Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Travelling outside of Canada

• If you are travelling internationally, check to see if there are any COVID-19 restrictions or requirements in your destination country. Also make sure you are aware of the requirements for your return to Canada.
• Learn more from the Government of Canada.

Travelling within Canada

• There are no federal requirements for travelling within Canada but there may be provincial or territorial rules and restrictions. Go to the province or territory website of your final destination to find out.

Social events and gatherings

Social events and gatherings have the potential to increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission, especially for those who are at higher risk of exposure to COVID-19 and/or severe outcomes of infection.

If you choose to hold or participate in an in-person social gathering or event with people outside your household, here are some tips to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission:

• COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective and the best way to help protect yourself, your loved ones and your community from the spread of COVID-19. Take the time to get your first or second dose of the vaccine if you haven’t already, and your booster dose if eligible.
• clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces
• wash your hands well and often, and/or use hand sanitizer, especially before preparing, serving and eating food
• stay home if you are feeling ill, even with mild symptoms 
• follow isolation instructions if you have tested positive for COVID-19, have symptoms, or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19
• limit the number of people you come into close contact with
• follow public health measures and advice

Public events and gatherings

All planners, organizers, operators of events/gatherings, regardless of their purpose and size, have a responsibility to assess COVID-19 risks associated with their event/gathering and mitigate these risks.

The resource, Managing the Risks of COVID-19: Events and Gatherings [PDF], is intended to help organizers of public events and gatherings – such as meetings, festivals, concerts, outdoor markets etc., ensure a safe and successful event as we learn to manage COVID-19 in our communities. Proper preparation and planning prior to and during an event is essential to help reduce the potential spread of COVID-19.

COVID-19 spreads from an infected person to others through respiratory droplets and aerosols created when an infected person coughs, sneezes, sings, shouts, or talks. The virus spreads more easily in closed spaces, crowded places, and close contact settings.

Close contact means:

• being within 2 metres of someone in the same room, workspace, or area for 15 minutes or longer; OR
• living in the same home

Learn more about how to protect yourself from COVID-19.

Every day actions to protect yourself

Proper hygiene can help reduce the risk of infection or spreading infection to others:

• wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the washroom and when preparing food
  • use alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 70% alcohol if soap and water are not available
• when coughing or sneezing:
  • cough or sneeze into a tissue or the bend of your arm, not your hand
  • dispose of any tissues you have used as soon as possible in a lined waste basket and wash your hands afterwards
• avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands
• wear a mask or face covering
• minimize the number of people you have close contact with
• maintain a physical distance of 2 metres from people outside of your household
• stay home if you are sick

Cleaning

While surface transmission is not thought to be a common way that COVID-19 spreads, it is still a good idea to regularly clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces such as: 

• toys
• toilets
• phones
• electronics
• faucets
• door handles
• light switches
• bedside tables
• television remotes

Health Canada has published a list of hard surface disinfectants that are likely to be effective for use against coronavirus (COVID-19).

When home isn't safe

For many survivors of domestic violence and seniors who experience abuse, staying home may not be the safest option. If home is not safe for you, please contact Optimism Place (24hr service women's shelter): 1-800-265-8598/519-271-5550, Emily Murphy Centre 1-888-826-8117/519-273-7350, or Huron County Women’s Shelter and Second Stage Housing and Counseling Services at 1-800-265-5506/ 519-524-6245. If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.