The Orleans Star Apr. 16, 2020

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April 16, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 22

Next edition April 30

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Living under the shadow of COVID-19

Shoppers patiently wait in line outside the Food Basics store on Innes Road on the weekend. The lineups at grocery stores and LCBO outlets are part of the ‘new normal’ under the shadow of COVID-19. FRED SHERWIN PHOTO

F R I E N D S

O F

By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star It’s been more than three weeks since the provincial government declared a state of emergency against COVID-19 and the majority of people seem to be getting used to the “new normal” which includes waiting in line to enter grocery stores and pharmacies while maintaining proper physical distancing, allowing your hair to grow unchecked and doing without dental procedures, vision tests, library services and trips to the gym.

There is no aspect of life that the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t affected.

Parents are having to juggle homeschooling with keeping their kids generally entertained.

Trips that have been in the planning for months are having to be cancelled along with visits to Grandma and Grandpa.

People who suddenly found themselves laid off and unemployed are having to spend hours trying to find out how to apply for the Canadian

Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and then hours more being placed on hold while waiting to register. Once registered, they have to figure out how to make ends meet on $2,000 a month.

Seniors living in retirement homes are facing the prospect of not having visitors for at least a year while they are placed under a general lockdown or confined to their rooms.

Couples have had to postpone their weddings until “further notice” which is the latest catchphrase along with physical distancing, self isolation and the new normal which, by the way, is about as far away from normal as you can get.

Still, Canadians are a resilient bunch.

Madeleine Bisson, 84, lives with her 104-year-old mother, Yvette Bisson-Lapointe.

They both have underlying health conditions which makes them particularly susceptible to COVID-19 besides their age.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

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Stop the Spread

2 • April 16, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 22

COVID-19 can be deadly.

Stay home.

Save lives.

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Orléans couple cancels wedding, exchange vows

By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star What do you do when your wedding plans are interrupted by a pandemic? Most couples are left with no choice but to put their plans on hold. In fact, hundreds of weddings have been cancelled in Ottawa in the last few weeks alone.

Alicia and Josh Nicholson chose a different option – they postponed their wedding, but still exchanged vows.

The couple had been hoping to get married for more than two years. Their original wedding day was set for August 30, 2019, but when Alicia’s father was diagnosed with cancer in the fall of 2018, they put their plans on hold. He would succumb to his illness in November 2018 and four months later, the couple lost their baby due to complications with the pregnancy.

Late last summer, around the time they had originally planned to get married, they decided to set another date – March 28. In December, they found out that Alicia was expecting again.

Everything proceeded on schedule until March 14 when the coronavirus started to spread across Canada and the first confirmed cases began to pop up in Ottawa. Rather than take any risks, Alicia and Josh decided to postpone their wedding until next year on two week’s notice.

They notified their families and called their vendors, all of whom were very understanding. The couple helped out by allowing everyone to keep their deposits, Their next call was to their officiant to see about the possibility of exchanging vows in their home.

Since Alicia is going through a high-risk pregnancy, she can only leave the house for medical visits. Josh, who is in

the construction industry, was just beginning his two-week period of self-isolation.

“With everything that has happened over the past couple of years, we wanted to feel like we had a little more control in a time when we felt like we had none. And we wanted to do something positive,” explains Alicia. “We were also both fed up with rescheduling. We didn’t want to wait anymore.”

The officiant agreed to preside over the ceremony and he too began 14 days of self-isolation, as did Alicia’s maid of honour and her husband. Both would act as witnesses.

There were several challenges along the way. The only place they could get a marriage license on time was Cornwall. They helped the couple do all the preliminary work over the phone, and they brought the certificate to the door when Josh went to pick it up.

Since Alicia’s wedding dress was also in quarantine, she had to wear whatever fit her from her closet. Her mother did manage to get Alicia the veil she wore when she was married along with the cufflinks her father had worn and a bracelet with their daughter’s name Liliane on it.

The final element that was needed were the wedding rings which Howard Fine Jewellers graciously sent by special delivery.

On March 28, Alicia and Josh finally exchanged vows as the officiant and the witnesses maintained the two-metre physical distancing requirement and a dozen or more family members watched the ceremony on Zoom.

Now husband and wife, Alicia and Josh are looking forward to the arrival of their son or daughter – the couple doesn’t know yet which it will be – a return to some semblance of normalcy as the pandemic fades over the

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April 16, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 22 • 3

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4 • April 16, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 22

Herd immunity “Herd immunity” – two words that have sparked a furious debate among politicians, public health officials and epidemiologists around the world.

In a nutshell, herd immunity is the theory that if you allow the COVID-19 virus to run its course, enough people will contract the disease and develop an immunity for the virus to just peter out.

The herd immunity theory is being touted as the fastest way to get economies back on track.

Unfortunately, the theory ignores the devastating impact the virus is having on people over the age of 75. To address just that issue, herd immunity proponents have come up with a hybrid course of action – isolate and protect highly vulnerable seniors while letting the virus run its course on the rest of the population.

Sounds good in theory, but it is totally impractical given the size of the “at risk” population. There are more than 62,000 people over the age of 75 in Ottawa alone. It is impossible to isolate and protect that many people during a herd immunity course of action.

