As our neighbours in CK enter Stage 2 of reopening, Windsorites shouldn't travel there
CBC News | Posted: June 12, 2020 5:52 PM | Last Updated: June 12, 2020
Medical officers of health concerned about community spread in municipality
If you live in Chatham-Kent, you are now in Stage 2 of the provincial government's pandemic reopening process.
That means you can have a bite to eat and a drink on a restaurant patio or get a haircut.
But even though the rules are a little less restrictive, Chatham-Kent health officials are still concerned about the spread of the novel coronavirus.
"We've had a lot of scrambling to do to get all our protocols in place but I think we're there," said CK Public Health's medical officer of health Dr. David Colby.
Colby said local medical officers of health have some say when it comes to the reopening procedures.
"We are allowed to take a tougher more restricted line than the province mandates, but we can't take a softer line," he said.
The municipality has gone with the provincial recommendations for the most part, with a small exception, not allowing municipal pools to reopen.
"That's because our pools are incredibly crowded during the summer they're just packed with kids," said Colby.
Coilby doesn't agree with reopening pools or splash pads when playground equipment remains closed. Colby said it would be hard to keep children off of that equipment when splash pads are right nearby.
CK in Stage 2 while Windsor-Essex, Sarnia-Lambton wait for clear
Province-wide, Ontario eases some of its COVID-19 emergency restrictions Friday, with certain changes taking effect everywhere and others happening only in regions approved for Stage 2, like Chatham-Kent.
... I'm very concerned about people coming from Windsor to Chatham-Kent and potentially bringing the virus with them, - Dr. David Colby, CK medical officer of health
It marks the most significant loosening of the province's pandemic closure orders since a state of emergency was declared nearly three months ago.
All across Ontario on Friday:
- The maximum size of a social gathering increases to 10.
- Worship services inside churches, mosques and temples are allowed to resume, with attendance capped at 30 per cent of the building's normal capacity.
- Child-care centres can open, with limits on the number of children grouped in one space.
In the Stage 2 regions:
- Shopping malls can reopen.
- Restaurants and bars can serve customers seated outdoors.
- Barber shops, hair salons and tattoo parlors can operate.
- Swimming pools, campgrounds, guided tours can resume.
But Windsor-Essex and Sarnia-Lambton have been identified as regions that are excluded from Stage 2 reopening because their numbers of new cases of COVID-19 have not dropped sufficiently to satisfy public health officials that the spread of the novel coronavirus is under control.
Windsor-Essex's medical officer of health Dr. Wajid Ahmed said the number of positive COVID-19 cases needs to drop before the region can consider the next stage of reopening, and that community spread is still an issue in the area.
"Windsor has acknowledged that they have community transmission going on there so I'm very concerned about people coming from Windsor to Chatham-Kent and potentially bringing the virus with them," said Colby.
"It's nothing personal to our friends and neighbours in Windsor-Essex but it is a concern that we have because we don't have community transmission."
Prada Salon in Chatham opened its doors Friday for the first time in months. Owner Lisa Prada said her regular clients will be given first priority, before working on other people's hair.
"There's people that we don't even know that are coming. I actually had some people call from Windsor trying to come this way," said Prada.
Customers must have an appointment and wait outside before they are directed to enter the salon. Hairdressers and customers must wear a mask during treatment.
Speaking with CBC News while waiting outside for her appointment, salon regular Michelle O'Rourke said it had been four months since she had gotten her hair cut.
"I drive in from London to come here because I used to live in Chatham, so I'm excited," said O'Rourke. "I had an appointment the week they closed. I haven't been in since February, so it's been a long wait."
But it's important to note that even though many businesses are allowed to open, some owners are choosing not to.
Cerah Schwarz, the owner of Twist Salon and Studio in Chatham, said she won't be opening her doors just yet.
"I am the sole owner-operator so I have to work doubly hard," she said.
"I cannot double book anymore as far as I know, I have to have a half an hour in between clients. I used to be booking eight to 10 people a day — and now it looks like unless I want to work from nine in the morning until nine at night, I don't think that's going to be possible."
Schwarz said it will take a lot of work to sanitize her salon and prepare it in the right way so it retains some sense of normalcy for her clients. She's also worried her reopening could entice Windsorites to her salon.
"In my case in particular, I still have quite a few clients that travel from Windsor and surrounding areas to Chatham," she said. "I do understand the mental health aspect of it, where it's like, 'You look good, you feel good.' Everybody's been stressed out and you just want to feel nice, but you know, ... it just feels a little soon for me."
Meanwhile, Colby said it's hard for any salon services to be done safely when you have to be face to face to a client.
"We want everyone to physically distance or have barriers — and if that's not possible, then have personal protective equipment," he said.
That's exactly what's happening at Mike's Place, a restaurant in Chatham-Kent. Its owners have set up patio seating out front with single entrance and exit points.
"We had to change the whole structure of how we do stuff. People used to just walk in and sit down. Now, you've got to wait to be seated because we can't have you going to a dirty table," owner Mike Buckler said.
Customers are required to sanitize their hands before they sit down. Instead of a laminate menu that can be read by multiple customers, Mike's Place only offers paper menus.
"This is a tough change, but it's the way things are right now," Buckler added.
Among the restaurant's regulars who were able to enjoy a meal at Mike's Place for the first time in months was Chelsey Hooker. She said being able to sit down at the restaurant felt like a needed escape from the confines of staying at home.
"We used to come here all the time — and then we've been coming for takeout. But it's nice to come back again and see the waitresses that we've known for so long and see some familiar faces," said Hooker, who lives across the street from Mike's Place.
"It almost feels like a reward for socially isolating responsibly. We, as a community, feel like we've done our jobs in staying home and trying to flatten the curve ... Some of our privileges have been restored, to a certain extent."