Government Incentives and Covid News for Seniors~~ August 12th update

Things have been moving slowly but today we bring you some important news. We have been in stage 3 for a few weeks now and many of you may have heard the number of cases have risen and a new Mask Bylaw will start on Friday August 14th.

New Cases

First, let us reassure you that these cases happening are because people were not adhering to the protocols in place. The were socializing with people outside their Social Bubble and all cases were traced back to close contacts.

You may have also heard that there were two cases in CKHA. One of them was a false positive, which is known to happen with any medical test. The other one was contracted from a family member.

Due to these two occurrences, the Hospital has restricted visitation at the hospital for the moment to be on the safe side.

Mask Bylaw

Chatham-Kent Council has passed a Mask By-Law on Monday August 10th to be enforced on August 14. According to the By-law it will be mandatory to wear a mask inside any enclosed public space. This By Law was put into place in hopes to help keep everyone safe but it is not meant to circumvent social distancing, hand washing, and social bubbles.

Under the new bylaw there are exemptions for:

• Children younger then 9
• A person with medical conditions including breathing or cognitive difficulties
• a person unable to put on or remove their mask with out assistance.
• Consuming food or drink or medcial purpose.
• actively engaging in an athletic or fitness activity

You can read the full By-Laws here

What Does That Mean For Us?

It means we still have a lot of work as a community to help keep each other safe. Being in Stage 3 means we can move forward more freely but we must continue with the measures in place to help keep us safe.

It is safe to be outdoors with people as long as you keep a physical distance of 6 feet (2 metres) unless they are part of your social bubble, which only consists of 10 people with whom you may physical contact.

Your social bubble must not interact with anyone else. The ten of you are considered one unit and no one with in that unit should be physically close to someone outside of your unit.

Continue to wear masks in enclosed places and when possible continue to keep the physical distancing as well. Bring sanitizer or warm soapy paper towels in a plastic bag with you when you go out. Use it as often as need and take advantage of the sanitizers available at all business.

If you feel unsafe to go shopping then continue having someone else do the shopping for you but do not be afraid to step outside. Enjoy the fresh air and the beauty that is around you it is the safest way to regain your inner peace.

If you are feeling stressed out or overwhelmed with what is going on reach out to those you know are positive, meditate on the beauty around you, and/or watch something uplifting. While it may feel like it let us reassure you: You are not alone and together we will get through this.