'Stay in your own backyard,' northeast medical officers urge

Northeastern Ontario is dealing with several active cases of COVID-19, and the region's medical officers of health are urging people to do what they can to slow the spread.

Although the numbers aren't increasing as quickly in this region compared to others, Dr. Penny Sutcliffe saysit's still important to take precautions.

"I think that we have to be really concerned about them growing even more as we see holidays coming up," she said.

"So with Thanksgiving, and people being indoors more, it's even more important that [people follow] public health measures by the province."

Late last week, the province announced a 'pause' on social circles, which, according to Sutcliffe,means you should only be close with those you live with.She noted that continuing to wear masks is critical.

"We're not in a second wave, but we're at risk."

Ontario reported an additional 615 cases of COVID-19 on Monday, with the bulk of them in southern Ontario. In the northeast there are currently 10 active cases.

Dr. Glenn Corneil, acting medical officer of health for Timiskaming, says the provincial crackdown on socializing will benefit the north, even if the bulk cases aren't here.

"If we think back to to March, April ...with the start of wave one, in which we saw the cases increase in the south, the North definitely benefited from the measures that were brought in," he said.

"So while it seems these can be difficult measures, especially as we're moving to Thanksgiving, which is a time whenfamilies typically gather, we know we're at risk. We know there are people that are going to be from the south that are coming back into our districts. So these measures are essential and it absolutely helps the north absorb wave one. And that's certainly the goal for wave two."

Some have suggestedclosing off travel between northern and southern Ontario, ascases climb in Toronto and Ottawa. But if people are sticking to essential travel, the risk will be reduced, Sutcliffe noted.

• Thunder Bay regional hospital reinstates restrictions for travel outside northern Ontario

"The best advice is to stay in our own backyard, stay in our home community and to not travel," she said.

"There arevery different risks in different communities across this province. And we just need to be acutely aware of that. We've seen cases related to travel in our local area. So it's not a theoretical risk. It's a real risk."

Living with COVID-19 while returning to work or school has been a challengefor everyone, Corneil added

"It's challenging for parents. It's challenging for schools. And of course, the health units are actively involved in this. We all have school-based nurses who are fielding and our phone lines, fielding multiple calls a day," he said.

"The school-based provincial self-assessment tool did change last week. And there's always some learning that has to go on with that. The challenge for all of us now is, living with COVID ...it'sessential to try to keep the economy going, to keep schools going as best as possible."