Central mayors take shutdown in stride
Regional schools to remain closed today as number of cases in outbreak creeps up to 44
Mayors in central Newfoundland communities affected by a COVID-19 cluster first reported in the area say they’ re confident Alert Level 4 restrictions will keep the coronavirus from spreading any further.
The latest case count released Tuesday by the Department of Health offered some hope their instincts may be right.
There were 11 new confirmed cases, all connected to the cluster, plus one presumptive positive case.
But Monday’s case count included 11 presumptive cases, which means all or most of Tuesday’s confirmed cases are likely carryovers of those cases.
The total tally for the cluster, which was first detected late last week, now stands at 44. Active cases in the province now total 93, with four people in hospital.
“We’ve been in Level 4 before, but it’s a little different this time when you’ve got cases around you,” Grand Falls-windsor Mayor Barry Manuel said Tuesday. “And obviously the amount of cases is concerning.”
As of Monday, localized Alert Level 4 restrictions were expanded to all towns on the
Trans-canada Highway from Gambo to Badger and the region north of that line running east from Grand Fallswindsor.
“I wasn’t surprised at all,” Manuel said when asked if the larger lockdown was unexpected. “Obviously, now we just hope for better news.”
In Gander, Mayor Percy Farwell agreed the expansion of the restrictions was no surprise.
“It was wise to roll everybody back to Level 4 because in a region like this, in places like Gander and Grand Falls-windsor — and, to a lesser extent, Lewisporte — we’re service centres for a large area,” Farwell told The Telegram. “There’s a lot of interconnectivity within the region, so it only makes sense that you cast the net a little bit wide to make sure you’re covering the area, because there’s people going back and forth between these communities all the time.”
Farwell said the fact restaurants are doing takeout only and bars can’t open will be a big help, especially since the majority of cases involve young adults.
“We have to utilize those circuit-breakers whenever they’re deemed necessary, and this is one of those times,” he added.
PART OF THE ROUTINE
The timing of the initial Alert Level 4 lockdown — just as the Victoria Day long weekend was underway — may have quashed some plans, but the mayor of Lewisporte said the nearby park was already full of campers. She said visitors seemed to stick to their own bubbles, as required under Public Health restrictions, and most went home Sunday.
A traffic bottleneck for community testing in Lewisporte
Sunday afternoon soon petered out, and Betty Clarke said it’s been smooth sailing ever since.
“Central Health has been really good,” said Clarke, adding that she and her husband were tested Tuesday morning. “Twenty minutes and you’re in and out.”
She said everybody is taking advantage of testing in the area, and the town has remained quiet.
“I’m really pleased with what I’m seeing out around town. Everybody seems to be staying home. There’s no longer the ‘steady 20’ — I guess everyone’s in their own home now.”
Manuel agreed.
“By and large, our community has been good. I think the citizens are taking it seriously. We understand how quickly it can spread,” he said.
“What I’ve seen personally in Grand Falls-windsor is a lot of co-operation and a lot of understanding and a lot of patience.”
The mayors all said they hope the sort of panic and paranoia that was common in 2020 doesn’t materialize this time.
“For some people, I guess they get under a bit of stress and they immediately look for someone to blame. We should be just reaching out and supporting the people who have it. They didn’t try to get it and it’s very likely they weren’t doing anything outside the rules when they got it,” Farwell said.
“It’s not a time for people to panic. It’s a time for people to remind themselves to continue what we’re doing.”
SCHOOLS CLOSED
The Newfoundland and Labrador English School District is keeping 36 schools in the area closed until Thursday, even though Public Health offered no guidance on the matter.
The teachers’ union protested against forcing teachers to remain in the classrooms to teach virtually, but the district says the technology and resources make that more practical.
Meanwhile, Central Health has announced some restrictions at health facilities.
Only urgent and emergent surgeries will take place, while other elective procedures will be rebooked.
The authority is asking that any patients needing emergency service arrive on their own unless a support person is needed. One parent should accompany children.
The latest Central Health updates can be found online at http://www.centralhealth.nl.ca