OTTAWA -- Good morning. Here is the latest news on COVID-19 and its impact on Ottawa.
Fast Facts:
- Premier Doug Ford reverses decision to close Ontario playgrounds
- Ontario walks back new pandemic police powers following widespread backlash
- Ottawa Public Health reported less than 300 cases of COVID-19 for the first time in four days on Saturday
COVID-19 by the numbers in Ottawa (Ottawa Public Health data):
- New COVID-19 cases: 241 new cases on Saturday
- Total COVID-19 cases: 21,552
- COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 222.4
- Positivity rate in Ottawa: 10.5 per cent (April 7 to April 13)
- Reproduction Number: 1.07 (seven day average)
Testing:
Who should get a test?
Ottawa Public Health says you can get a COVID-19 test at an assessment centre, care clinic, or community testing site if any of the following apply to you:
- You are showing COVID-19 symptoms;
- You have been exposed to a confirmed case of the virus, as informed by Ottawa Public Health or exposure notification through the COVID Alert app;
- You are a resident or work in a setting that has a COVID-19 outbreak, as identified and informed by Ottawa Public Health;
- You are a resident, a worker or a visitor to long-term care, retirement homes, homeless shelters or other congregate settings (for example: group homes, community supported living, disability-specific communities or congregate settings, short-term rehab, hospices and other shelters);
- You are a person who identifies as First Nations, Inuit or Métis;
- You are a person travelling to work in a remote First Nations, Inuit or Métis community;
- You received a preliminary positive result through rapid testing;
- You require testing 72 hours before a scheduled (non-urgent or emergent) surgery (as recommended by your health care provider);
- You are a patient and/or their 1 accompanying escort travelling out of country for medical treatment;
- You are an international student that has passed their 14-day quarantine period;
- You are a farm worker;
- You are an educator who cannot access pharmacy-testing; or
- You are in a targeted testing group as outlined in guidance from the Chief Medical Officer of Health.
Where to get tested for COVID-19 in Ottawa:
There are several sites for COVID-19 testing in Ottawa. To book an appointment, visit https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/shared-content/assessment-centres.aspx
- The Brewer Ottawa Hospital/CHEO Assessment Centre: Open Monday to Sunday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- COVID-19 Drive-Thru Assessment Centre at 300 Coventry Road: Open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- The Moodie Care and Testing Centre: Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Open Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. (testing only)
- The Heron Care and Testing Centre: Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- The Ray Friel Care and Testing Centre: Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (testing only)
- COVID-19 Assessment Centre at Howard Darwin Centennial Arena: Open daily 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
- Southwest Ottawa COVID-19 Assessment Centre at Richmond Memorial Community Centre: Open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Centretown Community Health Centre: Open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Sandy Hill Community Health Centre: Open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 pm.
- Somerset West Community Health Centre: Open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Wednesday
Vaccine eligibility screening tool:
To check and see if you are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in Ottawa, click here.
COVID-19 screening tool:
The COVID-19 screening tool for students heading back to in-person classes can be found here.
Symptoms:
Classic Symptoms: fever, new or worsening cough, shortness of breath
Other symptoms: sore throat, difficulty swallowing, new loss of taste or smell, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, pneumonia, new or unexplained runny nose or nasal congestion
Less common symptoms: unexplained fatigue, muscle aches, headache, delirium, chills, red/inflamed eyes, croup
Premier Ford reverses decision to close Ontario playgrounds amid backlash
Children are free to play on playgrounds in Ottawa and across Ontario.
Less than 24-hours after closing playgrounds as part of new restrictions under the stay-at-home order, Premier Doug Ford announced a reversal of the restrictions on playgrounds.
"Our regulations will be amended to allow playgrounds, but gatherings outside will still be enforced. Play outside safely. Parents keep your distance & wear masks if you can’t," Ford tweeted Saturday afternoon.
Mayor Jim Watson tweeted he supported revising the restrictions on playgrounds.
"We can promote physical distancing and still allow kids to get some fresh air and exercise."
Ontario walks back new pandemic police powers following widespread backlash
The Ontario government also reversed course on sweeping new police powers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement, Solicitor General Sylvia Jones said police will no longer have the power to stop any pedestrian or driver to ask why they're out or request their home address.
Instead, the government says police will only be able to stop people who they have reason to believe are participating in an "organized public event or social gathering."
Friday night, the Ottawa Police Service said its officers will not randomly stop people to ask them why they are outside their home.
Ottawa sees 241 new COVID-19 cases Saturday
Ottawa Public Health reported 241 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Saturday, along with two new deaths linked to the virus.
Since the first case of COVID-19 on March 11, 2020, there have been 21,552 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, including 482 deaths.