And that’s just seniors. Herd immunity also ignores the hundreds of thousands of people who have underlying conditions such as asthma, high blood pressure, heart disease, an already compromised respiratory system or diabetes.

Herd immunity can only work if it is done in concert with an effective treatment or therapy that can limit the effect of the virus on an individual’s health, reduce the amount of hospitalizations and prevent death.

The race for treatments is a race against time. Treatments are much easier to develop than a vaccine. “Easier” being an extremely relative term.

There are more than 100 existing and experimental drugs being tested in labs around the world, some of which use a combination of drugs used in the treatment of viruses such as HIV and ebola. The hope is that one or some of these treatments will be both effective and safe.

At the same time, researchers are working on possible antibody therapies using antibodies produced by people who have recovered from the virus. The therapies would target the virus and prevent it from getting into your body’s cells and making you sick.

Whether it’s a drug or a therapy that ultimately proves effective against the coronavirus, it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that one or the other will be developed and developed soon. It’s the only way we can begin to restart the economy, get people back to work and limit the potential for widespread unemployment and runaway inflation.

The pressure on the research community is immense. After all, it’s the world’s economy and our collective future that is hanging in the balance.

– Fred Sherwin, editor

Fredrick C. Sherwin, Editor & Publisher fsherwin@orleansstar.ca The Orléans Star is a bi-weekly publication distributed to 44,000 residences in Blackburn Hamlet, Orléans and Navan. The newspaper is locally owned and operated by Sherwin Publishing Inc., 745 Farmbrook Cres., Orléans, ON K4A 2C1. Inquiries and delivery issues should be sent to info@orleansstar.ca. Our website is located at www.orleansstar.ca.

Ottawa residents must stay vigilant against COVID-19 As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread at a very rapid pace, I am urging that everyone either practice physical distancing or self-isolate if applicable. All of our efforts are needed as a community. The actions you take will affect not only you, but your loved ones and the most vulnerable people in our community. By acting now, you may be saving lives – the life of a family member, a neighbour, a friend or a coworker.

Guest The City of Ottawa is here to help. Our community partners are working together through the City’s Human Needs Task Force for those requiring assistance. The task force is receiving, assessing and triaging all social and human needs inquiries, while mobilizing and supporting community organizations to address urgent community needs. The Human Needs Task Force lines up with City resources, external partners, existing funding and new funding to community needs.

Additionally, in partnership with its Economic Partners Taskforce, the City of Ottawa launched the first phase of an online promotional campaign to help local businesses during these challenging times.

For more information, visit ottawa.ca/buylocal.

The campaign encourages residents to support their favourite small businesses by taking immediate and concrete steps now: • Purchase gift cards from local businesses to use later;

• Buy from local businesses online; • Order delivery or takeout from area restaurants; • Send local businesses messages of support on social media.

These actions will help local shops, restaurants and services by providing them with critical income during this challenging period.

Finally, the City has established a 2020 Interim Property Tax Hardship Deferral Procolumn gram for qualifying residents, as well as businesses. The program extends both the interim property tax deadline (April 15) and the final property tax deadline (June 18) to Friday, Oct. 30, 2020. More information on financial and social supports is available at ottawa.ca.

This is a difficult time for everyone. I’d like to thank you for your cooperation with physical distancing from others and for helping your fellow residents in need.

Remember to check in with others by phone or video chat. Be kind. Support your neighbours if you can. Check in with yourself. It’s okay not to be okay. Reach out to the Distress Centre of Ottawa to connect with someone at 613-238-3311 if you need help or are having trouble coping.

Supporting our neighbours is essential for us to make it through this pandemic. We’re all in this together.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit OttawaPublicHealth.ca/Coronavirus.

Jim Watson

Gov’t needs to establish COVID-19 recovery strategy First of all, kudos to the hundreds and thousands of grocery store clerks, pharmacy workers, front line health care workers and transport drivers who have been making it possible for the rest of us to get through each day during the COVID-19 outbreak.

But just as importantly, kudos to everyone who has been practicing physical distancing for the past month. Because of those efforts, Canada has been able to tackle the pandemic better than a lot of other countries.

That said, there are hundreds of thousands of people whose future has been left in doubt. They include everyone associated with the tourism industry, the entertainment industry, the travel industry, the airline industry and the restaurant industry. Although they will be getting $500 a week in Canadian Emergency Response Benefits, it’s not enough for many of them to keep up with the bills, especially if they also happen to be a single parent.

Then there are the thousands of small business owners whose lives won’t get back to normal for a very long time. Their losses are mounting with each passing day and, although they are eligible for interest free loans of up to $100,000, those loans will eventually have to be paid back,

Up Front Fred Sherwin assuming they’re able to avoid bankruptcy.

These are all stop gap measures put in place in the hope that the number of new cases will begin to decline, or a treatment will be found that will curtail the number of deaths and hospitalizations – or both.

But even if that’s the case, life will be far from normal for at least a year, if not longer.

The end of the pandemic does not mean the end of the virus. COVID-19 will still be out there. The risk of infection will still be present until a vaccine is available and even then it will take months to vaccinate the entire population.

If there is a steady decline in the number of new cases for at least two weeks, some of the restrictions imposed under the state of emergency could begin to be lifted.

