Community urged to continue following public health advice and maintain physical distancing guidelines.
The Town of Cobourg has now entered a four-week Provincewide Stay-At-Home Order that began today, April 8, 2021 as of 12:01 a.m. following the Government of Ontario’s announcement yesterday.
The Provincewide Stay-At-Home Order and Provincial Emergency Declaration are in place in response to the rapid increase in COVID-19 transmission, the threat on overwhelming the health care system, and the increasing risks posed to the public by COVID-19 variants. These additional and strengthened shutdown measures mean that residents should only leave home for essential purposes, including:
· going to the grocery store or pharmacy
· accessing health care services (including getting vaccinated)
· outdoor exercise or walking pets
· going to work that cannot be done remotely
· attending school or a post-secondary institution
Further details on the recently announced State of Emergency and the Stay-At-Home Order can be found here or by reading the O. Reg. 82/20 for complete regulation details.
Activities Permitted
Residents are permitted to participate in a number of activities as long as they comply with the conditions of the “Stay-at-Home” Order and follow all public health guidelines.
Examples of permitted activities include:
· going for walks or bike rides through parks, multi-use trails or roads
· gardening in community settings
· walking through parks, beaches, and trails for exercise purposes
· using open fields like soccer pitches or baseball diamonds for recreational sports
· using sports courts like basketball, tennis and pickleball
· utilizing the skateboard park and dog park for exercise purposes
· shopping local businesses through online or phone curbside pick-up or delivery
· playing on play structures, swings, slides or any park equipment
All permitted activities require residents to keep a physical distance of 2-metres (6 feet) from others or where a non-medical face mask if physical distancing cannot be maintained, and participate in activities with members of the same household only.
Activities Not Allowed
Under public health orders, an activity is not allowed to proceed if it involves:
· league play, events, festivals or competitions
· a private, indoor gathering with people who do not live in the same household
· any organized outdoor event or gathering of more than five people, including private gatherings such as backyard barbecues (unless part of the same household)
· a situation where physical distancing isn’t possible – people are required to maintain 2-metres (6 feet) from each other, unless they are from the same household
· leaving home for a purpose that is not considered essential under the Order
· leaving home if you are self-isolating, have symptoms or waiting for test results
· attending public recreation and private entertainment facilities, such as:
o swimming pools and gyms
o casinos and bingo halls
Adhere to Physical Distancing and Public Health Advice
As the Town of Cobourg enters into the Stay-At-Home Order residents are being asked to respect the following public health advice and guidelines:
· Maintain a physical distance of at least 2-metres (6 feet) from any other person
· Do not participate or hold gatherings or events (unless part of the same household)
· No organized team sports are permitted on sports courts and fields unless they involve only members of the same household
· Practice hand hygiene, wear a non-medical mask or face covering wherever possible and limit contact with surfaces.
Take Precautions While Outdoors
When going outdoors in public spaces:
· Plan your activity in advance to ensure physical distancing of at least 2 metres is possible:
o consider going during non-peak hours
o walk along the sides of trails and other public pathways to maintain distance
o wear a mask to help limit the risk of spread to others
· Practice good hand hygiene:
o wash your hands frequently
o refrain from touching your face with unclean hands
o carry and use hand sanitizer
What happens if the Stay-At-Home Order is Not Followed
The Cobourg Police Service and the Town of Cobourg’s Bylaw Enforcement Officers supports all measures necessary to limit the spread of COVID-19 in the community and will continue to work with local public health, municipal and regional officials to ensure compliance. With the Province under a Stay-at-Home Order, the Cobourg Police will be enforcing violations under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMPCA). Police will be issuing tickets to anyone who does not comply with provincial guidelines and restrictions.
“While most people and local businesses are following provincial regulations and public health guidelines, Cobourg Police will continue to respond to concerns about large gatherings and businesses not following COVID-19 guidelines,” says Chief Paul VandeGraaf, Cobourg Police Service. “Everyone has to do their part to move beyond this pandemic. Police will issue charges and fines accordingly to those who fail to comply with the current Stay-At-Home Order. Everyone must do their part and stay home unless it is essential.”
Stay Informed
To learn more about the Provincewide Stay-At-Home Order and the Emergency Declaration and potential program and service changes for the Town of Cobourg please visit the Province of Ontario’s COVID-19: enhanced public health and workplace safety measures page and the Town’s dedicated COVID-19 webpage www.cobourg.ca/covid19.
For local health unit updates visit the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit’s website
www.hkpr.on.ca. For provincial information including the status of cases in the province visit www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus.
Additional Resources
· Read the Province of Ontario’s press release Ontario Enacts Provincial Emergency and Stay-at-Home Order
· Visit the Town of Cobourg’s dedicated COVID-19 Provincial Response Framework page.
· Visit the Province of Ontario’s website and read the COVID-19 Response Framework: Keeping Ontario Safe and Open and the Provincewide Shutdown document.
· Visit the HKPR District Health Unit’s website for regional public health guidelines.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
