OTTAWA -- Good morning. Here is the latest news on COVID-19 and its impact on Ottawa.
Fast Facts:
- Ontario shortens gap between COVID-19 vaccine doses with majority of residents fully vaccinated by end of summer
- Ottawa sees highest one-day COVID-19 case count in nine days
- Curfew ends, patios reopen in Gatineau as Quebec begins to ease COVID-19 restrictions
- Ottawa hosting pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinics in priority neighbourhoods
COVID-19 by the numbers in Ottawa (Ottawa Public Health data):
- New COVID-19 cases: 107 cases on Friday
- Total COVID-19 cases: 26,906
- COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 45.1
- Positivity rate in Ottawa: 5.0 per cent (May 21 to May 27)
- Reproduction Number: 0.90 (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 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 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)
- 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 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
Ontario shortens gap between COVID-19 vaccine doses with majority of residents fully vaccinated by end of summer
The Ontario government is shortening the gap between COVID-19 vaccine doses, with the goal of fully vaccinating the majority of Ontarians by the end of summer.
Ontario announced the ramp-up of vaccination efforts, allowing people aged 80 and up to start booking their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine next week.
The province says the shortened interval could be as small as 28 days for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines in the coming months, depending on supply.
Individuals between the ages of 12 and 25 will become eligible for the second dose in early August.
Ottawa sees highest one-day COVID-19 case count in nine days
Ottawa Public Health is reporting 107 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Friday, the highest one-day case count in more than a week.
Three new deaths linked to novel coronavirus were reported on Friday.
Since the first case of COVID-19 in Ottawa on March 11, 2020, there have been 26,906 laboratory confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, including 566 deaths.
Police checkpoints will continue to limit non-essential travel as curfew ends, patios reopen in Gatineau
Gatineau police say officers will continue to set up sporadic checkpoints at interprovincial crossings to limit non-essential trips into Quebec as the province relaxes restrictions.
The Quebec government lifted some of the restrictions on Gatineau and the Outaouais on Friday, before a new three step reopening plan begins on Monday.
Here is a look at the COVID-19 restrictions relaxed in Gatineau and the Outaouais on Friday:
- The overnight curfew is lifted. (Quebec imposed an overnight curfew in January in a bid to stop the spread of COVID-19.)
- Outdoor gatherings of up to eight people permitted on private property
- Restaurants allowed to open outdoor patios for customers
- Travel between regions will be allowed
- Crowds of 250 people per section allowed in theatres and stadiums
Ottawa hosting pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinics in priority neighbourhoods next week
The city of Ottawa and Ottawa Public Health will hold a series of pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinics next week to reach residents in specific priority neighbourhoods.
In a memo to Council, medical officer of health Dr. Vera Etches and Ottawa's general manager of emergency and protective services Anthony Di Monte announced the pop-up clinics will resume, focusing on specific neighbourhoods and only for residents that live in those areas.
Appointments can only be made in-person during the clinic operating hours and will be on a first come first serve basis.
Here is a look at the upcoming locations for the pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinics:
May 31-June 1
- Bayshore Shopping Centre
- Eligible neighbourhoods: Bayshore-Belltown
- Hours of operation: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
June 2
- Infinity Centre – 2901 Gibford Drive
- Eligible neighbourhoods: Ledbury-Heron Gate-Ridgemont and Hawthorne Meadows-Sheffield Glen
- Hours of operation: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
June 3-4
- Patro d'Ottawa – 40 Cobourg Street
- Eligible neighbourhoods: Lowertown
- Hours of operation: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
June 5-6
- Regina Street Alternative School at 2599 Regina Street
- Eligible neighborhoods: Bayshore-Belltown
- Hours of operation: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
June 5-6
- Ridgemont High School - 2597 Alta Vista Drive
- Eligible neighbourhoods: Ledbury – Heron Gate – Ridgemont
- Hours of operation: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