Some retail businesses may begin to be reopened, but other businesses, such as

gyms and fitness centres, could remain closed for months.

Even if they are allowed to reopen, restaurants will have to operate under a strict set of guidelines to ensure against possible transmission. Tables will have to be set at least six feet apart with partitions in between and servers will have to wear masks and disposable gloves just for a start.

I’m just guessing, of course. No one knows for sure what the transition will look like once the restrictions start to get lifted. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

The government shouldn’t wait for a peak, a plateau and a decline before starting to plan for life “post-pandemic”. They can do both. They can protect us from the virus in the present, while planning for a transition in the future.

The Ford government has already taken an important first step by forming the Ontario Jobs and Recovery Committee which will be consulting with a wide variety of groups in the province, including business associations, small business owners and entrepreneurs, on how restarting the economy will be phased in. But that’s only on the provincial level. The federal government needs to follow suit and soon.

The next steps in the road to recovery are as follows...

Step #2 is the refinement of the antibodies blood test which can show if you had the COVID-19 and are now immune.

The test is currently being delayed in order to reduce the chance of it producing false negatives.

Step #3 is determining how the blood tests will be distributed, likely through the mail.

Step #4 is the creation of a reporting process with a data base and an identification system for those people who test positive and are now immune. The system needs to be able to verify the results, place them in a data base and issue some sort of documentation. The people who are immune will restart our economy by being able to go back to work and travel without the threat of transmission.

But that day is a long way away. It’s even further away if the Trudeau government fails to take the steps necessary to pave the way to semi-normalcy.

Every day they delay means another day of economic hardship, potential bankruptcies and destroyed lives.

The coronavirus will kill enough people and destroy enough lives on its own. The ongoing delay in developing a national strategy to restart the economy will only make matters worse.

Stay home | Practice physical (social) distancing OttawaPublicHealth.ca/PhysicalDistancing

April 16, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 22 • 5

Do your part to stop the spread of COVID-19

Observations of a self-isolating, City councillors staying on top of physical distancing Google addict latest COVID-19 developments Covid-19 has turned life upside down from the daily CNN telethon tote board of infections to planning when to go out for gas, meds and groceries.

People are getting sick and some are dying, it is tragic and awful. And we are likely to shelter-at-home until mid-May at the earliest with this activity to repeat itself later in the year when the second and third waves – likely less deadly – hit us. In my last column, I urged perspective so I will take my own advice, while offering of few thoughts on my own experience over the past two weeks.

In chatting with friends and neighbours while maintaining a two-metre buffer, it seems we are all extremely anxious. On a more positive note, folks are sleeping in more, taking time to make that pot of coffee as opposed to going through the drive-thru and taking breaks for proper meal prep as opposed to the office food court.

As for plans of a basement clean-up, a book a week and a daily fitness regimen, don’t sweat it (pun intended). Keeping a routine for your kids, cleaning the house more often, being kicked off crowded video

chats or that slow VPN connection at work, all chew up time.

Of course, the two or more hours you are spending each day on social media could be an issue. On the bright side, I will be adding on-line shopper and amateur epidemiologist, to my LinkedIn profile. I’ve also learned that many of my Facebook friends have PhDs in virology, global supply chains, statistical modelling, the stock market and the wonderful world of baking, notably sourdough bread.

Although I’m sure they must think I do nothing but scour Google for several hours each morning given the articles, videos and funny GIFs that I’ve been posting. To be fair, I do take the odd time out for bathroom breaks, coffee refills and feeding the cats.

On a more serious note, if you are fortunate to still be working, please consider a one-time or monthly donation to the Orléans-Cumberland Community Resource Centre at crcoc.ca/en/.

Finally, don’t forget to thank all the health care workers, first responders, grocery clerks and others who must work while we stay home. #InThisTogether

As you read this column, we will be in Wash your hands and take care of each our third week of physical distancing other. If you have respiratory symptoms, This is a difficult time for all of us. Some such as a fever or cough: of us don’t know what is going to happen • You must self-isolate for 14 days, or 24 hours to our jobs, small businesses, coworkers, after your symptoms have fully resolved, children’s school year, whichever is longer. aging and ill family • You must not leave your members, and frankly, home. ourselves. For those of • If your symptoms us with younger children, worsen and you begin to it’s difficult to come up feel shortness of breath, with a never-ending list of visit your nearest Orléans Ward 1 activities to fill time while emergency department. struggling to meet our commitments. We’re All Ottawa residents, except those listed worried about everything I have listed above above, should do the following: and more. We’re anxious, antsy and don’t • Avoid crowds and maintain a distance of know when this will end. I’m struggling two metres from other people when you with this, too. go outside; I want you to know that all levels of • The people you live with don’t need to government are working together to get us distance from each other unless they are through this. Twice a week, I’m meeting sick or have traveled within the past 14 remotely with our MPP, MP and east end days; colleagues, sharing your concerns and • Avoid all non-essential trips in the working through the issues. I continue to community; work with our General Managers, the Mayor, • Connect via phone, video chat or social our Community Resource Centres, service media only; groups, school boards and the BIA. My team • Talk to your employer about working is at your service to answer questions and from home, if possible. work on your priorities. Phone us at 613-580- • Avoid visiting the elderly unless the visit 2471 or email us at matt.luloff@ottawa.ca. is essential.

