FOCO a no-no and ... take your own turkey? 5 things we learned at today's COVID-19 update
Andrew Lupton | CBC News | Posted: September 24, 2020 9:13 PM | Last Updated: September 24, 2020
Also 2 students test positive, even though they were learning from home.
Today's COVID-19 update from the Middlesex-London Health Unit was a little more detail-packed than usual.
Chris Mackie, London's medical officer of health, was joined by Mayor Ed Holder and the material went well beyond the typical case counts and outbreak updates.
Here are five things we learned.
1. Gathering intel on FOCO parties
Just when you though the annual Western student street party that typically floods Broughdale Avenue couldn't become a more serious health hazard, along comes COVID-19.
Now added to the usual worries about alcohol poisoning, drunken students on rooftops and crowds blocking emergency vehicles, Mackie is warning that large student parties could create a COVID bomb.
He did not mince his words.
"If we see the sort of FOCO party that we have had in the past it will be an unmitigated public health disaster," he said.
He said the prospect of thousands of students packed together onto the street, less than a week after two outbreaks among Western students, could lead to massive case counts.
"There is literally nothing that can spread the COVID virus more quickly than that. This would be a very dangerous thing to do this year."
Also, Mackie said he's received tips from "people in the Western community" about planned parties this weekend and is acting on those tips. He and Holder said health unit inspection teams, police and city bylaw enforcement officers are working together to keep things safe.
Holder said he's concerned students will party indoors where they may avoid scrutiny on the street but could actually raise their risk of infection in a confined indoor space. He also spoke of stepped up enforcement in Old North.
"We will be vigilant but we call on students to be vigilant also," he said. "This is just not worth the risk."
2. Pair of positive cases of students learning at home
Mackie said the health unit has dealt with two positive COVID-19 cases this week of Thames Valley District School Board students who were not attending classes, but learning online from home. He said the cases were from different areas of the community.
"I think it's really important for all parents to remember that choosing distance learning doesn't mean that your children are entirely safe from coronavirus," he said. "You need to make sure children are still not taking risks outside of school hours."
3. New cases strain capacity for contact tracing
Mackie said that on days when new local coronavirus cases reach into the double digits, contact testing becomes a challenge. There were only three new cases Thursday but there were 12 on Wednesday.
"It puts a huge strain on the resources of the health unit to contact the cases and trace all the contacts," he said.
He said even three new cases can create dozens of contact leads to chase down.
"It's presenting a significant amount of public health work to do," he said.
4. A Thanksgiving greeting dance?
Three generations of your family sitting together in one room to share a big holiday meal? That was pre-COVID Thanksgiving. This year, Mackie says things will have to be different, with large holiday gatherings now a serious threat of infection, particularly for seniors.
"We really have to re-invent Thanksgiving this year," said Mackie. "It is not appropriate to have a large family gathering right now."
He said people need to get creative. His suggestions included:
- Gathering to eat outdoors.
- Having people bring their own food, rather than share one meal.
- Use disposable cutlery.
- Have one person do the serving.
Even greetings need to change, Mackie said.
"Invent a family dance instead of a hug," he suggested.
He said the bringing together of people from different age groups, especially when young people comprise such a high number of new cases, is a real threat.
"We will see on Thanksgiving weekend young people spreading COVID to elderly people," he said. "And you will see hospitalizations and deaths related to that. Please make sure it's not your grandparents."
5. Halloween? That will be different too
There are no plans to ban trick-or-treating, which Mackie said would be difficult to enforce. But some ideas to limit potential transmission include using cardboard tubes avoid hand-to-hand contact while handing out candy.
Another idea? Don't hand candy out, just leave it out and don't answer the door.