A real strength of this wonderful community is the willingness of residents to step up, to meet challenges head on, and to do the right thing. I so appreciate how the community has taken the directions of the Medical Officer of Health seriously, staying home except for essential errands, practicing social distancing, and washing hands thoroughly and often. Because of this, we continue to see small increases in confirmed COVID-19 cases in our area so far, but from how the virus has progressed in other places, we know that we haven’t seen the worst of it yet.
This week the Grey Bruce Health Unit broadened their testing criteria, so we’ll likely see higher numbers in the coming weeks, but our hospitals and medical systems are ready. The Province of Ontario has now extended the state of emergency to mid-May, with every possibility of a further extension. We are in this for the long haul, and we need to continue to find ways to make the best of our temporary new normal.
We are adapting to our changing circumstances. Council will be meeting electronically on Monday, April 20th to continue the business of the Municipality. Along with safely providing essential services like water management, fire protection, and waste pickup, our staff are developing plans to increase productivity and find new ways of providing services, as well as working on a recovery plan to guide us when we do get back to standard operations. Although our offices are closed, we are still here for you, working from home and behind the scenes to keep the wheels turning.
This scale of shut-down is unprecedented, but it’s our best defense against the spread of this rampant virus. We’re all missing our traditional activities, our jobs, our places of worship, our families (especially grandchildren), and friends. In spite of social media applications like FaceTime, Skype, and others, this isolation isn’t easy, and it can lead to difficulties with our finances, personal relationships, and our physical and mental health. For those who may be dealing with these additional challenges through this pandemic, know that help is available. Please reach out by calling 211. This 24/7 hotline is available to connect you with community resources that can help, whether it’s deliveries for food and medication, mental health support, housing, or help applying for financial assistance programs. You are NOT going through this alone, and I urge everyone to reach out and use the resources that are here for you.
As winter ends, we hope, and Spring sunshine warms up, please continue to stay home, continue to follow the Health Unit’s directions of handwashing and keeping that 2 metre distance. By continued commitment to these protocols, this point in time will end, and we will emerge stronger and more resilient than ever.
- Mayor Barb Clumpus