Matt Luloff

Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre The Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre is operating on an as needed basis over the telephone. Our current programs and services are canceled until further notice. However, we are available to connect over email or telephone to help; reduce isolation, refer residents to emergency services, crisis intervention and support. We are currently delivering frozen meals and transportation for Seniors. Our resource and referral team can offer; emergency food, baby items and bus vouchers. Please stay home and call the centre if you or somebody you know needs additional support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Transportation and Meals on Wheels for seniors call 613-741-6025 ext 300 Crisis line for women victims of violence 24/7 # 613-745-4818

6 • April 16, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 22

& Orléans-Cumberland Community Resource Centre Following the recent announcements regarding the ongoing COVID-19 threat, the OCCRC asks that you NOT TO VISIT the premises. If you are required to access their services please call their office at 613-830-4357. Among the canceled activities and services are the EarlyON Child and Family Centre; Income Tax Clinics; Parenting in Ottawa Clinics;Child and Youth Programs; Adult Social Group; Collective Kitchen; Contact North and Hearing Tests.

The Orleans-Cumberland Food Bank is providing a curbside pickup service by appointment only.

Arrangements can be made by calling the Food Bank coordinator at 613-830-4357 ext 158.

Monetary donations to the Food Bank can be made online at www.crcoc.ca/en/donate-or-fundraise-your-way/ Child and Youth Counsellors available over the phone at 613-830-4357.

Intake services available over the phone at 613-830-4357

This messaging was sponsored by Beacon Hill, Cyrville Ward councillor Tim Tierney.

For information on city services during the COVID-19 crisis call 613-580-2481.

We are here to support families, friends, teammates and you, our customers, as we work to stay safe, nourished and healthy.

Together, we will get through these tough times.

Eric Foget, Owner of store #4738 Allan Foget, Owner of store #7496 We have implemented a number of safety standards and processes at our stores. For more information, visit corporate.sobeys.com/coronavirus Practice physical distancing (at least 2 arms’ lengths)

Wash your hands often (for at least 20 seconds)

Shop once a week or less, if possible

2m

LOCALLY Eric Foget, Store #7496of store #4738 Store #4738 Owner 5150 Innes at Trim 2276 Tenth Line at Brian Coburn OWNED & Allan Foget, Owner of store #7496 613-590-2205 613-590-9179 OPERATED

April 16, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 22 • 7

From our family to yours: stay safe!

COMMUNITY BRIEFS Orléans Legion launches GoFundMe campaign

ORLÉANS –The Orléans Legion needs your help. Like many other businesses in Ontario, the Legion was forced to close it’s doors on March 17 under the provincial state of emergency. As a result, the executive had to lay off the entire staff. As a not-for-profit organization, the Legion depends solely on revenue from bar sales, hall rentals and kitchen sales to pay for operating expenses. Those revenues are now gone and the future of the Legion is seriously in doubt. With no end to the pandemic in sight, the Legion has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to help pay the bills. Even after laying off the staff and reducing utility usage to a bare minimum, the Legion still faces costs of approximately $6,000/month. The Legion’s goal is to raise $25,000. Any money left after meeting their immediate needs will be given to the local food bank. Donation can be made at www.gofundme.com/f/keep- the-branch-alive.

Fourth Promenade resident succumbs to coronavirus

ORLÉANS – The COVID-19 outbreak has claimed the life of a fourth resident at the Promenade retirement residence in Orléans. Two staff members also recently tested positive for the virus, brining the total number of positive cases to 12. Among the residents who have tested positive, four have passed away, one is in the hospital, two are experiencing mild symptoms at the residence and three have recovered. The two staff members who have tested positive were already off work and self quarantining when they began showing symptoms.

The outbreak began three weeks ago when an elderly female resident started showing symptoms of the virus. She was hospitalized – as was her husband, who also started exhibiting symptoms. Under the advice of Ottawa Public Health, the remaining residents were immediately quarantined to their rooms. Members of the staff who are still interacting with the residents are wearing Personal Protective Equipment when doing so.

8 • April 16, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 22

School of Rock continues to provide lessons online

ORLÉANS –The School of Rock hasn’t missed a beat. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the provincial government to declare a state of emergency and close all non-essential businesses, School of Rock owners Andy Ives and Rick Vantour were determined to continue to provide their students with private lessons, group lessons for young kids and group rehearsal check-ins – all run remotely. The online lessons are meant to keep the students engaged, provide the parents with a bit of structure for their kids and keep their business viable during the shutdown. The parent company has also launched its Artist Sessions series which gives students access to some of the top rock artists in the industry. through live daily online tutorials and Q&A sessions. You can learn more at www.schoolofrock.com/news.

CORRECTION In the April 2 edition of the Orléans Star, in the story entitled “Community resource centre bracing for increase in demand”, it referred to the resource centre’s annual golf tournament. In actual fact, the tournament is organized by Orléans realtor Paul Rushforth and the staff at Paul Rushforth Real Estate. Proceeds from The Paul Rushforth Charity Golf Tournament are split between the Orléans Cumberland Community Resource Centre and the Ottawa Senators Foundation. The Orléans Star apologizes for any confusion created over the error.

