World News – CA – People who leave self-isolation could face a fine of $ 5,000 / day

Area medical officer of health has seen enough people disregard orders from health units to self-isolate due to positive or high COVID test contact the risk that he imposes fines of $ 5,000 per day on offenders

Dr Charles Gardner, Medical Officer of Health with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, today issued a collective order under the Health Protection and Promotion Act declaring that anyone who does not obey orders to ‘self-isolation could be fined $ 5,000 per day

The order takes effect immediately and applies to anyone living in Simcoe County or the District of Muskoka who has been diagnosed with COVID, has signs and symptoms and is awaiting test results, has reasonable grounds to believe she has one or more symptoms of COVID, or is in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19

“We have had difficulty with some people not following our self-isolation guideline for cases or close contact,” Gardner said “People have had positive test results and we are following up and find that they do not follow self-isolation This happens often enough that we proceed to issue a class order « 

The doctor confirmed that health unit staff had encountered cases where people who tested positive for COVID-19 returned to work before the end of the 14-day self-isolation period In these cases, the health unit had to re-complete contact tracing with people exposed to the positive COVID person

He acknowledged that law enforcement will be a challenge, as an order under the Health Protection and Promotion Act is only enforceable by the health unit.However, Gardner said that the health unit will always focus on educating those who need self-isolation

« This is meant to help us with the few people who don’t consider what we need, » Gardner said

The health unit provides the following information for those who are unsure of when and for how long they should self-isolate:

If you think you have symptoms of COVID-19, use the Provincial COVID Self-Assessment Tool, and if indicated by the tool, get tested and self-isolate at home for 10 days (the period you are contagious) or until your test result is negative for COVID-19

If you have been identified as being in close contact with a person infected with COVID-19, which means being within two meters of that infected person for at least 15 minutes without personal protective equipment (PPE) adequate, you must self-isolate for 14 days even if you have no symptoms

In fact, the incubation period of COVID-19 (the period between exposure to an infection and the appearance of the first symptoms) can be up to 14 days An adequate PPE uses both a surgical mask / medical grade procedural and protective eyewear Fabric coverings are not adequate PPE

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Simcoe County, Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, Coronavirus, Simcoe Mansion