By Beatrice Toplitsky
BELLEVILLE – Organizations and institutions in the Quinte region are tightening restrictions to services as COVID-19 cases rise across Ontario.
Loyalist College has asked that students in red and grey zones no longer come to the campus in person.
In an email to students, Loyalist College president and CEO Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan wrote, “I appreciate that you are already making sacrifices and this request adds another challenge and disappointment, but every preventative action we take will help to flatten the curve and keep each other safe.”
The number of active Loyalist-related cases now stands at five people. Two of the students have been confirmed by Hastings Prince Edward Public Health to have been on campus during their infectious period.
All this follows the province of Ontario introducing its new colour-coded zoning [1] to identify high-risk regions for COVID-19 spread. The Quinte region remains in a green zone, which means the lowest risk and the lightest restrictions. Peel and the city of Toronto are in the grey zone — the level with the most restrictions. Durham and Waterloo region are in the red level.
As of Wednesday, there are 28 active cases in the Hastings and Prince Edward region [2].
“This last week has been a little unnerving, I think for all of us in the province of Ontario, as we see the COVID-19 numbers increase,” said Mayor Panciuk at Monday’s council meeting, “And we saw at midnight today the regions of Toronto and Peel go back in to the grey zone, which is a full lockdown, and other communities going into the red zone.”
City of Belleville restrictions mean people from orange, red, and grey zones will no longer be able to access a number of local spaces including the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre, Glanmore National Historic Site, the Parkdale Community Centre, and the community archives.
That means that in order to rent the sports centre’s ice, you must now live in either a green or yellow zone.
Meanwhile, Quinte Health Care has created the “Care Partners and Visiting During COVID-19” policy, which dictates who is permitted to enter Quinte Health Care hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The policy means more restrictive approach to who is allowed in the hospital, distinguishing regular visitors and a care partner. A care partner is someone who provides ongoing and essential social, emotional and physical support, according to a release from Quinte Health Care.
Ontarians can track their region’s COVID-19 status here [3].