COVID-19 in Ottawa: Fast Facts for June 17, 2021 - CTV Edmonton

OTTAWA -- Good morning. Here is the latest news on COVID-19 and its impact on Ottawa.

Fast Facts:

• Ottawa's medical officer of health says Ottawa needs a 48-hour COVID-19 vaccine supply buffer in the freezer
• Some Ottawa student drivers say the first road test available in the capital is in 2022
• Active cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa fall below 300 for the first time since November
• The premier will speak with Ontario's health table about moving to Step 2 early
• Ottawa's public school board ending remote classes two days early

COVID-19 by the numbers in Ottawa (Ottawa Public Health data):

• New COVID-19 cases: 22 new cases on Wednesday
• Total COVID-19 cases: 27,481
• COVID-19 cases per 100,000 (previous seven days): 18.0
• Positivity rate in Ottawa: 3.6 per cent (June 6-15)
• Reproduction Number: 0.93 (seven day average)

Testing:

Who should get a test?

Ottawa Public Health says you can get a COVID-19 test at an assessment centre, care clinic, or community testing site if any of the following apply to you:

• You are showing COVID-19 symptoms;
• You have been exposed to a confirmed case of the virus, as informed by Ottawa Public Health or exposure notification through the COVID Alert app;
• You are a resident or work in a setting that has a COVID-19 outbreak, as identified and informed by Ottawa Public Health;
• You are a resident, a worker or a visitor to long-term care, retirement homes, homeless shelters or other congregate settings (for example: group homes, community supported living, disability-specific communities or congregate settings, short-term rehab, hospices and other shelters);
• You are a person who identifies as First Nations, Inuit or Métis;
• You are a person travelling to work in a remote First Nations, Inuit or Métis community;
• You received a preliminary positive result through rapid testing;
• You require testing 72 hours before a scheduled (non-urgent or emergent) surgery (as recommended by your health care provider);
• You are a patient and/or their 1 accompanying escort tra­velling out of country for medical treatment;
• You are an international student that has passed their 14-day quarantine period;
• You are a farm worker;
• You are an educator who cannot access pharmacy-testing; or
• You are in a targeted testing group as outlined in guidance from the Chief Medical Officer of Health.

Where to get tested for COVID-19 in Ottawa:

There are several sites for COVID-19 testing in Ottawa. To book an appointment, visit https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/shared-content/assessment-centres.aspx

• The Brewer Ottawa Hospital/CHEO Assessment Centre: Open Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• COVID-19 Drive-Thru Assessment Centre at 300 Coventry Road: Open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• The Moodie Care and Testing Centre: Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 
• The Heron Care and Testing Centre: Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• The Ray Friel Care and Testing Centre: Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• North Grenville COVID-19 Assessment Centre (Kemptville) – 15 Campus Drive: Open Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Centretown Community Health Centre: Open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Sandy Hill Community Health Centre: Open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 pm.
• Somerset West Community Health Centre: Open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Friday

Symptoms:

Classic Symptoms: fever, new or worsening cough, shortness of breath

Other symptoms: sore throat, difficulty swallowing, new loss of taste or smell, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, pneumonia, new or unexplained runny nose or nasal congestion

Less common symptoms: unexplained fatigue, muscle aches, headache, delirium, chills, red/inflamed eyes, croup

Ottawa's medical officer of health says it's important to keep a 48-hour supply of COVID-19 vaccines in the freezer as a "buffer" so the city doesn't run out of vaccines before the next shipment arrives.

Dr. Vera Etches defended the two-day reserve supply as Mayor Jim Watson and the Ontario government spar over the quantity of vaccines being sent to Ottawa and how many doses are in the freezer.

"I want to let people know they can have a really strong confidence that the vaccination program in Ottawa is running smoothly," said Dr. Etches in an interview on Newstalk 580 CFRA's Ottawa Now with Kristy Cameron.

"The vaccines come in, that we use them and there is usually a delivery on Monday and so on Sunday we usually have enough for Monday and into Tuesday, a little bit. But we need that buffer because we can't run out of vaccine on Sunday, then Monday there would be nothing to give to people on Monday and sometimes the vaccine comes in later than we anticipate."

Some Ottawa student drivers say the earliest appointment they can find for their road test in the capital is in 2022.

Drivers are scrambling to book a road test after the Ontario government resumed in-vehicle road tests, with COVID-19 restrictions in place.

Elliot Gentle, 17, describes looking at the online booking system as "all X's until April of next year."

Gentle wants to book his G2 test as soon as possible, so he took the soonest appointment he could find, and his family will be driving him six hours away to do it.

"I currently have an appointment booked in Sudbury… in October, that was the only available time spots," says Gentle.

Ottawa Public Health reported 22 new cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa on Wednesday, while the number of active cases fell to its lowest level since November.

One new death linked to the virus was announced on Wednesday.

Since the first case of COVID-19 in Ottawa on March 11, 2020, there have been 27,481 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, including 586 deaths.

There are 287 active cases of COVID-19 in the capital.

Premier Doug Ford plans to speak with Ontario's top doctor and health table to make a decision about whether Ontario can move to Step 2 earlier.

"I'll be sitting down with the health table and Dr. (David) Williams, and we'll make that decision," Ford said about potentially moving into Step 2 early. "But no one in this province wants to open up quicker than I do."

Ontario entered Step 1 on June 11, allowing outdoor dining and non-essential businesses to open.

The three-step plan said Ontario must stay in each stage for at least 21 days.

Elementary school classes at Ottawa's largest school board will wrap up remote classes two days early next week to give students a chance to return books and computers.

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is designating June 24 and 25 as asynchronous learning days for all elementary students, including those attending in-person specialized program classes.

The final day for remote classes will be Wednesday, June 23.

"We wanted to provide students with an opportunity to come to school, retrieve personal belongings, and say goodbye to their educators before the summer," said the OCDSB in a statement.

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COVID-19 in Ottawa: Fast Facts for June 17, 2021 - CTV Edmonton
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