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COVID-19 in Ottawa: Fast Facts for Oct. 18, 2021

Two people make their way up a painted staircase in Ottawa on Monday, July 19, 2021. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS) Two people make their way up a painted staircase in Ottawa on Monday, July 19, 2021. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
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OTTAWA -

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

Fast Facts:

  • COVID-19 pandemic benefits set to expire this week for Canadian businesses and individuals
  • COVID-19 related hospitalizations drop in Ottawa on Sunday
  • University of Ottawa hosting free group therapy sessions to help residents overcome fears of needles during pandemic

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

  • New COVID-19 cases: 35 cases on Sunday
  • Total COVID-19 cases: 30,486
  • COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 19.2
  • Positivity rate in Ottawa: 1.9 per cent (seven-day average)
  • Reproduction Number: 0.89 (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

  • COVID-19 Assessment Centre at McNabb Arena at 180 Percy St.: Open Monday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • 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 5:30 p.m. The drive-thru assessment closes on Saturday.
  • 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 schools in Ottawa and eastern Ontario. All students, teachers and school staff must complete the COVID-19 School 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

COVID-19 pandemic benefits set to expire this week for Canadian businesses and individuals

A number of COVID-19 pandemic financial support programs for Canadian businesses and individuals are set to end this week.

On Saturday, the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy and the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy will expire.

Over 200,000 business owners have leaned on CERS for help, and over 450,000 have received benefits from CEWS.

For individual benefits, the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) and the Canada Recovery Caregiver Benefit (CRCB) are also set to end on Saturday.

People dine at a restaurant in Vancouver, on Tuesday, September 21, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS / Darryl Dyck)

COVID-19 hospitalization in Ottawa drop on Sunday

Ottawa Public Health reported 35 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Sunday.

There are five people in Ottawa hospitals with COVID-19 related illnesses, down from six on Saturday.

Since the first case of COVID-19 in Ottawa in March 2020, there have been 30,486 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 601 deaths.

 

University of Ottawa hosting free group therapy sessions to help residents overcome fears of needles during pandemic

The Centre for Psychological Services and Research at the University of Ottawa wants to help Ottawa residents overcome their fears of needles and get the COVID-19 vaccine.

"This program is specifically for people who have a fear of needles or a fear of injections that often times these individuals so fearful they avoid getting vaccinated so they haven’t gotten vaccinated for the COVID vaccine,” said Andrea Ashbaugh, director of the centre.

Participants will start by looking at pictures of needles, working up to viewing videos before observing the procedure. The sessions are available in French and English, which will be held at the Minto Sports Complex.

Registration is now open for adult sessions and youth sessions for ages 12 to 17.

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