New mobile app to help notify Canadians of potential COVID-19 exposure
Over the past several months, Canadians have been following public health advice and doing their part to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Now, as the government is taking steps to ease restrictions and safely restart the economy, it needs to continue to work with Canadians to contain the virus and keep Canadians safe and healthy.
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and the Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, today announced that COVID Alert, a new national mobile app, is now available to Canadians for free download. The app, first developed in Ontario, helps notify users if they may have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
Use of COVID Alert is voluntary, and serves as another tool to help limit the spread of COVID-19. Once the app is fully functioning in their province or territory, users who test positive for COVID-19 will receive a one-time key from their health authority that they can enter into the app. When the key is entered, COVID Alert will notify other users who may have come in close contact with that person for at least 15 minutes in the past 14 days, so they can contact their local public health authority for guidance.
To safeguard the confidentiality and privacy of all Canadians, the app uses strong measures to protect any data it collects, and does not track a user’s location or collect personally identifiable information. The Privacy Commissioners of Canada and Ontario were consulted on the development of COVID Alert, to ensure the highest level of privacy for Canadians using the app.
The Government of Canada has been working in close partnership with the Province of Ontario to launch the COVID Alert app. Health authorities in Ontario will be the first to begin distributing one-time keys. The Government of Canada is also working with the other provinces and territories to bring their jurisdictions on board in the coming weeks and months.
An expert Advisory Council will ensure the app meets the highest standards in public health outcomes, privacy, and technology. The members of the Council reflect Canada’s regional and cultural diversity, and cover a wide range of expertise, including health, privacy, data governance, science, and innovation. Their advice will inform the implementation and rollout phases of the app. The app has undergone a security assessment by BlackBerry and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. All data provided to the app will be securely stored and protected.
The Government of Canada has taken extensive steps to ensure that citizens’ privacy and data are protected. Given the importance the government assigns to these issues, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner has been consulted on this initiative. COVID Alert is a collaboration between Health Canada, the Canadian Digital Service, the Province of Ontario, and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. It builds upon an exposure notification solution developed by Shopify volunteers in coordination with the nonprofit Linux Foundation Public Health. It is also the work of a team of developers from across the country.
If in doubt, the CISSS des Laurentides encourages the population to take a screening test
Now that the vacation period in full swing, the Integrated Health and Social Services Center (CISSS) of Laurentides encourages the population to not hesitate to take a screening test in screening clinics, if in doubt about their state of health. Holidays are often an opportunity to do more activities and therefore meet more people, which can increase the risk of being infected with COVID-19. The CISSS des Laurentides reiterates the importance of practicing frequent hand hygiene, maintaining a distance of two meters and wearing a mask indoors and when the situation necessitates it. “On vacation, people tend to adopt more festive behaviors that make it easier to loosen the rules. It is therefore more time than ever to continue to be vigilant,” said Dr. Éric Goyer, Director of Public Health for the Laurentians. When in doubt, get tested. Whether it is because a person is showing symptoms or because they have been in possible contact with infected or potentially infected people, testing is encouraged even if it is does not replace measures recognized as effective. How to get tested? The Laurentides region has four designated assessment clinics performing screening in addition to a mobile screening clinic. The designated assessment clinics offer screening 7 days a week. As for the mobile walk-in screening clinic, the schedule is also online. Residents have to be aware that that the mobile walk-in screening clinic has the capacity to perform 100 screenings per day. The four designated assessment clinics welcome the population with and without an appointment. The CISSS des Laurentides still recommends making an appointment to avoid possible lineups outside. Usually, people get an appointment in less than 24 hours.
More likely to get struck by lightning than contract it
Dimitris Ilias Living close to nature is for many people the ideal situation. After the urban explosion, it has never gone out of style for nature lovers to want to be close to the mother. For most of us living in the North Shore, one of the many appeals of our towns is exactly this proximity to open spaces, or lakes, forests and the wide green. That means coming into contact with wildlife, and mice are certainly part of it. This article is not a fearmongering piece! Personally, I despise it when media overdo it to gain a few clicks or reads causing fear. The virus covered in this article is dangerous but rare. It is more likely to get struck by lightning than contract the disease. The chance of getting infected is 1 in 13,000,000. The main goal here is to inform our NSN readers about the proper ways to avoid infection. In Canada there have only been 109 confirmed cases of hantavirus and 27 deaths according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. What is Hantavirus Orthohantavirus is a genus of single-stranded, enveloped, negative-sense RNA viruses in the family Hantaviridae of the order Bunyavirales. It causes the Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome which is a viral disease carried by wild rodents especially deer mice. They are the principal animal reservoirs of the virus in Canada. Mice themselves don’t appear to get sick from the virus. But if they are infected, they excrete the virus in their feces, urine and saliva. Hantaviruses are a group of viruses that can cause severe illness in humans. Transmission People can become infected with a hantavirus when they inhale virus particles from rodent urine, droppings or saliva that have been released into the air. This can happen when rodent waste is stirred up from vacuuming or sweeping or touch objects or eat food contaminated with the urine, droppings or saliva of infected rodents The virus is also transmitted if people are bitten by a rodent infected with a hantavirus which is rare. The virus that is present in Canada does not spread through person-to-person contact. The disease has a 50% mortality rate if contracted.
