In response to an alarming increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations, on January 5, 2022, Ontario moved into a modified Step 2 level of the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework. This means broader-scale measures and restrictions across multiple sectors are now in place to control transmission in our area including reduced limits for social gatherings and indoor organized public events, closures and restrictions for businesses and organizations, and a requirement for remote work unless the nature of the work requires employees to be onsite. The new measures are intended to help reduce transmission and prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed as vaccination and booster doses continue to roll-out.
At the onset of the pandemic, a group of emergency, municipal, healthcare and academic agencies from the City of Brantford, County of Brant and Six Nations of the Grand River began working together to share updated information and mutual aid suggestions, with the primary goal of reducing the risk of community spread of COVID-19 in our region and ensuring the continuity of basic services to support the community. Last week, the EOC Advisory Committee began meeting regularly again in response to the rise in COVID cases locally.
The EOC Advisory Committee recognizes and sincerely appreciates that residents have made countless sacrifices in our collective fight to mitigate the detrimental impact of the pandemic on individuals and our local healthcare system. Based on current COVID-19 case counts locally and province wide, time-limited measures are now needed to preserve hospital capacity and protect our local healthcare system.
“Based on the current rate of transmission, we need to get back to the fundamentals to prevent further spread of COVID-19 locally,” said Acting Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Rebecca Comley. This means staying home when you are sick with even mild symptoms, reducing social contacts, and wearing a face covering in applicable settings.”
“It is also critical that all who have not yet done so, receive their first and second dose of vaccine. Data continues to point to vaccines being effective at preventing hospitalizations and ICU stays.”
“Increasing daily case counts and widespread community transmission of the omicron variant have placed extreme pressure on local hospital bed capacity and health human resources”, said Dr. David McNeil, President & CEO of BCHS. “We all need to work together again as a community and do everything possible to withstand this challenging wave.”
Twenty-two months in to the pandemic, the EOC understands that many people are suffering from COVID fatigue and are frustrated with the current measures and restrictions in place. However, the continuing rise in the number of cases locally and provincially remain very concerning. Now more than ever, it is important to stay home as much as much as possible to stay safe, save lives and reduce the risk of our local healthcare system becoming overwhelmed should the local COVID-19 case count rates continue to rise.
Let’s continue to protect each other
✅ avoid contact or interactions with people outside your household
✅ stay home if you have symptoms of COVID-19, even if they are mild
✅ wash your hands thoroughly and regularly
✅ cover your cough
✅ download the COVID Alert mobile app
About the EOC
The Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Advisory Committee is made up of the organizations outlined below, working together to prevent and control community spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 in our region.
- Brant County Health Unit
- Brant Community Healthcare System
- Brant Brantford Paramedics
- The City of Brantford
- The County of Brant
- Six Nations of the Grand River
- Brantford Police Services
- Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)
- Grand Erie District School Board
- Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board
- Enbridge Gas
