Update on Provincial Covid-19 Actions

John Draper

MPP David Piccini today provided a number of updates of actions by the Ford Government that impact Cobourg residents.  They include an upgrade to Emergency Child care, changes to the availability of campgrounds (like Cobourg’s Trailer Park), clarification on allowed construction projects, rules on camping on Crown land and fishing (important at Cobourg/Factory creek and the Ganaraska river), help in hiring farm workers and more. Below are more details on each of these plus links to the source and/or expanded information. Emergency Child Care A plan to provide free Child Care to front-line workers was setup a few weeks ago but the list of eligible workers has now been expanded.  See the full list of those eligible and make an… Read complete articleUpdate on Provincial Covid-19 Actions

Farmers Honour HealthCare Workers

John Draper

It’s easy to forget that Cobourg is in the middle of farming country but we cannot forget about the Covid-19 crisis.  Something must be working here (in Northumberland) because we have relatively few cases and no deaths.  But we know that the healthcare workers at the Hospital (NHH) are working hard and these two things came together on Saturday – local farmers paraded their tractors to honour healthcare workers.  At around 1:00 pm, a long line of tractors plus some other vehicles drove down Burnham, along De Palma  and in front of the Hospital, down Strathy, East along Elgin past the Golden Plough then back up Burnham.  It was organized by the Northumberland Federation of Agriculture (NFA) who represent over… Read complete articleFarmers Honour HealthCare Workers

A Base Camp at Trailer Park

John Draper

In a new press release today, the Town of Cobourg clarified the usage of the trailers at the Trailer park.  A better description of their usage would be a “relief base camp for first responders and frontline medical workers”.  They would be used by frontline workers who are in need of respite and/or self-isolation from possible exposure to COVID-19.  Shannon Murphy, Emergency Planner for the Town of Cobourg explains that “the prevalence of fatigue in frontline medical staff and first responders is a major issue.  The base camp will be focused on promoting self-care and rest, and for those who need to self-isolate due to potential exposure.” Although the trailers were provided by Owasco (see earlier Post), there are also… Read complete articleA Base Camp at Trailer Park

DBIA Members meet to Strategize

John Draper

The Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) had a virtual meeting today to talk about how they could come together to get through the Covid-19 crisis.  Chaired by Adam Bureau, the meeting with as many as 33 participants lasted 75 minutes and covered a range of topics.  Police Chief Paul VandeGraaf reported that one officer was isolated at the Breakers  – perhaps that was what prompted the move to get the isolation trailers setup (see article – link below).  He also said that Police were patrolling downtown at night and noted that there had not been any increase in downtown break-ins.  Adam said that some stores were open for business – one example was Theresa Rickerby’s stores accepting phone, email, Facebook… Read complete articleDBIA Members meet to Strategize

Trailer Park used for Isolation Centre

John Draper

Cobourg Police and the Town of Cobourg have set up trailers in the otherwise closed Trailer park to be used for first-responders who need to be isolated as a result of Corvid-19.  As Chief VandeGraaf puts it: “The Isolation facility will provide a safe place for first responders to isolate and avoid putting their families at risk.”  The trailers are completely self-contained and are stocked with essential items to assist an individual that requires isolation. Fencing will be put up around the perimeter to keep the site private.  The isolation site will be available to first responders including police, firefighter, paramedics, and healthcare professionals, if they need to isolate.  The trailers were donated by Bob and Amy Verwey, owners of… Read complete articleTrailer Park used for Isolation Centre

Hefty fines possible for failing to self-isolate

John Draper

Most of us will have ventured out into the new world of social distancing and staying home but most of us are not infected nor mandated to self-isolate.  But Dr. Lynn Noseworthy, Medical Officer of Health for the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit says they have “heard from many people that there are others who have returned from travel or been confirmed to have COVID-19 and are seen outside of their home, shopping or visiting friends”.  Since this is a serious risk to the community, the HKPR District Health Unit today (April 14) issued a Class Section 22 Order with a penalty of up to $5,000 a day.  The order requires that anyone who has been diagnosed with… Read complete articleHefty fines possible for failing to self-isolate

Local Initiative for PPE Face Shields

John Draper

A group of Cobourg/Northumberland organizations have got together to produce PPE Face shields – that’s Personal Protection Equipment that looks like a welder’s face shield except it’s transparent.  You can figure them out from the photos below – the only photo of someone using one is the one below right – click to enlarge.  It seems the initiative started with 3D printing at Venture 13 but many others are helping.  There’s a GoFundMe initiative to raise money to help – if it’s oversubscribed, money will go to local Hospital Foundations (NHH and Campbellford) – see link below.  There’s also a web site coordinating the effort.  According to the organizers the design originated with the Czech company Prusa in consultation with… Read complete articleLocal Initiative for PPE Face Shields

When Will this End – Opinion

John Draper

A year or so ago, we had some interesting posts by Grahame Woods which were “opinion” and not reporting of news, and this post is in that category – not a neutral reporting of facts but instead an opinion on when the pandemic will end.  In following the news and participating in volunteer activities, I have come to some considered opinions about this new world we find ourselves in.  I think the big unanswered question is – When will it end?  No one can be sure of anything in the future let alone predicting the end of a pandemic but we don’t so much need to know when the pandemic will end, but instead when will we get back to “normal”? … Read complete articleWhen Will this End – Opinion