November 13, 2020 — Public Health Sudbury & Districts is reporting eight new cases of COVID-19. Through contact tracing, Public Health will notify all close contacts directly. If you are not contacted by Public Health, you are not considered a close contact.

Of the newly reported cases (#197 to # 204), five are from Greater Sudbury and three are from Sudbury District. Six are outbreak related, and two remain under investigation. All are following Public Health direction and are self-isolating.

Travel, gatherings, and households

Public Health Sudbury & Districts is reminding everyone that the safest options are to avoid non-essential travel, limit indoor gatherings to your own household, and otherwise be outdoors or go virtual, practise physical distancing, masking, and handwashing, and of course, stay away if you have any symptoms.

As much as possible, Ontarians are encouraged to limit outings to essentials like going to work or school, picking up groceries, attending a medical appointment, or engaging in outdoor physical activity. For all outings, continue to practise COVID-safe behaviours like distancing and wearing a face covering.

Although permissible for up to 10 people indoors and 25 outdoors, in-person gatherings of any size should be limited and should always include distance and masking when distancing is not possible. Limiting our contacts and in-person interactions as much as possible is critical in reducing the spread of COVID-19. Unless people are from the same household, keep 2 metres (6 feet) apart and wear a face covering if distancing is not possible. Face coverings must be worn in all indoor public spaces, and they must also be worn in other indoor spaces where distancing is not possible.

As of October 3, 2020, the Province of Ontario is pausing social circles and advising that all Ontarians allow close contact only with people living in their own household and maintain two metres physical distancing from everyone else. Individuals who live alone may consider having close contact with another household.

Schools and COVID-19

In any instance where a positive case is identified in a school setting, Public Health Sudbury & Districts will work directly with the individual who tested positive, the school board, and school, and conduct timely case and contact follow up and provide direction. To protect the privacy of individuals, Public Health will not routinely identify the school if a case is confirmed in a school setting. Schools boards and schools will communicate directly with the school community in the event of a positive case in a school setting.

In the instance of a confirmed COVID-19 outbreak in a school, Public Health Sudbury & Districts will publicly report the outbreak, identify the affected school, and describe any closures that have resulted from the outbreak. An outbreak in a school will be declared if there are two or more cases of COVID-19 in a 14-day period that have some link with each other, and with evidence that infection occurred at the school.

If individuals are identified as close contacts of a case in a school setting, Public Health Sudbury & Districts will contact them or their parent or guardian directly to provide direction. If you have any questions related to individual schools, please contact the school directly.

For general information on schools and COVID-19, visit phsd.ca/health-topics-programs/diseases-infections/coronavirus/schools/ or call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).

Prevent the spread of COVID-19

• Wash your hands often and when visibly dirty for 15 seconds.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with your arm or a tissue, throw the tissue in the garbage and wash your hands.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Continue to practise physical distancing, because any close contact could be a possible exposure to COVID-19.
• Masks or face coverings must be worn in all indoor public places in Sudbury and districts, and they should also be worn in other settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained.
• Avoid contact with people who are sick.
• Self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19.
• Stay home if you are unwell and get tested.

If you have a COVID-19 symptom or have been exposed to the virus as informed by Public Health or the COVID Alert app, get tested. As of September 24, 2020, the Province of Ontario has updated the eligibility and testing criteria for COVID-19 assessment centres. Stay informed and seek testing if necessary.

Travel information

All residents who are planning to travel should be aware that COVID-19 is still circulating at different levels around the province. The safest options are to stay in the area of your home community or to stay in the region.

• For anyone who has recently travelled, visit the Public Health Agency of Canada website for updates on COVID-19 exposures.
• If you think you have travelled somewhere (within or outside of Ontario) where you may have been exposed to COVID-19, call us at 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).
• Anyone who has travelled outside of Canada is directed to self-isolate for 14 days from their arrival in Canada.

Updates about COVID-19 testing, confirmed cases, and outbreaks in Greater Sudbury, the District of Sudbury, and the District of Manitoulin are posted online.

For more information or if you have questions, please visit phsd.ca/COVID-19 or call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).

Visit Ontario’s website to learn more about the province’s response to COVID-19.