Back to SearchNIPISSING & PARRY SOUND, ON - With COVID-19 cases increasing in neighbouring districts and a continued increase expected throughout Ontario this winter, a new Class Order (Order) under Section 22 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act has been issued for the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit (Health Unit) region. The Order comes into effect immediately in an effort to prevent the impacts of last winter’s spike in cases from reoccurring.
“We’ve been carefully monitoring the COVID-19 situation locally and province wide,” says Dr. Jim Chirico, Medical Officer of Health, who issued the Order. “Current trends are leading us to anticipate a significant increase in cases, and so I want to be proactive. The new Class Order will allow us to respond quickly to cases or high-risk close contacts that may not be following public health self-isolation requirements and contributing to the spread of the virus. It is critical that our district continues to follow all public health measures and provincial guidelines.”
The Order applies to all persons residing in or present in the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit region who are required by public health to self-isolate, including those who:
a) Are a confirmed case or probable case of COVID-19;
b) Have new symptoms (even mild symptoms) or worsening symptoms of COVID-19, and have not received a negative result from a Health Canada approved COVID-19 test;
c) Otherwise have reasonable grounds to believe they now have symptoms (even mild symptoms) of COVID-19, or have had such symptoms within the past 10 days, and have not received a negative result from a Health Canada approved COVID-19 test since developing those symptoms;
d) Are not fully vaccinated* and are a close contact of a person identified in (a) even if they do not themselves have any symptoms of COVID-19; or
e)Are a parent, or person with responsibilities of a parent, of a person under 16 years of age in (a), (b), (c), or (d) who resides or is present in Nipissing District or the District of Parry Sound.
*In Ontario, an individual is considered fully vaccinated if they have received the final dose of the following, at least 14 days ago:
- The full series of a COVID-19 vaccine authorized by Health Canada, or a combination of any such vaccine; or
- One or two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine not authorized by Health Canada, followed by a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine authorized by Health Canada; or
- Three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine not authorized by Health Canada.
People in Categories (a), (b), (c) and (d) above must self-isolate and follow other directions in the Order.
The purpose of Category (e) is to require parents and others who have the responsibilities of a parent to ensure compliance with the class order by any person under 16 years of age.
Parents and others must self-isolate only if they themselves also fall within Category (a), (b), (c) or (d).
The Order will remain in effect until the Medical Officer of Health determines the Order is no longer required. The Order gives the Health Unit, with support from police services, the ability to enforce self-isolation requirements for specified groups of individuals. Failure to comply with this Order is an offence for which an individual may be charged a maximum of $5,000, and a corporation may be charged a maximum of $25,000, for every day or part of each day on which the offence occurs or continues to occur.
More information on the COVID-19 Class Order can be found at myhealthunit.ca/COVID-19ClassOrder
For more information on COVID-19 visit myhealthunit.ca/COVID-19.
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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
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