The total number of active COVID-19 cases in Ottawa is continuing on a downward trend for the third week in a row.

As of June 22, there were 54 active cases in the Nation’s Capital, down from 72 active cases on June 12 and 87 active cases on June 5. Even more encouraging is the fact that there have only been 13 new cases among the general population in Ottawa between June 15 and June 22 and two new cases in senior homes. During that same period of time, Ottawa Public Health conducted 5,074 tests, meaning less than 0.25 per cent tested positive.

The number of COVID-19 related hospital-izations are also continuing on a downward trend, from 31 on June 5 to just two on June 22, one of whom is in intensive care.

Province-wide, the numbers are also going down. As of June 18, there were 2,097 active cases in Ontario. That’s down from 3,918 cases on June 8.

The number of hospitalizations has dropped from 603 on June 8 to 288 on June 22 and
the number of patients in intensive care units has gone down from 118 on June 8 to 75 on June 22.

The downward trend in most regions of the province has allowed the provincial government to move to Phase 2 of its reopening plan.

Stage 2 allows for the reopening of outdoor dining services at bars and restaurants, shopping malls, outdoor recreation facilities, hair and beauty salons, as well as barbershops. It’s part of a three-stage reopening plan the province released in April.
Under Phase 2, Ontario residents will be able to do the following as long as the businesses adhere to provincial protocol:

• Visit a hair salon, barbershop, piercing service, tanning salon, tattoo studio.

• Visit a restaurant or bar which offers outdoor dining service including patios, curbside, parking lots and adjacent properties.

• Visit shopping malls that follow current restrictions, including food services reopening for take-out and outdoor dining only.

• Go on a bus or boat tour, a guided tour or tour a winery, brewery or distillery.

• Use a splash pad or a swimming or wading pool or hit the beach at an Ontario park. Slides and climbing structures will remain closed. You can take a fitness class or a swimming lesson but physical distancing measures will remain in place.

• Camp at an Ontario park or private campground.

• Use an outdoor recreational facility for team sports (with limits on physical distancing). Locker rooms remain closed.

• Play paintball, mini-golf, archery or go to a go-cart track.

• Go to a drive-in or drive-thru venue for theatres, concerts, animal attractions and cultural appreciation, such as art installations.

• Attend a wedding or funeral, with limits on social gatherings to 10 people.

• Hire a physical trainer, party planner or a personal organizer.

• Attend a service at a place of worship as long as attendance is limited to 30 per cent of the building’s capacity and physical distancing measures are in place.

• Attend small outdoor events, such as cultural celebrations, animal shows and fundraisers subject to local public health requirements.

• Child care centres will be able to reopen with strict public health measures in place, including to limit on operational capacity.

The province has also laid out three possible options for reopening public schools in September. Students will either return to in-person instruction while adhering to public health measures, continue using remote learning strengthened by live instruction, or take part in a blending of the first two options that will see students attend school on alternative days or weeks. It will be up to each school board to decide which option they use.

(This story was made possible thanks to the generous support of our local business partners.)