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

Fast Facts:

  • Ontario moves the Eastern Ontario Health Unit into the "Orange-Restrict" zone for COVID-19 restrictions with Ottawa
  • Ontario lowers thresholds for COVID-19 framework. moving several regions to "red zone"
  • Ottawa sees drop in COVID-19 cases on Friday, one-day after highest case increase in November
  • Weekend operating hours reduced at Brewer Arena COVID-19 testing facility as fewer people get tested on weekends
  • Santa Claus will not be visiting the Rideau Centre this holiday season due to the COVID-19 pandemic

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 300 Coventry Road is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Monday will be the final day for the drive-thru assessment centre on Coventry Road. A new drive-thru assessment centre will open at the National Arts Centre on Thursday.)

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.

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.

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

Eastern Ontario Health Unit joins Ottawa in Orange-Restrict zone for COVID-19 restrictions

Bars and restaurants in Alexandria, Clarence Rockland, Cornwall, Hawkesbury and other areas of Eastern Ontario face new restrictions as Ontario makes changes to the thresholds for COVID-19 colour-coded restrictions.

Effective Monday, Nov. 16 at 12:01 a.m., the Eastern Ontario Health Unit will move to the "Orange-Restrict" zone, joining Ottawa in the category.

The new restrictions in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit region include last call at bars and restaurants at 9 p.m. instead of 11 p.m., only four people seated together instead of six, and establishments must close at 10 p.m.  No spectators will now be allowed at sports and recreation facilities in eastern Ontario.

Ottawa moved to the "Orange-Restrict" level on Nov. 7 when Ontario introduced the new system, while the Eastern Ontario Health Unit was initially placed in the "Yellow-Protect" zone.

COVID-19

Ontario lowers thresholds for COVID-19 framework, moves several regions to 'red zone'

More regions in Ontario are being moved into the "red zone" as Ontario makes changes to the COVID-19 colour-coded system.

Premier Doug Ford announced Ontario is lowering the thresholds for its system following new modelling showing Ontario could see 6,500 new cases per day by mid-December.

The new thresholds means the "red zone" will be triggered when the region reaches a weekly incidence rate of 40 cases per 100,000.

Halton Region, York Region and Hamilton will be moved into the "red zone" on Monday, while Toronto will join the red zone on Saturday.

Doug Ford

Ottawa sees drop in COVID-19 cases on Friday, one-day after highest case increase in November

Ottawa Public Health reported six new deaths linked to COVID-19, the highest one day increase in deaths since early May.

Forty-one new cases of COVID-19 were also announced in Ottawa on Friday.

Since the first case of COVID-19 on March 11, there have been 7,766 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, including 356 deaths. Twenty-two Ottawa residents have died due to COVID-19 related illnesses in November.

 

Weekend operating hours reduced at Brewer Arena COVID-19 testing facility as fewer people get tested on weekends

As Ottawa's main COVID-19 testing centre cuts back on operating hours on weekends, Ottawa's medical officer of health and Ottawa's COVID-19 Testing Taskforce are trying to figure out why fewer people are presenting for testing on weekends.

Starting Friday, the CHEO Assessment Centre at Brewer Arena and the Assessment Centre for Adults at Brewer Arena will be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The facility had been open from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekends.

"It drops on the weekends; somehow, for some reason when there's nice weather out on the weekend we get fewer people coming forward," said Dr. Vera Etches on Thursday when asked about Ottawa's COVID-19 testing numbers.

"So I do want to encourage people that, that is part of you doing your part to protect others. If you have symptoms, even mild symptoms, it's worth getting a COVID test."

Brewer Arena 1

COVID-19 forces cancellation of in-person visits with Santa Claus at Rideau Centre

Santa Claus will not be coming to the Rideau Centre this holiday season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cadillac Fairview announced there would be no in-person Santa visits at the downtown Ottawa mall due to "escalating COVID-19 concerns across Canada." Children will also not be able to visit Santa at the 18 other Cadillac Fairview malls across Canada.

"The company's decision to suspend physical experiences with Santa in all 19 CF shopping centres is based on protecting the health and safety of its guests, clients and employees," said Cadillac Fairview in a statement.

"While also ensuring Santa is in top condition to make deliveries to children around the world at midnight on Christmas Day."

Santa Claus