Many of you are worried about COVID-19, and I want to assure you that the safety and well-being of residents in the City of Windsor is our top priority.
Windsor City Council and administration depend on the expertise of health officials at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) and the Ministry of Health and Emergency Response Team to decide what steps are appropriate to maintain good public health.
At this time, the Windsor-Essex County Medical Officer of Health Dr. Wajid Ahmed has stated that the risk of infection for COVID-19 remains low for residents of Windsor and Essex County. As of March 13, there have been nearly 50 people tested for COVID-19 in Windsor and Essex County and the results of these tests have all come back negative.
The City of Windsor continues to update our established processes and strategies to respond to this current public health concern and are doing all we can to ensure the continued safe delivery of essential services to our community.
Following the latest update from our Medical Officer of Health, and consistent with the recent decision by the Ministry of Education to close schools, we will close all EarlyON Child and Family Centres from March 14 to April 5 as a safety precaution.
Hours at Adventure Bay during March Break will be adjusted to limit the number of people, in line with the Ontario Medical Officer of Health’s recommendation to avoid gatherings of more than 250 people.
We have also introduced new measures at Huron Lodge long-term care home to protect residents and staff. Entrance to the home will be restricted to the main entrance and anyone entering the facility will be actively screened for signs of respiratory illness or other symptoms. Other measures taking effect at the home today include:
– Effective 2 p.m. Friday, March 13, restrictions will be in place to permit only staff and essential personnel access to the home
– In addition, only one visitor per resident will be allowed in the home at any given time
– Palliative care residents’ visitation will be expanded to allow for two visitors
– Visitor restrictions will be assessed on an individual case for compassionate grounds
All other City of Windsor services, facilities, recreation centres and libraries will operate as usual until further notice. We are applying enhanced cleaning measures to protect residents, visitors and staff in our public spaces and will continue to monitor and reassess the situation daily.
We all play an important role in safeguarding our community. I urge everyone to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by taking the following precautions recommended by the WECHU:
– practice good hand-washing hygiene by washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds regularly throughout the day
– cough or sneeze into your sleeve
– throw used tissues in the garbage and immediately wash your hands, or use an alcohol-based hand cleanser
– Avoid touching your face
– Avoid close contact (within 2 meters) with anyone showing symptoms of a respiratory illness, such as coughing or sneezing
– Avoid sharing cups, glasses, dishes or cutlery and ensure cups/glasses/dishes/cutlery are thoroughly cleaned using soap and warm water after each use
– Regularly clean workstations and objects with disinfectants that are touched frequently, such as doorknobs, handles and railings
Residents who have recently travelled and have symptoms of COVID-19 should self-isolate and call the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit at 519-258-2146, extension 1420 to discuss their exposure history and determine the next steps.
Windsor is a resilient and caring community and I know that together we will get through this. I encourage you to stay informed by continuing to follow local updates from the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit and the City of Windsor.
Finally, I want to express my sincere gratitude to all healthcare professionals and emergency first responders who are working around the clock keeping our community safe.
-Mayor Drew Dilkens