COVID -19 outbreak in Kingston infects 18 people
Nail salon identified as centre link
WE ARE SEEING A SLIGHT REDUCTION IN ACCESSING ABORTION. WE ACTUALLY THINK IT’S A BIT MORE REFLECTIVE OF PEOPLE MAKING DIFFERENT CHOICES WITH REGARDS TO THEIR SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR — POTENTIALLY HAVING LESS SEX, BASICALLY. — LAURA NEIDHART, ACTIVIST
A COVID-19 outbreak at a Kingston, Ont., nail salon is now linked to 18 local cases of the virus, according to public health.
In a video Friday morning, Dr. Kieran Moore, the regional medical officer of health, said six of the salon’s staff and 12 people in the community contracted the virus after being at the business or being on contact with someone who was. He said the outbreak at Binh’s Nail and Spa had the potential to spread the virus through Kingston.
“The risk to the community was very high,” Moore said, noting that among those infected were health care and correctional workers.
“This could have spread out to vulnerable populations. I’m glad at present that everyone is now aware of the risk to our community.”
None of the people who tested positive have been hospitalized.
More than 500 people who visited the salon between June 12 and 24 are required to get tested and self- isolate for 14 days, according to Moore.
Moore said each of the people who tested positive had, on average, 10 additional contacts meaning 180 other people need to be tested and self isolate.
“We are seeing transmission outside of the initial contacts, to spouses and to partners,” said Moore, who called the outbreak the second wave of the pandemic in Kingston.
“This is typically happening every three to five days. This has most likely been going on for roughly a week in our community.”
Moore said the outbreak has public health reviewing the possibility of mandating the wearing of masks in public for everyone.
“Due to the economic impact of this, we don’t want setbacks,” Moore said. “We want our businesses to stay open, we want to support our businesses but we want to do so safely so this virus doesn’t spread.”
On Friday morning, public health moved the Kingston area from green status to yellow, a level characterized by few active COVID-19 cases and less than two active outbreaks.
A yellow status also indicates cases and contacts have been reached within 24 hours of notification and there is full hospital capacity and high testing rates.
After news of the outbreak came out Thursday afternoon, hundreds of people lined to be tested at Kingston’s COVID-19 testing centre at the Memorial Centre, a scene repeated on Friday.
Moore said the nail salon outbreak should serve as a cautionary tale for people seeking personal care services to ensure they and the person they are receiving care from wear masks, wash their hands and keep detailed records of the visit for contact tracing
“This is one example of how COVID-19 could sneak into our community,” Moore said.
Among the people infected is an employee of the Amherstview Golf Club, who came into contact with someone who is believed to have contracted the virus at the salon, according to a message posted by the golf club.
The golf club is remaining open but the patio is closed until staff and patrons are tested.
“We are all taking this matter very seriously and working in conjunction with the KFLA Health Unit to ensure everyone’s safety,” general manager Joe Rishaur wrote on the club’s social media page Thursday evening.
“Although we have been following all protocols put in place to provide a safe environment for our staff and patrons, Carolyn and l feel it is our responsibility to take even more aggressive measures to ensure this does not happen again.”
A close contact of one nail salon employee who tested positive, a worker at the Amherst Island Ferry dock construction site, also tested positive. The construction site has now been halted until further notice.
ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW COVID-19 CAN SNEAK IN.