OTTAWA -- One month after first asking Ottawa residents to practice physical distancing, the Medical Officer of Health says there is a “bit of hope” discussions can soon begin to ease the COVID-19 restrictions.
And Dr. Vera Etches will want to hear from you on priorities for relaxing the physical distancing requirements.
On March 15, Dr. Etches said “people should stay home unless there is an essential reason to take a trip to the grocery store, to a pharmacy, to look after an ill friend or family member.” At the time, there were five confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa.
On Wednesday, Ottawa Public Health reported there are 643 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, including 13 deaths.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday afternoon. Dr. Etches told reporters that Ottawa Public Health, the City of Ottawa and the upper levels of government are already looking ahead to when and how to relax the physical distancing requirements.
“There are hopeful signs that we are doing things that are effective, and the more we can maintain that for a couple of weeks, hopefully we can see a decrease in the hospitalizations,” said Dr. Etches.
“There’s a bit of hope that we’re going to start to talk about how do we relax some of these restrictions.”
Dr. Etches says it’s unclear when the restrictions will be lifted, but officials are talking “about the end” of the physical distancing requirements to give people a bit more freedom.
“It’s very important to relax the restrictions as soon as we can and we’ll be working towards that.”
The Medical Officer of Health says she’s thinking about ways to get public’s input about what are the most important things to relax first.
But before any physical distancing restrictions and school/business closures are lifted, health officials need to make sure systems are in place to deal with COVID-19 cases.
“We need to know that our hospitals can cope with a rise in infection, that they have surge capacity,” said Dr. Etches.
“We need to know that we have enough testing capacity, to test for everybody who could have an infection and then follow up with them. We still have some room that we need to have this physical distancing in place to allow that preparation and security to be able to safely talk about how we relax restrictions."
Thank You for physical distancing
The Medical Officer of Health used her opening statement to reporters on Wednesday to thank Ottawa residents for adjusting to the physical distancing requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s actually been exactly one month since I first asked people to limit their contact with others, to be able to reduce that spread of COVID-19.”
Dr. Etches admitted the physical distancing requirements have required all of us to make adjustments in our daily lives, including how we interact with family and friends.
“I really want to thank the residents of Ottawa, people in Ottawa, who have been doing this hard work and I want to give you credit – you’ are the reason why we are being able to manage our health care system right now.”
Of the 643 laboratory confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, 41 people are being treated in hospital for COVID-19. There are 18 people in the intensive care unit.
“It’s not easy, and we’re not over the peak of the curve and onto the other side of the curve just yet.”
Dr. Etches says Ottawa is not at the peak of the cases as the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU cases continues to inch upwards.
Ottawa Public Health is urging people to continue to practice physical distancing measures and following the COVID-19 measures.
“You should stay home except for going out for essential reasons” said Dr. Etches, noting you can go out for things like grocery shopping, helping family or friends and getting some exercise.
City of Ottawa officials clarified on Wednesday that you can socialize with neighbours at the end of the driveway or over the fence, as long as you practice physical distancing.
Dr. Etches notes Ontario’s Emergency Management and Protection Act limits the size of gatherings in public or private areas to less than five people.
If you are chatting with a family member or friend in public, you are asked to practice physical distancing measures and avoid large gatherings.
