.”

The area covered by the Renfrew County District Health Unit (RCDHU) was joined by neighbouring Hastings and Prince Edward County Health Unit and Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Health Unit as the only three which saw the removal of the stay-at-home order and the return to a “green” designation under the colour-coding system.

All health units in the province except for Toronto, Peel and York are anticipated to return to the colour-coded framework next Tuesday, February 16. In Toronto, Peel and York, the stay-at-home order is anticipated to remain in place until February 22. Final decisions are being made as COVID-19 case counts continue to be evaluated.

“We are taking a cautious approach to returning to the framework,” the minister said.

If numbers go up in any area, the chief medical officer of health, as well as the local medical officer of health may move an area into lockdown immediately, she noted.

Minister Elliott cautioned about more contagious variants of COVID in Ontario, even in more rural areas. In Toronto, an individual has tested positive for the Brazilian variant and in Timiskaming and North Bay there are also possible variants of concern, she said. 

“Today we are seeing some sunlight break through the clouds,” Premier Doug Ford said during the news conference. “Daily case numbers are down. Transmission rates are down. Less people are being hospitalized.”

The premier said measures to open stores to allow in-person shopping were brought in after much consideration, including limiting capacity to 25 per cent in most retail settings in the grey-lockdown zones. Health and safety remains the most important thing, he said while acknowledging the economic toll the lockdown has created.

“153,000 people lost their jobs; that is 153,000 families that are struggling,” he said, adding the government is bringing in relief initiatives.

As well, hospital ICUs in some parts of the province are still challenged and the new variants of COVID-19 are reaching the province, he said. This is compounded by “significant” delays in receiving the vaccine supply, he said.

“We cannot return to normal, not yet, not while our hospitals could still be overrun,” he said.

Premier Ford said the declaration of emergency in the province, which expired February 9, would not be extended.

“If we see the numbers spike again, we are prepared to take further action if necessary,” he said.

Returning to Green

Dr. Robert Cushman, the acting medical officer of health for RCDHU, stressed while the stay-at-home order is lifted as of Wednesday and the district is returning to green, people need to exercise caution, keep following local directives like mask wearing, staying home when sick, physical distancing and monitoring for symptoms.

“Back to business like in early December,” he said.

The area covered by the RCDHU has essentially been in “green” for some time, he pointed out with only a few infections.

“We have been green since the middle of January,” he noted.

According to statistics released by the health unit, there were only four confirmed cases of the virus in the county on Monday, with two hospitalized. Dr. Cushman said those hospitalized were members of a family and their confidentiality was being respected, however, he did understand they were doing well at that point.

Dr. Cushman pointed out with the return to the green zone right before a long weekend there is a risk of infection as all recent cases in the county can be attributed to people travelling to the area and bringing the virus here.

“This can turn on a dime,” he cautioned.

On a positive note, the first dose of the vaccination of all long-term care residents in the county will be finished this Friday, he said.

A more somber note was his response to any possibility of large St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the Valley.

“This is the type of thing that gets us into trouble,” he said.

If a family wants to do a drive-by parade that would work, but gatherings of a lot of people in close quarters are not a good thing, he stressed. An outdoor activity “and really restricted” might be possible, he said.

Dr. Cushman said having gatherings has not been a good thing for the area in the past in terms of transmission.

“We really paid in December for the pre-Christmas social activities,” he said.

Dr. Cushman said he was cognizant of the desire for re-opening in the district and had advocated for it as he had previously advocated for the reopening of in-person learning at schools.

“We have been working hard on that,” he said. “We worked very hard for this.”

Dr. Cushman credited Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MPP John Yakabuski for working closely with him on bringing in this regional approach for the county. He said while he advocated with the provincial health officials, Mr. Yakabuski focused on the political side of things. Both had the same goal to see the county and district opened again as benefited by the low COVID numbers.

MPP Pleased with Decision

Mr. Yakabuski, who serves at the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry in the Ford government, said he was pleased with the decision to bring in a regional approach.

“We are one of only three back in the framework,” he said. “I’m really happy to see that. I know this has been a tremendous challenge.”

He said the provincial government brought in the stay-at-home order to protect the most vulnerable and everyone else from the virus. It was also in place to stop the spread in the province from areas with a high number of cases to areas with a lower number of cases. He acknowledged the shut down has been difficult on many.

“So many businesses have found this tremendously difficult,” he said.

In acknowledgement of this, the province has brought in programs to support businesses and many in the riding have applied for funding. Eligible businesses affected by the shut down could receive up to $20,000 in funding and there is also property tax help and assistance with electricity bills, he said.

Keeping the region safe is up to area residents, he cautioned.

“We have the protocols in place to protect ourselves and protect others,” he said. “This is a virus that is in the hands of everyone. We can only do so much as governments.”

People need to follow health directives to stop the spread of COVID-19, Minister Yakabuski said.

“We are also encouraged vaccinations are happening,” he said.

The Ontario government is allotted a share of vaccines from the federal government, but the issue remains supply. The first vaccines in the county were in his own hometown of Barry’s Bay where the residents of Valley Manor received the vaccines.

“We are not going to beat this until the vast majority of the population is vaccinated,” he added. “Until the protocols change, we all have to wear a mask in public areas, sanitize our hands and keep physical distancing.”