By Cecilia Nasmith
A new regular feature debuted at Cobourg council's committee-of-the-whole meeting Monday – a periodic verbal COVID-19 update by Chief Administrative Officer Tracey Vaughan.
The municipality is working closely with the province to disseminate information on the shutdown as it affects this community, and they also keep an ear to the ground for concerns expressed in the community.
The Emergency Control Group continues to be active, meeting regularly and holding ad hoc meetings as the need arises.
“Lots of information comes to the group on any given day,” Vaughan stated.
What construction projects may proceed is governed by Ontario Regulation 14-21, and they get a lot of queries in this regard.
The Chief Justice of Ontario has established a fine structure that took effect Jan. 14, so individuals and corporations that fail to comply with regulations that apply under a declaration of emergency can be held to account.
With the province's three-phase vaccination program begun last month, more than 264,000 doses have been administered. The Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit has received its first vaccine supply so that residents in local long-term-care homes may begin to receive this protection. Meanwhile, she noted, there are five outbreaks within local long-term-care homes.
Though municipal buildings remain closed to the public, staff working remotely strive to ensure services remain available to residents. And staff redeployed are working in other functions, such as enforcing new protocols at the Rotary Harbourfront Park outdoor skating rink (where, in response to the latest provincial measures, skaters must now wear masks or face coverings).
The town has begun working with the Cobourg Police Service on an education campaign to let people know how COVID restrictions are being enforced. And the town's website contains information updates from the province.
Looking ahead, three items are being worked on – signage at storm water ponds to warn against skating, disseminating new Health Canada-certified equipment that provides improved cleaning and sanitization, and updating policy governing building-entrance procedures, essential staffing, and cleaning and sanitization methods.
Noting it was the first such report, Vaughan said, “It's a fitting day, as we mark the one-year anniversary of the first COVID case in Ontario.”
She quoted the latest figures for Northumberland County – 21 active cases and 363 confirmed over the course of that year.
“We know, since the pandemic has started, we have lost 5,846 lives to this virus. I don't think any of us imagined we would be in this state a year later after the first case.”
