OTTAWA -- Good morning. Here is the latest news on COVID-19 and its impact on Ottawa.
Fast Facts:
- The Ontario government has announced a 28-day lockdown for the southern parts of the province, including Ottawa, starting on Boxing Day.
- Mayor Jim Watson says he does not support a four-week lockdown in Ottawa.
- Ottawa's COVID-19 case numbers are holding steady.
- Advocates are calling for better protections for prison inmates after a large outbreak at a Kingston jail.
COVID-19 by the numbers in Ottawa:
- New cases: 31 new cases on Monday
- Total COVID-19 cases: 9,384
- COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 27.0
- Positivity rate in Ottawa: 1.4 per cent (Dec 11-17)
- Reproduction Number: 1.06 (seven day average)
Testing:
Who should get a test?
Ottawa Public Health says there are four reasons to seek testing for COVID-19:
- You are showing COVID-19 symptoms. OR
- 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. OR
- You are a resident or work in a setting that has a COVID-19 outbreak, as identified and informed by Ottawa Public Health. OR
- You are eligible for testing as part of a targeted testing initiative directed by the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Long-Term Care.
Where to get tested for COVID-19 in Ottawa:
The COVID-19 Assessment Centre at 151 Brewer Way is open seven days a week. Appointments are required in most cases but LIMITED walk-up capacity is available.
To book a test for an adult, click here.
The CHEO Assessment Centre at Brewer Arena – 151 Brewer Way is open seven days a week. Testing is available by appointment only.
To book a test for a child under the age of 18, click here.
The COVID-19 Care and Testing Centre at 595 Moodie Dr. is open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. The centre offers an appointment with a physician (including appropriate tests) for residents who are experiencing more significant symptoms like fever, difficulty breathing or a sore throat, or testing only for residents with mild symptoms or others who qualify for testing under current guidelines.
To book an appointment, click here.
The COVID-19 Care and Testing Centre at 1485 Heron Rd. is open from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. The centre offers an appointment with a physician (including appropriate tests) for residents who are experiencing more significant symptoms like fever, difficulty breathing or a sore throat, or testing only for residents with mild symptoms or others who qualify for testing under current guidelines.
To book an appointment, click here.
The COVID-19 Care and Testing Centre at the Ray Friel Recreation Complex – 1585 Tenth Line Rd. is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. It offers an appointment with a physician (including appropriate tests) for residents who are experiencing more significant symptoms like fever, difficulty breathing or a sore throat, or testing only for residents with mild symptoms or others who qualify for testing under current guidelines.
To book an appointment, click here.
The COVID-19 drive-thru assessment centre at the National Arts Centre. The centre is open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
To book an appointment, click here.
The COVID-19 Assessment Centre at the McNabb Community Centre, located at 180 Percy Street, is open Monday to Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
To book an appointment, click here.
The Centretown Community Health Centre at 420 Cooper St. offers COVID-19 testing from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. To book an appointment, call 613-789-1500 or book an appointment online.
The Sandy Hill Community Health Centre at 221 Nelson St. offers COVID-19 testing from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Click here to book an appointment or call 613-789-1500
The Somerset Community Health Centre at 55 Eccles St. will offer COVID-19 testing from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Friday. To book an appointment, call 613-789-1500 or book an appointment online.
See here for a list of other testing sites in Ottawa and eastern Ontario.
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 swallow, 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
Provincewide lockdown coming Boxing Day
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced Monday that a provincewide lockdown to limit the spread of COVID-19 over the holidays will begin at 12:01 a.m. Dec. 26.
Southern portions of the province, including Ottawa, will be on lockdown for 28 days, which areas in the northern part of the province, from Sudbury up to Kenora, would be locked down for 14 days.
The lockdown will close non-essential businesses, put harsher restrictions on public and private gatherings and keep children home from school for at least an extra week.
See more details about how Ottawa and eastern Ontario will be affected here.
Ottawa "blindsided" by 28-day lockdown, mayor Jim Watson says
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson is breaking with the provincial government, saying he was "blindsided" by the decision to include Ottawa in a 28-day provincewide lockdown starting Boxing Day.
In a press conference Monday afternoon, Watson said he heard that Ottawa would be included in the 28-day shutdown for southern Ontario through media reports Sunday night.
Watson said Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches told her provincial counterparts a 28-day lockdown was not justified in Ottawa.
"As we face this provincial decision, there are simply no facts to support a lockdown in the city of Ottawa. It is not based on our numbers or on the professional advice from OPH to the province's chief medical officer of health," Watson said.
Watson and Etches are pushing for a 14-day lockdown for the city instead.
COVID-19 figures hold steady in Ottawa
Ottawa Public Health reported 31 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Monday, as the province experiences a full week of more than 2,000 cases per day.
The figures for Ottawa have remained relatively stable and much lower than other urban areas, though Ottawa Public Health has reported transmission figures that have been stable in the "Orange-Restrict" zone.
No new deaths were reported in Ottawa on Monday and hospital ICUs remained COVID-19 free for a third day in a row.
Advocates call for more COVID-19 safety measures in prisons
Advocates are calling for better protections and COVID-19 precautions in Canada’s prisons.
This comes following a series of outbreaks in Ontario institutions, including in the Joyceville Institution in Kingston, and one at the Toronto South Detention Centre.
Eighty-nine inmates and five staff members have been diagnosed with COVID-19 at the Joyceville Institution since the outbreak was declared on Thursday, Dec. 17. Joyceville is a federal medium security prison, that holds up to 450 inmates.
Advocates say not enough inmates have N95 medical grade masks, there is not enough hot water provided throughout the day for hand washing and showers, inmates don’t have access to hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies and prisoners were not tested properly before being transferred or quarantined, leading to cases at other institutions.
Both Correction Service Canada and the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General deny the allegations and say safety is their top priority.
