COVID-19: Vaccines

Decorate a neigbours lawn with Christmas ornaments especially for those living alone; shut-in.

Lights and decorations lift everyone's spirits so we could spread joyon our street.

Grocery store employees should be on the priority list for Covid vaccine, once it is available.

They have worked on the front lines, dealing with vast quantities of people (possibly infected), every day since the beginning of this crises. This would simultaneously reward them, and keep them safe, so that they can continue to provide food for the community, which is an indispensable service to all of us.

Does self-isolating 2 weeks before Xmas lower the risk sufficiently for family members to gather Dec 25, in groups of less than 10?

For those who are able to do so, does (totally) self-isolating for two weeks leading up to Christmas lower the risk of family members getting together on December 25th, keeping the number of people below 10 and confirming that all the members have isolated?

Public message about spitting

It seems to me that spitting is probably a very ‘transmittable’ behavior in these COVID days…. I do lots of activities that people seem to think it is a normal thing to spit (ie cross country skiing, running, waiting at the bus stop)…lift your face mask and spit without thinking twice about it. I think it would be a very good public message to says spitting is unnecessarily risky to others around you….

Limerick contest

Limericks are an accessible form of poetry, and often humorous. I think a contest would get people focusing on something lighthearted during the dark days of winter. You would have to have some rules (nothing lewd, for example), and you could have one per month. Have a suggested $1 donation for each entry, with money going to a business relief fund or the food bank. The best limerick could be rewarded with being published in the councilors' newsletters and perhaps also receive a gift certificate for something like a massage therapy treatment, to ward of the winter blahs.

Encourage people to not eat meals with others outside their bubble

Hearing about the reported BBQ that caused an outbreak. Chances are that the infections were caused by sharing food and/or eating in close proximity. All other suggestions are good (distancing, hygiene) Masks definitely work, BUT are not a 100%. They should be promoted like sunscreen, you definitely need to put some on, but you still might be burnt, maybe not as bad. I feel too many people think a mask provides 100% immunity, we need to be clear on the effectiveness.

For large performance venues, e.g., a cinema that seats 600, what are the criteria to increase its allowed number of patrons above 50?

Publish criteria to increase a large performance venue's seating above 50

Increase public awareness of what a physically-distanced social gathering can look like

Provide examples of COVID-safe activities and event set-up for weddings, small family gatherings, gatherings of friends, etc. Illustrate what a safe event set-up looks like (table arrangement, who sits with who, how to keep distance between family groups) and offer ideas of activities/games that are relatively safe.

Set Guidelines for Indoor Humidity Levels in Public and Commercial Buildings

Recent research and evidence suggest that indoor environmental conditions may have a strong impact on the spread of COVID-19. I have heard Ottawa Public Health and Ottawa School Boards discuss the need for increased ventilation as more buildings reopen. However, these discussions seem to overlook the need for humidity control with increased ventilation. With cool outdoor temperatures increased ventilation will result in a significant drying of the indoor air. A recently peer-reviewed published study, An Overview on the Role of Relative Humidity in Airborne Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Indoor Environments, found strong evidence that dry indoor environments can support the spread of COVID-19 (as well as other viral infections). The paper is published in the Aerosol and Air Quality Research journal at the following link: https://aaqr.org/articles/aaqr-20-06-covid-0302 Has Ottawa Public health considered providing guidance on indoor humidity levels in addition to increased ventilation in public buildings? [Disclosure: I am a past chair of ASHRAE Technical Committee 5.11 – Humidifiers, and I am currently employed by an Ottawa based manufacturer of humidification equipment in a technical role, which leads me to review this type of research regularly.]

Manitoba Makes Ottawans Isolate 14 Days

We should protest to Manitoba Public Health. Our Ottawa Covid case numbers are better than western provinces which do not have to isolate. I have kept a frequent part-time apt. in Winnipeg to serve my clients, clubs & Winnipeg's many attractions. Can your offices try to impress the mutual benefit of allowing federal, technical, financial professionals & families from Ottawa into Manitoba even for 4 or 5 days while being Covid tested? I have not been to my other home, where I lived for 29 years before moving mainly to Ottawa in 2006, for 6 months. My 2 Covid tests on 16th May & this week are negative. Thanks in (p)anticipation, Denzil

Getting takeout occasionally, shopping locally for everything that I can

Signage along Moodie Drive directing people how to get to the test centre Currently they are visiting business' possibly infecting them

Covid 19 Test Centre 595 Moodie Drive Signage on Moodie Drive

I am claustrophobic and I cannot wear anything on my face, without triggering panic attacks. I am worried. I won't be able to wear a mask.

