OTTAWA -- Ottawa’s top doctor insists the health and wellbeing of Ottawa residents will be the focus when the City of Ottawa begins to ease the COVID-19 pandemic measures.

And the Medical Officer of Health says Ottawa Public Health is working with health officials in Gatineau to coordinate any loosening of the restrictions.

Dr. Vera Etches told Council Wednesday morning that Ottawa Public Health is working with the City of Ottawa, the Federal and Ontario Governments and the health care sector on the proper approach to easing the restrictions and reopening the economy.

Dr. Etches says the Ontario Government will set the main parameters for easing the restrictions, but Ottawa Public Health will focus on what needs to happen in Ottawa.

“We will work on implementing what makes sense in Ottawa and I will have Ottawa first and foremost, in terms of protecting lives, in mind,” said Dr. Etches, adding that’s her responsibility.

“We will use local evidence and local data to inform the response.”

Premier Doug Ford told “The Morning Rush with Bill Carroll” on Newstalk 580 CFRA that if Ontario continues down the road of reducing COVID-19 cases, some of the restrictions could be eased by the Victoria Day long weekend.

Earlier in the meeting, Dr. Etches told Council she is promoting a “risk-based approach” to easing the restrictions.

“We want to safely move towards something that is more manageable over the long term,” Dr. Etches told Council.

Dr. Etches adds Ottawa Public Health is working with the Ontario Government to see what sectors can go forward in a safe way.

“I’m promoting a risk-based approach … every expansion of our activities where we bring ourselves into more contact with others carries a risk of transmission of COVID-19,” said Dr. Etches.

“Some of those types of activities will cause more risk than others. If somebody is outdoors working and they don’t come into contact with anybody else that’s less risky then if we open up a setting where people are side-by-side in large numbers.”

Dr. Etches says Ottawa Public Health and the Ontario Government will also look at ways to mitigate the risk of transmission, including promoting working from home.

Dr. Etches repeated to Council that to keep the COVID-19 infection rates low, some measures for physical distancing will need to remain in place for a longer period of time.

The City of Ottawa’s Economic Recovery Task Force is speaking with the Ontario Government about reopening schools as part of the economic recovery.

Working with Gatineau

The Medical Officer of Health says Ottawa Public Health is working with health officials in the Outaouais to discuss easing the COVID-19 restrictions.

“We will be coordinating and communicating as much as possible knowing that our population is very much connected.”

Relaxing the restrictions

Dr. Etches repeated to Council that several things need to be in place before the Ontario Government and the City of Ottawa can begin to ease restrictions in Ottawa:

  • Disease transmission needs to be under control (Dr. Etches is watching hospitalization rates)
  • Hot spots minimized for vulnerable populations (retirement homes/group homes)
  • Preventive measures in schools and other centres to prevent the spread of COVID-19
  • Measures to stop new cases being imported into the community
  • Community needs to be engaged on understanding what precautions Ottawa needs to take and the priorities for learning to live “under a new normal”
  • A reliable antibody test that can show when someone has had COVID-19