March 20, 2020

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The Creemore

ECHO

Friday, March 20, 2020 Vol. 20 No. 12

www.creemore.com

News and views in and around Creemore

INSIDE THE ECHO

Take-out Only

Transit Tourist

Restaurants limited to take-out service

Murray rides the Creemore bus

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Municipalities close public spaces to help flatten curve by Trina Berlo Municipal officials have followed a quick succession of closures of all non-essential services in an effort to flatten the COVID-19 curve. This week, all libraries, arenas, the youth centre, and community halls have closed. Clearview council met Monday to make a few final decisions before adjourning. Council chambers was rearranged so staff and council members could sit one to two metres apart from each other. The emergency meeting was called to make some decisions to support the community through these uncertain financial times. “I am deeply concerned for the health and safety of our residents and all members of our community. I am concerned for our region the County of Simcoe, our province and our country. I have confidence and faith that our community will manage this crisis and come out of it with a better community, a caring community, a healthy community, and a renewed sense of safety in our community,” said Mayor Doug Measures. “Council, Clearview is not alone here. The entire country is

Staff photo: Trina Berlo

Clearview council held an emergency meeting Monday to make a few final decisions and shut down most facilities. involved in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire world. The way we all win here is if we act locally to stop the spread of the Coronavirus. You know your own health. Please adhere to the advice of the experts. Remain calm and aware of your

personal environment. Trust your colleagues.” He said staff had met Monday morning to review and discuss service delivery. As of this week, the fire department and public works department are fully operational

but closed to visitors. All municipal meetings and programs are cancelled and all facilities are closed until April 6, the same end date the province has given for the closure of all publicly funded schools in Ontario. Transit is running but riders are asked to use social distancing and self-screening practices. Council agreed Monday to give residents reprieve on their tax bills, extending the deadline one month to April 23. M u l m u r To w n s h i p h a s a l s o cancelled all council and committee meetings, public consultations and public gatherings until April 6. The arena is closed and events have been cancelled. Mulmur has also closed its offices and Public Works building to visitors until further notice. Both municipalities remind residents that some services are offered online and staff is available by phone and e-mail. Similarly, the counties of Simcoe and Dufferin have also closed facilities and cancelled meetings. Curbside waste collection is continuing but the Simcoe County landfill site in Stayner is closed to the public.

Region sees fifth case of COVID-19, one death The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) is following up with known contacts of its fifth confirmed case of COVID-19. A man in his 60s presented to Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital (OSMH) on March 16, and is selfisolating and recovering at home. All required infection control practices were followed in the assessment of this case. The case is related to travel out of country. “The health unit is following up

with the contacts of this new case to determine who should self-isolate,” said Dr. Charles Gardner, SMDHU’s medical officer of health. Earlier in the week the Health Unit received notification that the death of an individual at the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) in Barrie was potentially related to COVID-19. The individual, a man in his 70s, was under investigation as a close contact with the region’s third confirmed case

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of COVID-19, who remains in hospital. “We are saddened by this news and are offering our condolences to the family. Unfortunately, given the gravity of the current situation in the country and Ontario, we are not surprised by this news,” said Gardner. “It’s further evidence that we need to continue, as a community, to work together and follow public health measures so that we protect the people who are most vulnerable and flatten the curve of this disease.”

The health unit is reminding people to protect themselves and others by staying at least two metres distance from others, avoiding crowds, staying at home if you are sick, avoiding people who are obviously ill and continuing with frequent hand washing. For more information on how to protect yourself from COVID-19 call Health Connection at 705-7217520 or 1-877-721-7520, which has extended hours, or see www.smdhu. org.

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