Regional council updated Durham’s COVID-19 efforts

As COVID-19, or the coronavirus, continues to hold the world in its grip, Durham regional council received an update on local efforts to address the issue.

Along with adhering to provincial and federal policies, Durham CAO Elaine Baxter-Trahair says several measures are being taken.

Baxter-Trahair says employees who may have traveled recently are being asked to consider self-isolation depending on where they went.

As of March 9, employees who have traveled to Wuhan, China, where the virus began, or Iran, are being asked to undergo two weeks of self-isolation.

Those who have traveled to other areas of China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore or Italy may be asked to consider self-isolation, while travelers to other parts of the world are also reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Whitby Mayor Don Mitchell questioned why self-isolation wasn’t mandatory.

Durham medical officer of health Dr. Robert Kyle notes during the SARS outbreak in 2003, it became apparent “mandatory isolation didn’t work.”

“You would only consider ordering somebody to stay home as a last resort,” he said.

With March Break arriving, Baxter-Trahair said regional officials have undergone a communication and screening protocol for those who are vacationing outside of Canada, and all those who have gone out of country for business trips have been suspended until March 31.

There will be leeway provided in attendance management, and anyone who may be ill is encouraged to work from home if their duties can be performed there.

The CAO said the region is continually planning to ensure the municipality can continue to provide all essential services such as police, fire and paramedic services.

“This is business continuity in the worst case scenario. We are not anticipating we are going this route, but we have to be ready,” Baxter-Trahair said.

Kyle said for Durham Paramedic Services “it is business as usual.”

“I’m not aware of any issues or concerns,” he said.

Whitby councillor Chris Leahy asked with cases increasing across the province, country and worldwide, if it wouldn’t make sense for the Durham Public Health Department to increase its testing capabilities.

Leahy said he has heard from residents there were long wait times to receive testing from public health officials, or they’ve been told by healthcare employees they should get tested, but weren’t.

“Shouldn’t we err on the side of extra testing… aren’t we better to know?” Leahy asked.

Kyle said he stands by the health department’s assessment policies, and they’ve increased operating hours to address the larger workload.

“I’m not aware that the turnaround time is excessive, and that there is a wait list,” he noted.

However, Kyle said it is likely the region will increase its testing capacity in the near future.

Brock councillor Ted Smith noted the community of Sunderland in Durham’s north is planning its annual Maple Syrup Festival. He asked Kyle if organizers of such events should consider cancelling as many events across the world have.

Kyle explained, to him, all evidence shows containment efforts of COVID-19 have been successful. He added he doesn’t believe there is much evidence to show the disease is wide spread in the community.

However, Kyle did acknowledge there is always a risk with larger community gatherings, noting organizers will have to decide if the benefit is worth the risk.

Speaking on media coverage of the COVID-19 situation, Kyle says there is “as much a pandemic of fear and panic, as there is disease.”

He explained COVID-19 is actually a milder disease than SARS, but it does spread easier.

Kyle says residents should “stay updated, stay tuned, and rely on information from credible sources,” listing Durham Health, the Ministry of Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada as places they should look for news.