Monday, January 25, 2021
-5 °c
Cornwall
-10 ° Tue
-10 ° Wed
-10 ° Thu
-14 ° Fri
-12 ° Sat
-6 ° Sun

No products in the cart.

download our APP
  • About
    • Contributors
    • Disclaimers
    • Giving back
    • Mission Statement
    • Past Issues
    • Where to Find
    • Call us at 613-935-3763
  • Get The Seeker at Home!
  • Advertise with us!
COVID-19 Response Framework: As of 12:01 AM on December 26, the EOHU region is at the GREY-LOCKDOWN level for 28 days.
  • Home
  • News
  • Leisure & Lifestyle
  • Community & Columnists
  • Events
    • 5 questions with…
  • Disclaimers
  • Merch
No Result
View All Result
The Seeker Newspaper Cornwall
  • Home
  • News
  • Leisure & Lifestyle
  • Community & Columnists
  • Events
    • 5 questions with…
  • Disclaimers
  • Merch
No Result
View All Result
The Seeker Newspaper Cornwall
Home News and Announcements

Celebrate the Holiday Season Safely

Editorial Board by Editorial Board
November 25, 2020
in News and Announcements
Reading Time: 6min read
32 2
21
SHARES
228
VIEWS

Ontario Provides Public Health Advice on How to Protect You and Your Loved Ones

TORONTO — The holidays are going to look a little different this year due to COVID-19. To support Ontarians as they begin to safely plan for the season, the Ontario government, based on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health and input from the Public Health Measures Table, is providing preliminary guidance on how to safely celebrate this year and protect your loved ones.

Details were provided today by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, and Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health.

You might also like

Today Marks the One Year Anniversary of the First COVID-19 Case in Ontario

Statement from the Medical Officer of Health on the Delay of In-Person Learning in the EOHU Region

How to Take Your Trading to The Next Level

“I know there are many people looking forward to their traditional family celebrations at this time of year, but to keep your loved ones safe, traditions will have to be adjusted,” said Premier Ford. “We’re asking everyone to please stick to your own household when celebrating. Avoid big holiday parties or large family dinners to help us stop the spread of this deadly virus. By following this public health advice, we can all have a safe and fun holiday season.”

No matter where you live in the province, the safest way to spend the holidays this year is by only celebrating in person with the people you live with and celebrating virtually with everyone else. If you live alone, consider exclusively celebrating with one additional household as a safe way to spend the holidays.

While public health measures to keep Ontarians safe may be different in communities across the province, the following is some general advice to consider when planning your holiday season:

Safer Holiday ActivitiesRiskier Holiday Activities
Virtual holiday gatherings or events with family, friends or co-workers.In-person holiday gatherings or events, particularly gatherings where masks or face coverings must be removed to eat or drink. 
Outdoor holiday activities such as building a snowman or going on a sleigh ride with members of your household.Indoor holiday activities such as having overnight guests or sleepovers with friends or people outside your household.
Visiting Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus or their elves outdoors and taking photos while keeping two metres apart.Visiting Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus or their elves indoors and taking photos without being two metres apart. Children are not permitted to sit on Santa’s lap this year.
Attending a drive-in or drive-through event.Visiting family and friends for non-essential reasons.
Watching holiday or other movies with your household.Individuals and families in higher transmission areas should avoid going to lower transmission areas, except for essential reasons.
Decorating your doors and putting up lights around your home.Hosting or attending social gatherings or organized public events that do not adhere to provincial or local requirements. See below for information about the gathering limits that apply in the various zones.
Baking holiday treats with your immediate household.
Donating to your favourite holiday charity or toy drive.

While the above is recommended advice from public health officials, please remember you must adhere to public health and workplace safety measures and rules in your region.

A new holiday web page will be launched shortly to provide more direct and up-to-date guidance on how individuals and families can plan for a safe holiday season.

“The holidays are a special time of the year for many people, and while we all want to spend time with family and friends, we must celebrate safely to stop the spread of COVID-19,” said Minister Elliott. “With the recent news about several vaccines there’s light at the end of the tunnel. I realize that it won’t be easy, but we must continue to follow public health advice and look for new and creative ways to celebrate this year.”

It is important for everyone to adhere to the public health measures in their communities, especially when connecting with others. All Ontarians are strongly recommended to continue doing the following:

  • Stay home if you have COVID-19 symptoms, even if they are mild;
  • Avoid social gatherings and limit close contacts to your household or the people you live with;
  • Maintain two metres of physical distancing from everyone else;
  • Adhere to the restrictions in your region on public and private gatherings;
  • Wear a face covering indoors and wear one outdoors if physical distancing cannot be maintained or if wearing one is required;
  • Wash your hands thoroughly and regularly;
  • Cover your cough;Get tested if you have symptoms compatible with COVID-19, or if you’ve been advised of exposure by your local public health unit or through the COVID Alert mobile app;
  • Individuals and families from higher transmission regions should avoid travel to lower transmission regions (e.g., from Red level to Orange level), except for essential reasons;
  • andDownload the COVID Alert mobile app.

“We understand the traditional importance of visiting family and gathering during the holiday season, but as we are continuing to live in unprecedented times, we need to look at new ways of celebrating and marking special occasions,” said Dr. Williams. “Everyone has a role to play in stopping the spread of COVID-19 and by strictly following these measures we can all plan for a healthy holiday season while keeping our loved ones safe.”

Ontarians are advised to visit Ontario.ca/covidresponse to learn what public health measures are in place in their community, and check with their public health unit for any additional information or restrictions. Advice may also vary by the level a public health unit is in, which can change depending on public health trends in the region as the holiday season approaches.

Social Gathering Limits by Level under the Regulations

  • In all levels, people are required to comply with public health guidance on physical distancing;
  • Indoor and outdoor limits can not be combined to increase the applicable limit;
  • The specified limits apply to gatherings even if in a private dwelling, including houses, apartment buildings, condominium buildings and post-secondary student residences;
  • The limits do not apply to a gathering of members of a single household.

Green-Prevent, Yellow-Protect and Orange-Restrict:

  • The limit for indoor social gatherings is 10 people;
  • The limit for outdoor social gatherings is 25 people.

Red-Control:

  • The limit for indoor social gatherings is five people;
  • The limit for outdoor social gatherings is 25 people.

Lockdown (Stage 1):

  • Indoor social gatherings are not permitted, except for a gathering of members of a single household, or a gathering that includes members of a household and one other person from outside that household who lives alone;
  • The limit for outdoor social gatherings is 10 people.

Note that capacity limits for religious services, rites or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services are different from the above. Refer to O. Reg. 82/20, O. Reg. 263/20, and O. Reg. 364/20.

If a person or business is not found compliant with orders under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020 (“Reopening Ontario Act”), they could be ticketed with a fine of $750 under the Act.

Author

  • Editorial Board

Next Post

Are Tokens the Future of All Finance?

Place YOUR ad here now
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube
The Seeker Newspaper is located at 327 Second Street E., Cornwall, ON K6H 1Y8 -- All rights reserved
The Seeker does not accept responsibility for errors, misprints or inaccuracies published within. The opinions and statements of our columnists are not to be presumed as the statements and opinions of The Seeker
ISSN 2562-1750 (Print)

ISSN 2562-1769 (Online)
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Leisure & Lifestyle
  • Community & Columnists
  • Events
    • 5 questions with…
  • Disclaimers
  • Merch

© 2021 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
X
X