COVID-19 in Ottawa: Fast Facts for Aug. 19, 2021

Paul Roberston works out at Crossfit Bytown as patrons return to the gym as Ontario enters phase 3 of reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa on Friday, July 16, 2021. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

OTTAWA -

Good morning. Here is the latest news on COVID-19 and its impact on Ottawa.

Fast Facts:

• Ottawa youth basketball club mandates COVID-19 vaccines for players, coaches and spectators
• COVID-19 vaccines mandatory to attend classes at Algonquin College's three campuses
• Active COVID-19 cases in Ottawa drop below 130 on Wednesday

COVID-19 by the numbers in Ottawa (Ottawa Public Health data):

• New COVID-19 cases: 19 new cases on Wednesday
• Total COVID-19 cases: 28,030
• COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 12.2
• Positivity rate in Ottawa: 1.5 per cent (seven day average)
• 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 are a patient and/or their 1 accompanying escort tra­velling out of country for medical treatment;
• 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.
• Long-term care staff, caregivers, volunteers and visitors who are fully immunized against COVID-19 are not required to present a negative COVID-19 test before entering or visiting a long-term care home.

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 Friday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• COVID-19 Drive-Thru Assessment Centre at 300 Coventry Road: Open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• The Moodie Care and Testing Centre: Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 
• The Ray Friel Care and Testing Centre: Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• North Grenville COVID-19 Assessment Centre (Kemptville) – 15 Campus Drive: Open Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 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, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Friday

COVID-19 screening tool:

The COVID-19 screening tool for summer camp children and staff. All campers and staff must complete the COVID-19 School and Childcare screening tool daily.

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

Ottawa youth basketball club mandates COVID-19 vaccines for players, coaches and spectators

An Ottawa youth basketball club is introducing a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for the upcoming season, requiring eligible players, coaches, volunteers, parents and spectators to be fully vaccinated to play and attend games.

The Ottawa Shooting Stars says all athletes 12 years of age and older will be required to be fully vaccinated to play this coming season.

Coaches and any volunteers working at games will also be required to be fully vaccinated.

"Furthermore, to work within capacity limits there could be restrictions on spectators at large events like tryouts," said Ottawa Shooting Stars in a statement at Facebook.

"When spectators are permitted we understand they will need to be fully vaccinated. There is still time to get your vaccines prior to the fall to ensure your child has the opportunity to attend these events."

A basketball is seen in this undated file photograph. (Pexels)

Algonquin College mandates COVID-19 vaccination for its three campuses

Students, faculty and staff will need to provide a proof of COVID-19 vaccination to visit any of Algonquin College's three campuses this fall.

"All learners, employees, contractors and visitors will require proof of COVID-19 vaccination – unless exempted – in order to attend in-person activities at our campuses in Ottawa, Pembroke and Perth. This includes those learners living in our Residence on the Ottawa Campus," said President and CEO Claude Brule in a statement on Algonquin's website..

Starting Sept. 7, anyone accessing campus will have to show proof that they had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. A second dose will be required by Oct. 12.

Algonquin College in Ottawa on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Active COVID-19 cases in Ottawa drop below 130 on Wednesday

Ottawa Public Health reported 19 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Wednesday.

Since the first case of COVID-19 in Ottawa in March 2020, there have been 28,030 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, including 593 deaths.

There are fewer active cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa.

Twenty-six more cases were considered resolved on Wednesday, bringing the number of active cases down to 127 in Ottawa. 

COVID-19 Cases in Ottawa
Infogram