WINDSOR, ONT. -- With the holidays fast approaching, Chatham-Kent’s medical officer of health remains concerned some residents might be tempted to hold large gatherings, which would increases the risk of spreading COVID-19.
Chatham-Kent remains in Yellow-Protect under the province’s COVID-19 Response Framework which limits indoor gatherings to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.
“It’s difficult to follow, with children returning from university and college and people want loved ones around them.” said Dr. David Colby.
However, Colby added the risk of spread goes up exponentially when there is more people at a gathering.
Colby said he is worried of families reuniting from areas with wildly different control measures, like Windsor and Essex County which remains in lockdown.
“Restricting movement of people in Ontario is a daunting task,” he explained.
Colby has heard of reports some people from Windsor and Essex County traveling to Chatham-Kent to exercise in gyms and said he is reaching out to the business community to stop that practice.
Without elaborating. Colby said he is considering measures as community leaders are trying to follow and respect the orders from the medical health officer in Windsor and Essex County.
Meanwhile, both the public and catholic school boards are urging parents to make sure all their children’s belongings are brought home on Friday, in case the province decides to close schools to students after the Christmas break.
Deb Crawford, director of the St. Clair Catholic School Board said they are working under the assumption all students might have to switch to virtual learning.
The director of the LKDSB, said many of the students who collected one of the 3,000 laptops handed out in the spring still have the devices at home, but John Howitt added they are ready to hand out more computers on Jan. 4, for those students who returned the electronics.
