News Release: Health Unit to Hold Weekly Media Availability; Launches Roundtable with Municipal Leaders and Public Health Experts

NIPISSING & PARRY SOUND, ON – Today, the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit (Health Unit) announced a weekly virtual press conference where a team of public health experts will be available to answer questions and provide the latest pandemic response information, especially as the vaccine rollout progresses. The Health Unit will also launch a bi-weekly municipal leaders meeting which will convene regularly to consult and coordinate with key community leaders on the pandemic response.

The live virtual press conference, which will be held weekly on Thursdays at 10 a.m., will at times include public health physicians, emergency management experts, and others within the Health Unit and community responsible for managing public health throughout the pandemic. A media advisory with relevant details and access to the online event distributed to media on Wednesday afternoons. The recording will be made available to the public on Thursday afternoons through social media.

“We heard the growing need from the community to have greater access to information and a more open dialogue. We recognize the need to be more available to answer questions to ensure people understand the reasons for these recommendations,” said Dr. Jim Chirico, Medical Officer of Health.

“I fully recognize how impactful and difficult these decisions have been on the community. I understand there have been significant impacts on people and on small businesses, impacts on our freedoms and way of life,” stated Dr. Chirico. “I know this hasn’t been easy on anyone. But I am always reminded of our collective community obligation to protect those most vulnerable. We have made tough decisions that I hope will help us get through this pandemic more quickly and more safely.”

This week, the region moves to a Red-Control level, providing much needed relief for businesses and restaurants that can reopen safely, with public health restrictions in place.

To read the entire COVID-19 Response Framework: Keeping Ontario Safe and Open, visit Ontario’s website.

Visit Ontario’s website to learn more about how the province continues to protect Ontarians from COVID-19.

For more information, please visit myhealthunit.ca/COVID-19.

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Media Inquiries:

Catherine Levac-Lafond, Bilingual Media Relations Coordinator
P: 705-474-1400, ext. 5221 or 1-800-563-2808
E: communications@healthunit.ca