From grocery shopping to birthday parties: Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang on possible COVID-19 exposures

As COVID-19 cases in Waterloo region continue to rise, and restrictions are being loosened in some circumstances, people may have some questions about what they can do and how it would impact their exposure to COVID-19.

Waterloo region's acting medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang said this week that people are not following guidelines when it comes to social bubbles. She dismissed concerns about the region's face covering bylaw — which some people said isn't working if cases are going up — and said there would be more cases in the region without the bylaw. Regional councillors have voted in favour of extending the bylaw to May 31, 2021.

With the possibility of a second wave of COVID-19 this fall or winter, CBC Kitchener-Waterloo asked Dr. Wang for her thoughts on certain scenarios people may be experiencing on a regular basis and how that could impact their exposure to COVID-19.

Below are the questions provided to Dr. Wang with her responses.

CBC K-W: Grocery shopping — how concerned do we need to be that some restrictions are being lifted (i.e. sanitize your own cart, people not following arrows inside, more people in stores).

Dr. Wang: There was never anything specific about this for grocery stores/supermarkets; guidance is general about disinfecting high touch surfaces on a regular basis. 

It was a best practice for retailers to do it for customers, but it is also good that they offer disinfectant wipes/sprays and hand sanitizer for people to disinfect their cart handles and sanitize their hands.

Recommend not taking a cart from the cart corral in the parking lot, but take one from inside; wash or sanitize your hands often.  

CBC K-W: Birthday parties — now that children have returned to school, parents may want to host birthday parties and have a few friends over to their home or at another location. Is that OK? Do children need to be in their school bubbles for this?

Dr. Wang: For social gatherings, such as birthday parties, physical distancing must be practiced when gathering with people outside of your social bubble. 

Face coverings may be required under the regional bylaws and are encouraged, in all settings, when physical distance is a challenge. 

We encourage people to plan smaller social gatherings, for shorter periods of time, and look for opportunities to spend time outdoors where physical distance may be easier.

CBC K-W: Indoor dining — what should people be watching for if they go out to dine? Is there anything they should avoid? Any rules all restaurants must follow (i.e. do you have to wear your mask to the bathroom in all restaurants)?

Dr. Wang: There are provincial requirements for indoor dining. Requirements include:

• Patrons must remain seated at all times, except when entering or exiting, getting up to order, pay or use the washroom.
• Each dining party is required to provide the name and contact information of at least one member of their dining party.
• Dining groups should not exceed 10 people.
• Restaurants may set their own capacity, without exceeding occupancy limits and while ensuring physical distance of two metres between tables.
• Self-serve and buffets are not permitted at this time.
• Music should be played at a volume where patrons can have a normal conversation or speak to the server without raising their voice or leaning closer to each other to hear.

For more information on the requirements for indoor dining we have supporting resources on our website.

CBC K-W: Social gatherings — are these on the rise from what public health understands (i.e. more cases of community spread). What mistakes are people making when gathering in groups and what do they need to keep in mind if they do want to see other people?

Dr. Wang: We are seeing a rise in cases where people are socializing or gathering in close contact without precautions such as physical distancing or wearing face coverings.

We should not expand our "social bubbles" beyond 10 people. This is still the recommendation in Ontario. With everyone else, we should practice physical distancing and wear a face covering.

This does not mean one group of 10 people at a family gathering, another group of 10 people at a social gathering, and another group of 10 for a night on the town. Your social bubble is the same 10 people or less all the time.

With others outside of our 'social bubble', we need to practice physical distancing and wear a face covering (if physical distancing can be a challenge or if required by the regional bylaws).

If participating in such a gathering, with people outside of your 'social bubble', people need to practice physical distancing and wear a face covering (if physical distancing can be a challenge or if required by the regional bylaws).

New gathering rules

On Saturday, the province introduced new caps for groups: 10 people are allowed to gather indoors and 25 outdoors. Events covered under the new rules include parties, dinners, gatherings, BBQs or wedding receptions held in private residences, backyards, parks and other recreational areas.

The province noted indoor and outdoor events and gatherings cannot be merged together, so gatherings where 25 people are outside and 10 people are inside are not allowed.

The new limits do not apply to events or gatherings held in staffed businesses and facilities, such as bars, restaurants, cinemas, convention centres, banquet halls, gyms, places of worship, recreational sporting or performing art events, the province said.

Cases in schools

In media briefing notes published earlier this week by the region, Wang addressed how public health handles cases within schools. There have been two cases in schools in Waterloo region this month.

Wang: With respect to cases identified in schools, public health receives all positive test results and once we receive the results, our staff begin what is called case and contact management. 

This is done for each and every case reported to public health. 

Public health staff conduct an investigation to determine who had close contact with the individual during the infectious period. Staff then contact each person who has been identified by the investigation and we direct them on self-isolation and testing, as appropriate. 

Individuals who have not had close contact with a confirmed case will not be contacted by public health, but are required to continue to self-monitor, screening daily for symptoms, and to stay home and seek testing if symptoms develop. 

The definition for an outbreak in a school is two or more confirmed cases, with an epidemiological link, within a 14-day period, where at least one case could have reasonably acquired their infection in the school. 

More simply, when there is more than one case identified in a school, public health investigates to determine whether the cases are connected and whether transmission to at least one of the cases could have occurred in the school setting. 

If an outbreak is declared in the school, public health will determine which cohort(s) will need to be sent home, and we will work with the school board to communicate to the impacted school community.