J.A. Laporte transitions to online home delivery

By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star This is the time of year that garden centres and nurseries like J.A. Laporte Flowers and Nursery are gearing up for the annual spring rush when local gardeners swarm their aisles in search of annuals in full bloom to beautify their gardens, vegetable plants, perennials and shrubs.

The 15 greenhouses at J.A. Laporte are bursting with thousands of plants that were ordered months ago before anyone heard the words COVID-19 or coronavirus.

Most of the seeds were planted in flats in February before the COVID-19 pandemic escalated to a national crisis.

At first, during the last week of March, the Laporte family offered their customers a curbside pick-up service. The response was more than anyone expected.

The cars quickly backed up and Estelle and Jean Laporte began to worry about their customers’ safety as well as their own. After two weeks, they decided to temporarily close the business.

“It just got out of hand,” says Estelle.

“We were doing 60 orders a day while we were trying to take care of everything in the greenhouses and then the government ordered everyone to stay at home so we just shut everything down for two weeks so we could self isolate ourselves.”

At the same time, their kids asked Jean and Estelle to move out of their Petrie’s Landing condo and into their own home near the store where they could all selfisolate together.

For the past two weeks, they’ve spent all of their time either at home or in the greenhouses looking after the plants and preparing to launch their online store

THE

where customers will be able to place their order and have it delivered to their front door contact free. Orders can be placed starting on April 17.

Estelle is hopeful they can sell enough plants to cover their costs in an environment that is far from normal.

The Laportes have avoided ordering all their soils, fertilizers, shrubs and trees and even indoor plants in order to limit their inventory and their potential losses.

When the state of emergency was declared, the Laportes had to make the difficult decision to lay off their full-time staff, some of whom have been with the store for more than 30 years, leaving the couple to run the business with their son and his wife and their daughter and her boyfriend. Together, they have to water and trim all the plants including more than 6,000 hanging baskets.

“It’s physically just draining. By the time you get home all you want to do is sleep,” says Estelle. “But we’re going to give it a go. We could open it up like a Sobeys and have people line up to get in, but there’s no way. It would be crazy. So we’re going to give the online store a go and make all the deliveries and see what happens.”

If all goes well with the online store and sales are strong, the Laportes are hoping to bring back some of their staff to help make the deliveries.

“The demand is there. The phone has been ringing off the hook,” says Estelle.

“People are stuck at home and they want to get outside while still being able to get out of the house and that’s what gardening is all about. It’s good for the soul.”

The J.A. Laporte online store can be found at www.laportegardens.com.

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Couple glad to be home after COVID-19 interrupts cruise At 2 p.m., despite the steps taken to prove they were in good health, the ship was not allowed to dock and so the Cayouettes sadly had to cancel their plane tickets.

After being turned away by the Argentine authorities, the ship set off for the Chilean port of Valparaiso near Santiago, where they planned to receive fuel and a threeweek supply of food, beverages and other items.

On their way through the Magellan Strait, the passengers were able to see some glaciers, dolphins, whales and a wide variety of birds.

The ship arrived in Valparaiso on March 19, where the Chilean passengers were allowed to disembark. After two days taking on supplies, the remaining passengers, including the Cayouettes, left Valparaiso for a three-week, all-expense paid extended cruise to Fort Lauderdale, or so they thought.

The very next day on Sunday, March 22, the situation took a dramatic turn for the worse. The Cayouettes learned that many of the passengers and crew were being treated for influenza-like symptoms. In order to protect the rest of the passengers, the captain ordered everyone to remain in their rooms until further notice.

Meals were left outside their door along with water, beer, wine and pop. The next 14 days were spent reading, playing cards, using the Internet, watching TV, taking siestas, making Sudokus and participating in the televised on-board activities.

The ship then headed to the Panama Canal, not knowing if it would be permitted to pass through or not.

After being confined to their rooms for three days, the passengers were allowed to spend 30 minutes on deck. While soaking up the sun for the first time in over

By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star It was meant to be a dream trip. After a year and a half of planning, Lucie and Michel Cayouette were going to Argentina and Chile where they planned to visit Iguaçu Falls on the border of Argentina and Brazil before going on a cruise around Cape Horn from Buenos Aires to Santiago, Chile, where they would disembark and cross the Andes to Mendoza, Argentina, before finishing their vacation with a tour of the northwestern region of the country.

The cruise left Buenos Aires on March 7 and the first seven days went by without a hitch. The food was excellent, the service top notch and the entertainment first class.

After visiting Punta Arenas in southern Chile, they were scheduled to sail to Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego the next day. They never made it. The captain turned the ship around with the intention of returning to Punta Arenas.

They made it back by 8 p.m. on March 14, but the port had already been closed by the Argentine government due to the COVID-19 outbreak. They then got the news that Holland America had canceled all cruises, leaving them in limbo in the Strait of Magellan 11,000 km from home.

The Cayouettes had their temperatures taken along with the other 1,248 passengers on board the Zaandam and were told to make flight arrangements to get back to Canada.

After some difficulty getting through on the Internet, they finally reserved a flight from Punta Arenas to Ottawa via Santiago at 5:30 in the morning with the expectation that they would be on their way back home by the end of the day.

