OTTAWA -- Good morning. Here is the latest news on COVID-19 and its impact on Ottawa.
Fast Facts:
- Three new groups will be eligible this week to receive the COVID-19 vaccine
- Elementary schools reopen in Gatineau and western Quebec for the first time since early April
- Ottawa Public Health reported 143 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Sunday
- Ottawa businesses encouraged about access to rapid COVID-19 testing
COVID-19 by the numbers in Ottawa (Ottawa Public Health data):
- New COVID-19 cases: 143 cases on Sunday
- Total COVID-19 cases: 25,363
- COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 81.3
- Positivity rate in Ottawa: 6.6 per cent (April 30 to May 6)
- Reproduction Number: 0.85 (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 Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 4 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 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (testing only)
- Southwest Ottawa COVID-19 Assessment Centre at Richmond Memorial Community Centre: Open Sunday, Monday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 12 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
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
These groups are eligible to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment in Ottawa this week
The Ontario government will expand the eligibility to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment through the provincial online booking system this week.
The new eligible groups include:
- Individuals 40 and older
- Individuals with at-risk health conditions
- Group 2 of "cannot work from home"
Individuals who cannot work from home that will be eligible include OC Transpo and Para Transpo workers and workers in grocery stores, pharmacies and restaurants.
The Ontario government has not announced the specific day when the online booking portal will open to individuals in the three groups. When the eligibility expands to the three new groups, you can book an appointment through the province's online booking portal or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Booking Line number at 1-833-943-3900.
Elementary schools reopening in Outaouais Monday
Elementary students in Gatineau and western Quebec return to school for in-person classes today for the first time since Easter.
The Quebec government is reopening elementary schools in the region as COVID-19 cases decline, but other special emergency measures keeping many businesses closed will remain in effect.
Secondary schools remain closed and a curfew remains in effect from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Ottawa sees 143 new COVID-19 cases, two new deaths Sunday
Ottawa Public Health reported 143 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Sunday, and two new deaths linked to the virus.
Since the first case on March 11, 2020, there have been 26.363 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, including 523 deaths.
Ottawa businesses encouraged about access to rapid COVID-19 testing, hopeful to reopen soon
Ottawa small and medium sized businesses will receive rapid COVID-19 tests this month to test staff for the virus.
The Ottawa Board of Trade and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce are teaming up to provide thousands of rapid antigen tests aimed at helping mitigate asymptomatic spread.
"This is an extra tool that businesses can use to protect their workforce, lower the cases, curb the spread and keep businesses open,” said Sueling Ching, President and CEO of the Ottawa Board of Trade.
