Collingwood’s COVID-19 assessment centre says it has much more capacity for testing than is currently being used.
“It’s just a case of getting people in,” said Marie LaRose, executive director of Georgian Bay Family Health Team, the organization overseeing the assessment centre operations. “We can do the testing, but we aren’t seeing the volumes. We really anticipated it would be busier.”
Provincial changes in testing criteria and urging from the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit have made it so more people qualify to be tested. You can call the assessment centre to find out more or to book an appointment 705-444-5885. Those who call can also be put on the waiting list to see the physician at the after hours clinic the same day they call.
Today, Public Health Ontario reported its highest daily increase in COVID-19 deaths with 43 more included in this morning’s report.Today’s daily case count tied with April 8 as the second-highest daily case increase with 483 new lab-confirmed cases. There are now 7,953 total confirmed cases in the province, including 334 deaths and 3,568 recoveries.
Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is reporting 159 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the region, with a second long-term care death reported today out of Bradford Valley. There have been seven cases confirmed in Collingwood. Two people have recovered, four people are self-isolating and one woman in her 70s has been hospitalized.
The region’s medical officer of health is urging people to continue to be vigilant with handwashing and physical distancing and avoid any non-essential trips out of the house. He also said people should be sending only one person per household to do grocery shopping or other necessary errands.
“If we’re not careful and we end up with a big surge, we might find ourselves in total lockdown,” said the Simcoe Muskoka District Heath Unit's medical officer of health, Dr. Charles Gardner.
The inaugural Collingwood Pride celebration, organized by the Rainbow Club of South Georgian Bay, has been pushed to 2021.
A Collingwood woman is adapting her career coordinating and planning large events for artists to creating a national production and distribution network for handmade cloth masks. Michelle Bylow, as part of RAW Canada, said her company is well-suited to providing a framework for distributing the masks, and she called on her network of artists to contribute the product. This week 8,000 masks are being delivered to community facilities across Canada, and she’s making 100 masks personally for Sunset Manor in Collingwood. To find out how you can help, read more here.
CollingwoodToday has launched a new feature to recognize essential and frontline workers in Collingwood. CollingwoodToday would like your help in recognizing local essential workers from health care workers, to physicians, cashiers and delivery drivers. If you'd like to say thanks to someone you know, please send a photo, their name, their job title, and your words of thanks to [email protected]. Please only send photos and information with permission.
