Residents urged to follow health rules
Some people were not following the guidelines over the holidays, board of health chair says
Several local politicians spoke at a virtual press briefing on Tuesday on COVID-19, organized by Peterborough Public Health. Here is some of what they had to say:
Selwyn Township Mayor Andy Mitchell, chair of the health board:
Mitchell said everyone must take personal responsibility to adhere to public health guidelines.
“The paramount public policy issue must be how to keep safe — not whether these measures disrupt our daily lives.” he said. “It is clear from what happened during the holidays that while many Ontarians worked hard to observe public health guidelines, some did not.
“Please remember: COVID-19 does not spread without person-to-person contact. And the more contact there is, the more COVID-19 will impact our community.”
Hiawatha First Nation Chief Laurie Carr:
Carr said there was a well-attended information session at Hiawatha First Nation about the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday night, which she hopes will help inform community members.
“So far our community has done well. We have remained — and I always touch wood when I say this — COVID-free,” she said.
Women and Gender Equality Minister Maryam Monsef, the MP for Peterborough-Kawartha:
Monsef said Canada has agreements with seven different vaccine manufacturers, and that on Tuesday the Government of Canada reached an agreement with Pfizer to procure 20 million more doses than originally planned.
This brings Canada’s total of vaccine doses to 80 million, Monsef said.
“Which means Canada is on track to provide every Canadian who wants a vaccine with both doses by the end of September.”
Peterborough County Warden J. Murray Jones, the mayor of Douro-Dummer Township:
“Peterborough County is doing its best to show some leadership and obey the rules. All of our townships are doing the same,” Jones said, adding he wanted to thank Peterborough County-City Paramedics for working the front lines of the pandemic.
“We don’t take you for granted,” he said, regarding the paramedics, as well as the county’s public works employees. “Let’s keep reminding ourselves we are in this together ... Let’s keep a good attitude going.”
Pet e r b o r o u g h M ay o r Diane Therrien
“There was a lot of optimism in 2020 for 2021 — and for a lot of us, that quickly faded,” she said.
But updates from Monsef and others suggest better times ahead, she added.
“We do need to be thinking long-term — and in the short term continue to abide by public health guidelines which have become very familiar.
“It’s not been easy for anyone — we recognize that for sure.
“Things kind of suck — but we can get through it, we will get through it. We get through dark times by supporting one another, by leaning on one another. We need to do that.”