Don't plan playdates for your children, chief medical officer reminds parents
As Ottawa struggles to lower community transmission of COVID -19, Medical Officer of Health Vera Etches has some advice for parents: Cancel the playdates for your kids.
Etches says heading outside to get some exercise is a great idea, but keep it to your family members.
“At this time, playdates and recreational activities with other households are not recommended,” Etches said in a letter released Tuesday.
“We all need to take steps to reduce transmission of the virus in our community, including limiting close contacts with those from outside our immediate households.”
The rules surrounding Ontario's state of emergency are somewhat ambiguous. Residents have been advised they must stay home unless they are engaged in one of a number of permitted activities, including exercise.
At the same time, there is a limit of five people who can “gather” outside.
The letter from Etches offers this guidance: “Parents and guardians should be limiting their children's contact with other children except for childcare needs.”
In other words, no sledding or skating with a gang of friends and no sleepovers or visits to other households.
“Parents are encouraged to take breaks during the day to get outside with their children, seeking out safer activities that limit their family's contact with people from outside their household and allow for physical distancing and mask wearing as much as possible,” Etches said.
However, she added, “If required, families would be permitted to have an exclusive contact with another household for the sole purpose of providing support.”
Etches's letter acknowledged that it's a tough time for parents trying to juggle their work obligations with children who are learning at home.
The province was expected to announce Wednesday or Thursday the health unit regions in which children will be allowed to return to in-person classes on Jan. 25.
Ottawa Public Health also asks employers to be understanding, including offering flexible work schedules, especially for parents, Etches said.
The letter also clarifies that parents and anyone else in the household of a child with symptoms of COVID-19 need to stay home themselves pending a negative test result.
“If ANYONE in the home has symptoms of COVID -19, everyone must stay home while waiting for COVID-19 test results.”
Etches urged parents to continue to screen their children for symptoms, even if they are not going to school in person, using OPH's daily screening tool.
Etches also said it's important that children continue to get tested for COVID-19.
Ottawa is experiencing a significant increase in the number of children and youths testing positive for COVID -19, even as there is a significant decline in the number of them being tested, Etches said.
“This decline, combined with the surge in the number of people testing positive, has resulted in an overall positivity rate of 14 per cent, with 21 per cent among children aged 5-12,” Etches wrote. “We know there are likely many more undiagnosed infections in our community, and unless we test more, we will not be able to identify them and proactively work to protect others with whom they may have come into contact.”
The positivity rate is the percentage of tests conducted that are positive.
Etches also reminded parents to
take care of their mental health, and provided this list of free online resources:
OttawaPublicHealth.ca/ COVID mental health — includes mental health and substance use resources and counselling supports as well as information on how to stay mentally healthy during the winter.
Parenting in Ottawa — provides resources and support for parents, including information on helping children cope during the pandemic, at-home learning and frequently asked questions.
Parenting in Ottawa Facebook page — provides guidelines and a form for essential workers to apply for emergency childcare.
Community Services and Resources from Crime Prevention Ottawa — provides resources and contact information for local organizations that support victims of domestic/gender-based violence.
With provincial restrictions in place and people working from home, there has been a stark increase in reports of domestic violence.