Lucie and Michel Cayouette are all smiles before getting onboard the Zaandam in Buenos Aires. PHOTO SUPPLIED 72 hours they learn the full extent of the illness that had swept through the ship – 82 crew members and 58 passengers were being treated for influenza-like symptoms.

That same night, the ship changed direction and came CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

•

All services and amenities are provided onsite. This includes chef-prepared dining, activities, social events, and more!

•

Careful admission screenings and isolation procedures for safe integration/reintegration

•

Ability to deliver onsite healthcare services: virtual doctors and dedicated healthcare staff (not working elsewhere)

•

Comprehensive preventative measures and early infection control procedure implementation

•

Controlled environment with limiting access to nonessential suppliers, vendors, and visitors in the earliest stages of the pandemic

•

Daily Staff and Resident screening

ª

International resources to obtain high-demand healthcare products

•

Enhanced operational procedures and protocols in place from the onset

•

Access to industry associations and the latest news and information

We are the right place to be right now

Accepting New Residents – Call today!

Symphony Senior Living Orléans 6419 Lumberman Way 613-837-1100

SymphonySeniorLiving.com

Forest Valley Terrace 1510 St. Joseph Blvd.

613-830-4000

April 16, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 22 • 9

As a company that has served seniors for over 25 years, our team is no stranger to emergency management.

Our commitment to the health and safetly of our residents has long been paramount, and although COVID-19 is a new threat, it is by no means the first one we’ve faced head on.

In any emergency situation, it’s imperative to know where the trusted resources can be found. For seniors and families specifically, the importance of safeguards required for COVID-19 highlight the numerous benefits of living in a supportive Symphony community setting.

By leveraging extensive prior experience, innovative technology and international buying power, we can provide the resources and forward thinking necessary to implement enhanced protocols and operational procedures at all of our communities. We believe you and your loved ones can be as confident as we are in our strategies to combat the spread of this virus in every community.

NOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Updates on our government support Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)

• Recognizing CERB might not address all the various work situations Canadians have right now • Knowing there is more work to do to ensure that no one falls through the cracks.

We’re working as hard as possible to make sure we get support to: • Those working reduced hours, down to ten hours a week or less.

• Those working but making less than they would with the benefit – such as home care workers or long term care workers Apply at Canada.ca/coronavirus-cerb

Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS)

In order to address the realities faced by the not-for-profit sector, high growth companies and new businesses, the Government proposes additional flexibility: For March, reducing the 30-per-cent benchmark to 15 per cent, in recognition of the fact that many businesses did not begin to be affected by the crisis until partway through the month.

Allowing Charities and non-profit organizations to choose to include or exclude government funding in their revenues.

Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA)

This program will roll out in mid-April, and interested businesses should work with their current financial institutions.

Procurement Personal Equipment (PPE)

Investing $2 billion to purchase protective personal equipment, such as masks,face shields, gowns, ventilators, test kits and swabs, and hand sanitizer.

Prestation canadienne d’urgence (PCU)

• Sachant que la PCU ne peut pas répondre à toutes les situations de travail des Canadiens en ce moment • Sachant qu’il reste du travail à faire pour que personne ne soit laissé pour compte Nous ne ménageons pas nos efforts pour assurer un soutien : • Aux personnes dont les heures de travail ont été réduites, jusqu’à dix heures par semaine ou moins.

• Aux personnes qui travaillent mais gagnent moins qu’ils ne le feraient avec la prestation – comme les travailleurs de soins à domicile ou les travailleurs de soins de longue durée Appliquer à Canada.ca/coronavirus-cerb

Subvention salariale d’urgence du Canada (SSUC)

Compte tenu des réalités auxquelles le secteur à but non lucratif, les sociétés à forte croissance et les nouvelles entreprises sont confrontés, le gouvernement propose les mesures d’assouplissement suivantes : Pour le mois de mars, réduire le pourcentage du revenu de référence de 30 % à 15 %, reconnaissant que certaines entreprises n’ont commencé à ressentir les effets de la crise qu’au cours du mois.

Permettre aux organismes de bienfaisance et à but non lucratif de choisir d’inclure ou d’exclure les fonds publics dans leur revenu.

Compte d’urgence pour les entreprises canadiennes (CUEC)

Ce programme sera lancé à la mi-avril, et les entreprises intéressées devraient travailler avec leurs institutions financières actuelles.

Acquisition d’équipements de protection individuelle

Mobilizing all of Canada to protect our healthcare workers so they can continue to protect all Canadians.

Investir 2 milliards de dollars pour acheter des équipements de protection individuelle, notamment des masques et des écrans faciaux supplémentaires, des blouses, des ventilateurs, des kits de test et des écouvillons, ainsi que du désinfectant pour les mains.

Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ)

Mobiliser l’ensemble du Canada pour protéger nos travailleurs de la santé afin qu’ils continuent de nous protéger.

Changing the Canada Summer Jobs program this year to help employers adapt to the realities of COVID-19, and support young Canadians as they begin to look for summer employment.

