News Release: Make COVID-19 The Target You Miss This Hunting Season

NIPISSING & PARRY SOUND – This hunting season the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit (Health Unit) is reminding hunters not to buck with COVID-19.

Although the act of hunting traditionally promotes physical distancing outdoors the same cannot be said for indoors. To help hunt COVID-19 safer, individuals are encouraged to self-assess for COVID-19 symptoms at Ontario.ca/covid-19 before going to the camp or lodge. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, even mild, stay home and arrange to be tested.

Other safer COVID-19 hunting practices include:

• Consider travelling in your own vehicle to the camp or lodge, or wear a face covering with multiple people in the vehicle;
• Limiting private gatherings to 10 people indoors, 25 people outdoors;
• Socialize outside as much as possible;
• Consider having fewer hunters stay in the camp or lodge – use additional accommodation such as tents or trailers;
• Encourage your group to wear a face covering indoors or anytime tasks require people to be less than two metres apart;
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer(at least 60% alcohol);
• Don’t share personal items (e.g., cigarettes, joints, drinks, cutlery);
• Have one person make each meal and have them wear a face covering while cooking;
• Avoid serving meals and snacks in a buffet style;
• Sneeze and cough into your sleeve;
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth;
• Clean high touch surfaces frequently;
• Maintain contact tracing information of all participants.

If someone develops one or more symptoms of COVID-19 while hunting, have a plan to communicate with the group, have the individual self-isolate immediately, have a tent/trailer for the symptomatic individual to self-isolate, arrange for the individual to be tested, and contact 911 if symptoms are severe.

If you have questions, contact the Health Unit, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 1-800-563-2808 option 5.

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Media Inquiries:

Alex McDermid, Public Relations Specialist
P: 705-474-1400, ext. 5221 or 1-800-563-2808
E: communications@healthunit.ca