Hirji mixed on first reopened week
Patios taking good precautions while beaches remain a problem
Niagara’s first week of pandemic reopening has been a mixed bag from a public health point of view, says the region’s acting medical officer of health.
Restaurant operators appear to be taking infection control measures — from physical distancing to masks — seriously, while the behaviour of beachgoers bespeaks a lackadaisical attitude toward the risks of COVID-19, says Dr. Mustafa Hirji.
Niagara’s daily case count remains low with only one new case confirmed on Friday, a week to the day when the provincial government allowed some businesses to open under infection prevention rules.
However, Hirji said it is too early to know if Niagara’s weeks-long streak of low numbers of new daily cases will be impacted by the reopening. It takes about two weeks for an infected person to show symptoms, plus the time it takes to get tested and get the results back.
If there are going to be cases linked to increasing social and economic activity, Hirji said they could start to appear in the data toward the end of next week.
“With more activity comes more risk,” said Hirji.
“That is why I am still harping on my same message of physical distancing, hand hygiene and masks when physical
distancing is difficult.”
Hirji said the risks associated with reopening was illustrated well in Kingston when public health authorities declared a COVID-19 outbreak at a nail salon.
At least 18 people — six staff and 12 customers have tested positive, and another 500 customers are being asked to monitor themselves for symptoms and get tested.
Hirji said both the staff and the patrons were wearing masks.
“I think this just goes to show you that there is no panacea out there regarding this virus,” Hirji said. “This is why we have to always remember the virus is still out there and take the necessary precautions.”
Based on his own anecdotal observations, Hirji said it appears many restaurant owners are doing the right things on their patios — the only way to have dine-in service at the moment.
“The ones I have seen people have not been sitting too closely together, staff are wearing masks,” he said. “So it seems that they are taking the steps they have to to reduce the risk.”
He is less impressed with local beaches, however, where people have flocked to during the warm summer weather. Some beaches have been crowded, he said, particularly those that have yet to officially reopen.
“In some beaches which have been opened, there are instances where people are spreading out but what we have seen is that at beaches that are not yet open, people are crowding them,” Hirji said. “Plus the bathrooms are not open at this time, so it is even less ideal.”
Hirji said he knows people want to soak up some sun at the beaches, but urged people to be safe when doing so.
“Hopefully beaches will be a place where people can be outdoors and really spread out,” Hirji said. “If you go to a beach and it is looking crowded, move on to the next one or do something else that day.”
Friday’s new case brings the historic total number of cases to 749, with 27 of them currently active. There is presently only one patient in Niagara being treated for COVID-19 at the St. Catharines hospital.
At least 61 Niagara residents with the virus have died. There has not been a COVID-19 related death recorded in Niagara since June 5.