• Increasing the wage subsidy , so that private and public sector employers can receive up to 100% of the provincial minimum hourly wage for each employee • Extending the end date for employment to February 28, 2021 • Allowing employers to adapt their projects and job activities to support essential services • Allowing employers to hire staff on a part-time basis.

This program will help create up to 70,000 jobs for youth between 15 and 30 years of age.

Funding for food bank organizations 10 • April 16, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 22

Mise à jour du soutien de notre gouvernement

Emplois d’été Canada (EÉC)

Changements au programme Emplois d’été Canada pour aider les employeurs à s’adapter à la réalité de la COVID-19 et soutenir les jeunes en : • Bonifiant la subvention salariale jusqu’à 100 % du salaire minimum • Prolongeant la date de fin d’emploi jusqu’au 28 février 2021 • Accordant aux employeurs d’adapter leurs projets et leurs activités professionnelles pour soutenir les services essentiels • Accordant aux employeurs d’embaucher du personnel à temps partiel.

Ce programme contribuera à créer jusqu’à 70 000 emplois pour les jeunes de 15 à 30 ans.

Financement pour les banques alimentaires

Investing $100 million to improve access to food for Canadians facing social, economic, and health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Investir 100 millions de dollars afin d’améliorer l’accès aux aliments pour les Canadiens qui font face aux impacts de la pandémie de la COVID-19 sur la santé, ainsi qu’à ses répercussions sociales et économiques.

If you work for a local Food Bank or organization seeking funding for AAFC Food Programs, please contact : aafc.foodprograms-programmesalimentaires.aac@canada.ca

Si vous travailler pour une banque alimentaire ou organisation locale et recherchez du financement pour les programmes alimentaires d’Agriculture et Agroalimentiare Canada, écrivez à: aafc.foodprograms-programmesalimentaires.aac@canada.ca.

(613) 834-1800

GET THE FACTS:

Canada.ca/coronavirus

marie-france.lalonde@parl.gc.ca

RENSEIGNEZ-VOUS :

Canada.ca/le-coronavirus

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR LOCAL RESTAURANTS! In these uncertain times, local businesses need you to help them stay open.

THE RESTAURANTS BELOW ARE COMMITTED TO TAKING THE PRECAUTIONS NEEDED TO KEEP YOU AND THEIR STAFF HEALTHY.

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Order online at goldenfries.ca or by calling (613)700-7968, pay by credit card and pick up – contactless! goldenfries

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Please visit our online store to order our signature “heat-at-home” menu items and have them safely delivered to your door! **OUR ST. JOSEPH STORE IS CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE**

online store sales only | 613-878-6356

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April 16, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 22 • 11

ONLINE BEER SALES NOW AVAILABLE...

12 • April 16, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 22

Keeping residents active during non-essential visitor lockdown

By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star No community has been impacted by the coronavirus more than Canada’s seniors, and in particular those seniors who are living in long-term care facilites and retirement homes.

Senior care facilities in Ontario have been under a non-essential visitor ban since March 21. In residences where there has been a reported outbreak, the residents have been confined to their rooms to prevent the risk of further transmission.

Both scenarios have left staff facing the challenge of keeping their residents as active and engaged as possible.

At the Promenade retirement residence in Orléans – where nearly 100 residents have been confined to their rooms since March 6 – staff have been leading them through exercises in their doorways.

Every afternoon, Martine Ménard has been dropping by the residence to lead her father Ken and another resident through a series of exercises from the safety of the sidewalk on the north side of the building.

She communicates with her father, who lives on the fourth floor, with the hands-free mic on her smart phone.

The staff are also making the rounds with an activity cart while dressed head to toe in Personal Protective Equipment.

At the Chapel Hill Retirement Resi-

dence, residents are still able to take part in twice-daily exercise classes in small groups of three or four people.

Residents can also take part in activities, such as a recent trivia challenge, on their personal computers.

Those residents who don’t have a computer or a smart phone, are able to connect with their family members and spend some face time with them using one of the staff member’s smart phones.

Finally, the fourth floor memory care was recently equipped with a water fountain, aromatherapy diffuser and sound system so residents living on the floor can enjoy peaceful and calming nature sounds or their favourite CD. At the Symphony Senior Living residence on Lumberman Way, residents have been able to play bingo, take part in cooking classes and enjoy musical performances by some of the more talented staff members in order to try and take their minds off their isolation.

Residences Chartwell Belcourt and other Chartwell facilities are coming up with all kinds of imaginative ways to keep residents active and to keep them connected with loved ones using everything from virtual hugs to virtual tag whereby residents and their loved ones exchange pictures with them holding posters that read “I love you Grandpa” and “Hi Mom. We miss you so much.

Love you from all the kids”.

Martine Ménard (above) leads her father through a series of exercises from the sidewalk on the north side of the Promenade retirement residence. Ken Ménard lives on the fourth floor and communicates with his daughter by telephone. (Right top and bottom) Chartwell residents have been taking part in a series of online initiatives sharing photos with loved ones including ‘Life is tough but so are we’ (top) and virtual hugs (below).

Menus and meals are also playing a major role in keeping residents well-

nourished and happy during a difficult period that could go on for months.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the showroom will be closed until further notice.

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April 16, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 22 • 13

Proud supporters

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14 • April 16, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 22

SUDOKU

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1-9 once.

Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. We’ve already given you a few numbers to get you started.

Remember, you must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 on the same line, column or in the 3x3 box.

Residents at risk struggle to get used to the new normal Continued from page 1 Prior to the pandemic, the family had a personal home care worker who used to come to their house and take Yvette to the hairdresser and help with other things so that Madeleine and her two kids could take a break from the stress of looking after her mother.

But the home care worker had to stop coming when the risk of symptomatic transmission became a concern.

The four family members now only go out once a week to buy groceries. They call the store ahead of time, practice physical distancing while they’re shopping and disinfect everything when they get home.

The biggest issue the family faces, besides their own safety, is trying to explain to Yvette why she can no longer go out on her Friday outings. She is also a voracious viewer of the cable news channels which has raised her level of anxiety.

Despite all they are facing, Madeleine is thankful they have each other to rely on for support.

Gérald, 88, and Pauline Poulin, 85, are also fortunate. They have eight children – four boys and four girls – who stay in constant touch with them. Their son Jean has been living with them for the past two years – he has been doing their grocery shopping and picking up their prescriptions.

“He’s really been our angel,” says Gérald.

Easter was especially hard for the Poulins. The family normally gathers at their home for Easter dinner. This year, they held a conference call with more than 20 members of the family on the phone.

Margaret, 75, and her husband Norman, 78, have had to deal with life during the COVID-19 pandemic on their own.

They both have underlying health issues which don’t allow them to get out much even at the best of times. The only time they leave the house during the current shutdown is for grocery shopping.

The two live less than a kilometre from

Food Basics. When they have to get groceries, they call ahead. Alex drives and Laura gets out of the car and does the shopping The province-wide shutdown has forced the cancellation of everything from dental appointments to weddings and funerals.

Dental offices are only permitted to do emergency procedures and since gatherings of more than five people are no longer allowed, weddings and funerals have been postponed for the foreseeable future.

Family members of the deceased are opting to have their loved ones cremated with the option of holding a memorial service at a later date.

Dream cruise turns into month-long search for a safe port Continued from page 9 to a full stop with most of its lights turned off. The next day, the Cayouettes found out that the ship had secretly taken on medical supplies from a smaller boat.

On Thursday, March 25, the Zaandam rendez-voused with Holland America’s flagship vessel, the Rotterdam, which transferred medical staff and supplies to the smaller vessel.

The next day, they got the terrible news that four people had died and two had tested positive for COVID-19. They were also told that those passengers in good health would be transferred to the Rotterdam starting with people from the inside cabins and those who were more than 70 years old.

The process took nearly three days to complete. The Cayouettes were among the last group.

In all, eight hundred passengers were transferred to the Rotterdam, leaving 450 on the Zaandam.

It wasn’t until March 29 that the two ships were given the green light to pass through the Panama Canal, but only at night under the cover of darkness.

Nobody was allowed out on their balconies; all the lights had to be turned off and the curtains drawn.

Once through the canal, the ships headed to Fort Lauderdale, not knowing if the American government would allow them to dock and disembark.

The two vessels arrived at Fort Lauderdale on Thursday, April 2, where they had to wait in international waters while negotiations between the local and federal health authorities, the Coast Guard, Homeland Security and government representatives of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and the

United States proceeded.

By this point, the Zaandam had become a hospital ship with 250 people exhibiting symptoms, a dozen confirmed cases of COVID-19, four deaths and 14 requiring an urgent transfer to a hospital.

Finally, around 3 p.m., the passengers were informed that the ship had received permission to dock at 4:30 p.m. As they approached the pier, they were greeted by local residents waving and making heart shapes with their hands.

Before getting off the ship, the passengers had to go through a screening process. Anyone showing signs of illness would have to remain onboard for another two weeks.

After passing the screening process with flying colours, the Cayouettes were allowed off the ship long enough to go through customs before having to return

to their cabins.

Later that night, their phone rang and they were told that they had to be ready to disembark at 8 a.m. the next morning.

After having breakfast at 6:25 a.m., they had to wait nearly two hours before finally getting the call to disembark.

Once on land, they boarded one of eight buses and had to wait another hour before getting a police escort to the Fort Lauderdale airport where a plane was waiting to fly them back to Canada.

When they arrived in Toronto, they had to disembark in groups of 10. After a lengthy screening process, the Cayouettes boarded a connecting flight to Ottawa where they began 14 days of isolation.

Their 28-day dream vacation had turned into a 31-day adventure that they won’t soon forget, only eight days of which had been planned.

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April 16, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 22 • 15

• Bathrooms • Kitchens • Basements • Roofing • Siding and more!

QUALITY & SERVICE FOR LESS Dan Bisaillon and Elizabeth Sandziuk – helping you take the first and final steps in creating your own piece of paradise.

Keeping Our Distance Is Bringing Us Together

It’s a challenging time for all of us.

When the time arrives, we’ll be re-opening our doors and welcoming new homeowners to discover our wonderful community.

Until then, stay safe, follow government guidelines and respect your neighbours.

16 • April 16, 2020 • Volume 34, No. 22

At Cardinal Creek Village, community comes first.

Sales Centre and Model Homes closed until further notice. Visit us online at tamarackhomes.com