Flagrant disregard and disrespect
In a YouTube video released today, February 26, entitled “Another Concern Update,” Renfrew County and District’s Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr. Rob Cushman told viewers, “Today in fact was the worst day since we started this last March for the Renfrew County and District Health Unit.” He referred to a “major concern in the Arnprior and McNab Braeside region” where 14 people have tested positive and said there are a number of other contacts the Health Unit is still looking at.
Referring to the above Infographic, Dr. Cushman said that many of these people “attended the same social gathering, then went to four different households and to seven different businesses and workplaces. In fact some of these businesses and workplaces had been shut down. And after that one or two of them went on to an additional private social gathering and spread the disease even further.” He went on to say that this event shows “flagrant disregard and disrespect for what we’re trying to do.”
Limit size of social circle
He said this showed people were not paying attention to the size of their social groupings and emphasized that residents must confine their circle to their household, immediate work colleagues and not travel. He stated residents should follow public health guidelines and not let down their guard during their free time.
In the video as well as in a news release received Feb.26 from the health unit, Dr. Cushman noted, “RCD has been classified as a Green Zone for weeks now, which will likely change if cases continue to rise. Businesses are finally getting the chance to open again, to employ their workers, and to serve their customers delayed needs. The last thing we want to do is to jeopardize our status and clamp down yet again on the economy, or possibly implement more stringent rules in the Arnprior Area.”
Dr. Cushman explained that the RCDHU is a very small health unit that is stretched to capacity with COVID. He said, “If you see egregious misbehaviours, let your municipality know. They can do something about it but also they can tell us and we can arrive and ticket as needed.”
The RCDHU release advises that the Section 22 order for Self-Isolation requires all residents of RCD, to immediately begin self-isolation if they:
- are a confirmed case or probable case of COVID-19;
- have signs and symptoms of COVID-19, have been tested for COVID-19 and are awaiting the results of their test;
- believe they now have one or more symptoms (even mild symptoms) of COVID-19; or
- are a close contact of a person diagnosed with COVID-19 or are a close contact of a person identified as a probable case of COVID-19.
It is imperative that everyone do their part to stay home if they are sick, avoid contact with people who are ill, practice physical distancing (2 metres), wear a mask/face covering when physical distancing cannot be maintained, wash their hands, use the COVID Alert App, and complete the COVID-19 self-assessment tool or COVID-19 school and child care self-assessment tool daily if you go to work, school or daycare, to monitor for symptoms and proper guidance.
For more information, visit RCDHU’s website at https://www.rcdhu.com/novel-coronavirus-covid-19-2/ or call 613-732-3629 or 1-800-267-1097.
Renfrew County & District Health Unit(2021,Feb.26) Concern in Arnprior and Area Over Rising Number of COVID-19 Cases [media release]
Infographic: RCDHU
