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COVID-19 Elliot Lake: Latest Updates

Overview

A second state of emergency has been declared in Ontario; returning travellers must self-isolate for 14 days; the Algoma District is under lockdown; visitor restrictions have been imposed at local healthcare facilities

Stay at home

Masks are required in indoor public spaces for all businesses, organizations and public transit. As of Jan. 14, stay at home orders are in effect for the entire province.

Residents 70 and older are advised to self-isolate and vulnerable persons can request delivery of essential items. More info.

Closures

Many businesses are open, but non-essential retail is restricted to curbside pickup under the current lockdown and most retail businesses will have to close by 8 p.m. under a new stay-at-home order.

 A province-wide shutdown is in effect in Northern Ontario from at least Dec. 26 to Jan. 23.

Events

People are instructed not to have close contact with others outside the immediate household of people they live with. Indoor organized public events are not permitted. More info.

Healthcare status

St. Joseph’s General Hospital has resumed limited visitation as of July 20. The Oaks Acute Care Centre was closed as of March 31.

Visitor restrictions are in place at all North Shore Health Network locations.

A mobile COVID-19 assessment centre for the residents in the North Shore corridor is available as of March 25. More info.

Schools

Schools continue to operate on a hybrid format with some students learning from home.  More info.

How to help

Public transport

All Elliot Lake Transit services are running on a reduced schedule. All transit fares have been waived. More info.

COVID-19 Current Situation

Quarantine and stay at home guidelines

A provincial state of emergency is effective Jan. 12. There is a four-week stay-at-home order effective Jan. 14.

For the emergency declaration, provincial offence officers, including police, have the authority to disperse crowds both indoors and outdoors. The limit for outdoor gatherings has been lowered to five people from 10.

  • Masks are required in indoor areas of businesses or organizations. Masks are now recommended outdoors when physical distancing isn't possible.
  • Non-essential retail store hours must be between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. These rules do not apply to stores selling primarily food, pharmacies, gas stations, convenience stores, or restaurants.
  • Non-essential construction is further restricted, including below-grade construction, exempting survey/

Masks are required indoors for all businesses, organizations and public transit as per Algoma Public Health.

The City of Elliot Lake has declared a state of emergency as of Saturday, April 4. The city has also implemented a social distancing bylaw, which provides for fines for individuals, homeowners and businesses disregarding the province's distancing orders.

Travellers returning from abroad must self isolate according to a federal order issued on March 25. Those arriving in Canada by land, air or sea are required, under the Quarantine Act, to self-isolate for 14 days or face fines of up to $1 million or three years in prison.

Algoma District is currently under a provincewide lockdown until at least Jan. 23.

Algoma Public Heath recommends that people:

  • Stay home as much as possible, with trips outside the home limited to necessities
  • Limit/know and track your close contacts
  • If you feel sick, even with mild symptoms, you must stay home and isolate away from others
  • Do not have close contact with others outside the immediate household of people you live with

The province is advising Ontarians that they must practice physical distancing and stay at least two metres from one another when they go out.

Those 70 and older, those with compromised immune systems and those with underlying medical conditions are being advised to self isolate.

Algoma Public Health advises that if you are healthy and feeling well you can continue to do the following while following physical distancing guidelines:

  • Walk or run outdoors

  • Do yard work

  • Walk your dog

  • Enjoy nature

For vulnerable people in the community who are in isolation and don’t have a local contact or family member to rely on, the City of Elliot Lake has set up a call-in number to request deliveries of up to 20 essential items at a time using ‘zero contact’ measures. A city staffer will follow up within 24 hours to take your order.

Business closure information

The province unveiled a new system for COVID-19 lockdowns on Nov. 3. As of Dec. 26, Algoma is part of a provincewide shutdown

Events Status

Under the current provincewide shutdown, people are instructed not to have close contact outside their immediate households

Status of local healthcare infrastructure

A COVID-19 Assessment Centre has been set up by Elliot Lake Family Health Team and St. Joseph’s General Hospital Elliot Lake to receive calls from the public and to assess potential cases. Those concerned they could have been exposed to COVID-19 (those with recent travel or contact with a person positive for COVID-19) are being asked to call 705-461-8882. The centre will be screening patient inquiries and setting up telephone interviews to determine those who should be tested. Physicians will be able to order a registered nurse to conduct a COVID-19 test in the patient’s home. More info.

St. Joseph Health Care Centre is under limited visitation for all patients as of July 20. Visitation hours are from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. for one visitor only once a day. St. Joseph's asks visitors to enter through the main entrance where they will be screened prior to visitation. More info.

The Oaks Acute Care Centre at St. Joseph’s Hospital, a 53-bed drug and alcohol facility is closed as of March 31, in order to increase capacity at the hospital. Detox and emergency beds remain open, but patients from elsewhere in the province will not be admitted.

Visitor restrictions have been eased at North Shore Health Network locations and a mobile COVID-19 assessment centre for the residents in the North Shore corridor is available as of March 25.

School updates

Publicly funded schools reopened in September, while some students continue to learn from home. ADSB resources. H-SCDSB resources.

“How to help”

The City of Elliot Lake has added food bank donations to its online donation form during the COVID-19 crisis. The online donation form continues of offer donations to a number of other organizations in Elliot Lake. More info.

Public transport

Elliot Lake has made several changes to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and to eliminate the need for close contact with drivers and fare boxes. More info.

  • All Elliot Lake Transit services are running on a reduced schedule: Evening schedules on Thursday and Friday have been eliminated and operating hours Monday to Saturday are 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. until further notice.

  • All transit fares have been waived. 

  • The front seats of each bus have been blocked off and additional cleaning and disinfection will focus on “touch and grab points” such as buttons, railings, handles and straps.