Covid 19 Update December 11, 2020

COVID-19 Update from Mayor Wade Mills December 11, 2020

There were 1,848 new COVID-19 cases reported in Ontario today as well as 45 new fatalities which is the highest single-day fatality figure since June 4^th. Province-wide, our cumulative reported totals now sit at 136,631 cases, 116,432 resolved cases, 3,916 reported deaths, and 808 patients currently hospitalized.

Within the Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health region, we have seen 43 new cases reported since yesterday. We now have 251 active cases throughout the region and 14 people in hospital. Within Dufferin County specifically, we have eight new cases reported within the last 24-hour period and our current active case count stands at 32, with three hospitalizations. Public Health is reporting that 10 active cases currently exist within the Town of Shelburne.  

As was expected, the Province officially announced today that our public health region (Wellington Dufferin Guelph) will move to the RED – Control zone as of 12:00 am on Monday and will remain in effect for at least 28 days. A number of metrics are used to establish this move including case rates and the risk for hospital, ICU and public health capacity overloads. In our case, it seems that the number of positive cases per 100,000 people, along with the test positivity rate (both of which are on an upward trajectory) were the determining factors. 

To be clear, the RED Zone is NOT lockdown, but it does impose the most severe restrictions available short of a full lockdown that would see us return to widescale business and organizational closures. Here is the link to the official Provincial policy that sets out all of the RED restrictions (https://covid-19.ontario.ca/zones-and-restrictions),  but the most notable of those at a local level are as follows:

-Limited close contact to your household
-Social gatherings are limited to five people indoors, and 25 outdoors
-Religious, wedding/funeral services can be at 30% capacity indoors, or 100 people outdoors
-Only travel for essential reasons (ie. school, work, grocery/pharmacy, healthcare, physical activity)
-Indoor dining is limited to 10 people per establishment and four people per table
-Sport and Rec facilities are limited to 10 people indoors, 25 outdoors
-No team sports to be played or practiced except for training (no games or scrimmages)
-Retail stores can remain open as long as capacity limits and protocols are maintained

These additional measures will still require us all to practice physical distancing, mask wearing, and proper hand sanitization. We can all likely expect to experience line-ups at stores once again and I ask that everyone try to remain courteous with store employees as well as with each other. WDG Public Health has stated that they will be updating their guidance and resources to reflect public health measures in the Red – Control level and I will keep you posted as that information becomes available.

With this move, Shelburne Town Hall as well as our Public Works yard will be closed to the public for all but essential appointments which may still be booked in advance of arrival. Please call 519-925-2600 if you require an in-person appointment, otherwise please use the many services available on the Town of Shelburne’s website www.shelburne.ca

I understand that nobody wanted to see this happen particularly as we are approaching the holiday season. I also understand that everyone is growing tired and frustrated and we are all just wanting to be able to return to normal. Unfortunately, we’re not quite there yet but we do have some significant signs of hope as we will begin to see vaccines roll out now in very short order. Until we can finally declare victory over this virus, I am asking each of you to remember that the measures that are being put into place are designed to help protect each of us, our families, and our community. We have to push through the frustration and the fatigue and continue to do our part. I realize that it is becoming a bigger ask with each passing week but I am also confident in the spirit and resolve of this community.

Please be well and please continue to be kind to each other.

Mayor Wade Mills