I am afraid of retaliation from the people around me , when they see me without a mask. So, to avoid this problem maybe the government could create a bracelet that would be used by the people who are exempted from wearing the mask. This way, no words would need to explain my lack of compliance with the law. We are living in a very weird moment in our society, where small situations generate verbal and physical violence. That is what I am trying to avoid. Bracelet for the people exempted from wearing a mask. Thanks. Patricia

Going to local stores, but always wearing a mask

Mandatory face mask or shields

I’m very open to everyone wearing a face mask or face shield indoors or on a bus. Let’s protect eachother and immune compromised people. We need to make face masks and Face shields accessible for people who can’t afford them.

Drive-thru testing and Waitlist App

A Waitlist App may be useful for managing long lineups and wait-times. Perhaps people can add their names to the waitlist virtually, by phone or in person, and then be notified shortly before their turn. It would avoid on-site crowds and long waits in hot weather. Drive-thru testing may feel safer to many people that are otherwise dissuaded by long waits in crowded lineups or hot weather. It of course needs to be offered alongside testing accessible to those without cars.

Make the link to testing areas prominent on the City's homepage. Make the test facilities reflect the huge size of this city.

Make the hours of operation customer based, not staff based. I gave up and went to Winchester which was efficient and effective.

Journal of who I met (in case I need to provide contact info for tracing)

I keep an excel spreadsheet of who i met for more than 5 minutes, where i went at when, with addresses and tele #. Others keep an envelope of receipts to track actions or write on calendars. Be ready to make contact tracer's job easier.

Mobile/Accessible covid testing in Lincolnfields area!

Please do this in Lincolnfields area! Parking lot behind Metro at Lincolnfields Shopping Centre or Park behind Regina Alternative School. It’s Centrally located to Woodpark, Lincolnheights and Britannia.

Need many more testing centres

New York state has over 700 testing sites including pharmacies and drive thru sites and they are now testing over 60,000 people a day. Make it more convenient for people and they will get tested. Leave it at 3 sites in the city and you will get less response.

Hospitals are not overwhelmed in Ottawa. For old folks, eye and foot care are very important services. They should be allowed to re-open soo

If there is a lineup to get in, go another time if possible

If I see there is a lineup, I figure the store is at capacity and I'd prefer to be in a store that is less crowded. I'll go back another time.

mobile grocery or farmer's market. These can use electric vehicles/zero emission and show up in residential neighborhoods at allotted times

This can be expanded to other commercial and public facing services such as blood drives, immunization drives, library services or craft or food sales, gardening supplies. Allows community participation, socialization and engagement safely in fresh air

Next Steps?

I've read the Framework for Reopening issued by the Province. It makes a lot of sense. By the way, some Provinces have either started or in their way of opening the economy. Ontario will see how it is going in these provinces (especially Québec) and- somehow - learn from that, so, from that point of view, it isn't such a bad thing that Ontario hasn't opened its economy as of yet. Although, I have such a big concern with regard to Transit as we move from Step 1 through Step 3 as outlined in the Framework. I understand that wearing a mask might become mandatory when boarding buses and trains, but we have been told over and over that wearing a mask won't prevent people from getting coronavirus, therefore physical distancing for passengers inside buses and trains - during rush hours particularly - is so important until a vaccine and medication for COVID-19 are discovered. I understand that the City might incur 'revenue loses' (temporarily) because all available seats in buses or trains wouldn't be fully occupied as result of physical distancing requirements, however, I believe that Community Health is even more important...Last but not least, hand sanitizer should be made available in all buses and trains. Telework is a must (whenever possible), it would relieve pressure on the Transit System. Finally, as we move towards 'Step 3' as described in the framework, the most challenging for most of people would be to live within the "new normal" reality in the Province and in our City. As such, Communication is key all along the way...Thank you for your Leadership, Mayor Watson and Dr Etches.

mark sidewalks and paths to show the 2 metres necessary for physical distancing

Formal Fridays

Sometimes my husband and I will dress up a little on Friday evenings and order take out or delivery from a local restaurant and play board games - gives us something to look forward to each week :)

Outdoor time, cooking

we go for walks and bike rides every day and we have been doing a lot of cooking and baking