Kanata North COVID-19 Update April 26 

Good evening Kanata North,  

The number of individuals now eligible to pre-register for vaccines in Ottawa continues to grow. As of 2:00 pm this afternoon, pregnant individuals are now eligible to pre-register for vaccination appointments. Also eligible are people with the highest risk health conditions and one of their caregivers. For details, please visit the Ottawa Public Health website. 

Community and pop-up clinic appointments are temporarily fully booked. While we wait for vaccine supply to increase, the best thing you can do is wear a mask, physically distance, and only make essential trips in public to reduce the spread of the virus. 

Ottawa Public Health continues to warn about heightened risk of transmission due to variants of concern. Ottawa is presently averaging around 200 new COVID-19 cases a day. Contact tracing shows that COVID-19 variants can and are being transmitted outdoors when masks are not worn, and physical distancing is not maintained. Please continue your efforts to follow the guidelines from public health officials to keep our community healthy and safe. 

Also, as a reminder for post-vaccine behaviour, I urge you not to let your guard down. Whether you have received one dose or both, it is important that we all keep up with the behaviours like maintaining distance from others and wearing a mask until more people are fully vaccinated. People have tested positive for COVID-19 in the days following immunization, as the vaccine takes time to build immunity and is not 100 per cent effective. 

As per OPH’s Daily COVID-19 dashboard, 1,357 cases have been reported in the last 7 days. Currently, there are 108 individuals in the hospital, with 27 in ICU. The rise in cases has limited OPH’s ability to manage contact tracing. Now, more than ever, it is important to download and use the COVID Alert app in order to make sure people who have been exposed isolate and seek testing. 

New Section 22 Order effective at midnight tonight 

Today, Dr. Vera Etches issued a Section 22 Order to ensure public health measures within indoor sports facilities are being followed. The Provincial regulations allow some fitness facilities to stay open if they are providing a service to individuals with a disability. This Section 22 Order aims to ensure that By-Law officers can gain access to these premises for inspection, to ensure public health protocols are being followed. Furthermore, it will introduce heightened screening practices and safety measures onsite.  

Stay at home 

We remain under a province-wide stay-at-home order. As a reminder, this means you should only go out for necessities, such as: 

  • The grocery store or pharmacy 
  • Health care services (including going to medical appointments or getting vaccinated) 
  • Outdoor exercise or walking pets in your community 
  • Work that cannot be done remotely 
  • Child care or school 

Businesses must ensure that all employees work from home if they can. OPH contract tracing has revealed that many transmissions in our community happen at the workplace. If you can work from home, please do so.  

Closure of Outdoor Amenities 

Here’s a list of what’s allowed to stay open, and what’s not. 

Outdoor recreational amenities are closed. This includes: 

  • Outdoor sports facilities and multi-use fields, including: 
    • golf courses 
    • baseball diamonds 
    • soccer fields 
    • tennis, platform tennis, table tennis and pickleball courts 
    • basketball courts 
    • BMX parks 
    • skate parks 
    • Disc golf 
    • Portions of parks or recreational areas containing outdoor fitness equipment 
  • Picnic sites and picnic tables 
  • Parks or recreational areas are open for the purposes of permitting persons to walk through or use portions of the park or recreational area. 
  • Playgrounds can be used by children if both the children and their parents/guardians wear masks and socially distance. Please note that masks must be worn by everyone within a five-metre radius from playgrounds, with some exceptions.  
    • Children under the age of two or those under five years of age developmentally who cannot be persuaded to put on a mask by their caregiver are exempt from the order.
  • Outdoor parks and recreational areas, off-leash dog parks and benches in parks or recreational areas can be used if persons using the amenity maintain a physical distance of at least two metres from any other person who is also using the facility, other than a person who is a member of the same household, a member of one other household who lives alone or a caregiver for any member of either household. 

Interprovincial Travel & Enforcement  

Due to inconvenient delays, in some cases holding up essential healthcare workers, officers will no longer be posted on a 24/7 basis on border crossings; however, checkpoints will be maintained periodically, though not during peak commuting hours. The following crossings will feature periodic checkpoints:  

  • Champlain 
  • Portage 
  • Chaudière Bridge 
  • Macdonald-Cartier 
  • The Quyon ferry 
  • Bourbonnais ferry 
  • Alexandra Bridge 

COVID-19 Vaccine Update 

Who’s eligible to pre-register now  

The Province of Ontario now lists pregnant individuals as part of the highest risk health priority group. Individuals who are pregnant are advised to have a discussion with their health care provider prior to getting vaccinated. A letter from a physician is not required for vaccination. The second dose interval for this group will remain at 16 weeks. 

A pregnant individual may have someone who supports them be vaccinated. This would apply when the pregnant individual needs regular and sustained help with personal care or to help them with their normal daily activities. 

Highest risk health priority individuals 

Pre-registration is still open to individuals with highest risk health conditions and their caregivers. See high risk conditions below:  

  • Organ transplant recipients  
  • Hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients  
  • People with neurological diseases in which respiratory function may be compromised (e.g., motor neuron disease, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis)  
  • Haematological malignancy diagnosed less than one year ago  
  • People with kidney disease eGFR< 30 

Who is eligible In Ottawa for vaccination under Phase 2?  

  • Adults 60 years of age and older 
  • Adults 40 or older are eligible for vaccination at participating pharmacies  
  • Individuals with health conditions listed above and their caregiver 
  • Pregnant people and their caregiver 
  • People who live and work in high-risk congregate settings 
  • Caregivers in select congregate care settings 
  • Essential frontline workers who cannot work from home, including education workers 

How to book a vaccine at a community clinic (60+)  

Please note that all appointments at community clinics are temporarily booked. I will notify the community when booking becomes available again through community clinics. When booking resumes, eligible residents can book an appointment on the online provincial booking portal or by calling 1-833-943-3900. Residents can book online for appointments at the community vaccination clinics: 

  • Nepean Sportsplex 
  • Ruddy Family YMCA-YWCA 
  • Eva James Memorial Community Centre 
  • City Hall 

How to book a vaccine at a pharmacy (40+)  

While supplies are limited, some pharmacies in Ottawa are providing AstraZeneca vaccinations to Ottawa residents age 40+. If you’re eligible for vaccination, please register ASAP regardless of which vaccine type is offered to you. Additional information as well as participating locations can be found on the Province of Ontario website.   

Kanata pharmacies participating in the program include: 

These vaccinations are separate from Ottawa Public Health and the City of Ottawa’s vaccination roll-out. Residents are asked to call participating pharmacies directly or the Province of Ontario Vaccination Information Line at 1-888-999-6488 if they have questions on the pharmacy vaccination program. Supplies are limited and appointments are booking quickly. 

Thank you for staying the course and being COVIDWise. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.  

Take care,  

Jenna Sudds