How are hantaviruses spread? People get the virus from infected mice, rats and other rodents. Different types of rodent carry different types of hantaviruses. In North America, 5 rodents are known to carry hantaviruses. These include: the deer mouse, the cotton rat, the rice rat, the white-footed mouse and the red-backed vole. The deer mouse, white-footed mouse and red-backed vole are widespread in parts of Canada. Other rodents around the world are also carriers of a variety of hantaviruses. For this reason, it is best to avoid close contact with rodents in Canada and abroad. Rodent infestation in and around the home is still the main risk for exposure to a hantavirus. But infestations and possible exposures can happen wherever rodents are present. This includes cottages, trailers and garden sheds. There are no vaccines available to prevent a hantavirus infection. Procedure to properly clean Mouse Droppings Since the illness is dangerous to humans when the urine or feces of an infected rodent become airborne anyone who disturbs areas of mice or mice droppings, such as when cleaning, can be at risk. Reduce your risk of illness by following this procedure:
Open doors and windows and allow the area to ventilate for at least 30 minutes prior to starting your clean-up. Keep out of the area while you let it ventilate.
Wearing rubber gloves, thoroughly soak droppings, nests and dead mice with a bleach/ water solution (one-part bleach to nine parts water) or a household disinfectant.
Let the bleach water solution sit on the droppings/nests/mice, for five minutes. Do not disturb any droppings, nests or dead mice, prior to soaking with this bleach solution (for the full five minutes).
Mop up bleach-soaked droppings, nests and/or dead mice, or pick up with paper towels, placing immediately into a plastic bag. Seal the plastic bag completely. Put sealed plastic bag directly into a garbage container with a tight-fitting lid.
Wash your gloves before removing, and then wash your hands thoroughly (with warm soap and water). Important notes: never vacuum or sweep droppings, nests or dead mice. This can create dust that can be inhaled. The dust may contain Hantavirus.
Individuals infected with Hantavirus generally show symptoms one or two weeks after exposure, however, symptoms have been known to appear up to five weeks after exposure. Symptoms resemble severe influenza, including fever, body aches, chills, and severe breathing problems. If you have recently been in an area contaminated by mice, and have developed severe influenzalike symptoms (including difficulty breathing), it is important that you see a doctor immediately.
You must wear a mask: customers following directives
Wearing a mask in closed shops and public places, compulsory since Saturday, does not seem to pose a problem in establishments Almost all the customers encountered in shops in Quebec on Saturday respected the obligation to wear a face cover, despite a few distracted people forgetting and the spectacular arrest of a recalcitrant.
The North Shore News visited a variety of stores in Rosemère, Boisbriand and Saint-Eustache. The realization was that the vast majority is abiding by the new directives. Store owners expressed relief for the new rules since it normalizes a crucial protection. Residents speaking to NSN declared that there is less friction between customers now that everybody has to wear a mask. Incidents of North Shore residents resisting the new directive are very rare. Sainte Thérèse resident Brianna Fasoli proudly sports her mask and declares “I choose to follow the directives and wear a mask, not only to protect myself, but out of kindness and respect to those around me. This protection is very important to me as I have family members who are put at risk by this virus and I not only want to protect them but the families of others as well.”
Newsfirst visited a few businesses on this Plateau-Mont-Royal artery on Saturday and saw that merchants only have to mention the deposit to their customers so that they take a mask out of their bag and cover their faces. The first victory goes to the silent majority “We have zero problems. It’s not even a topic of conversation. People put on their masks,” says Nicolas Allard, from RONA on avenue du Mont-Royal in Montreal. At the entrance of most businesses, employees reminded customers of the new directive. Some guards even gave masks to those who had none. “We have completely forgotten”, laughs Pascale Desnoyers, 24, who had to turn back in front of the Simons of Carrefour Laval. In Quebec City, about fifty people showed up at the Galeries de la Capitale without their face coverings during the day, but they did not hesitate to put it on when offered to them only one, saying he had asthma, refused. For the entire agglomeration of Quebec City, the police received only seven calls on Saturday.
An expert is satisfied “It reassures me a lot,” comments Christian Jacob, president of the Association des microbiologistes du Québec. I was a little scared,” he admits, referring to the many messages from anti-mask people circulating. “I think it’s a minority that speaks very loudly,” says Jacob. Moreover, three Quebecers in four support the obligation of the face covering, according to a survey published by Le Journal. Dr. Caroline Quach, epidemiologist, already noted this week that the wearing of masks was much more widespread than the previous week. “I think we’ll get there,” she sums up.
Mask technique The fact remains that we sometimes wear it badly. All over the place, it was easy to see employees touching their face covers without disinfecting their hands afterwards, especially at the checkouts. It is in the corridors of shopping centers that the greatest lapses have been observed. “Yeah, I know [I’m supposed to keep it], but I work here. Wear it 8 hours a day …”, admits a man crossed at Carrefour Laval, who preferred to keep his name silent. These exceptions are not desirable, but it is difficult to assess their impact on the effectiveness of the face covering, since the virus is spread mainly during prolonged contact, explain the two experts interviewed.
The corridors of shopping centers count as closed spaces Customers who lower their face coverings over their chin to talk to their partner or drink from their straw; men walking around with their masks in their hands rather than on their faces. It was in the corridors of shopping centers that the law was least respected on Saturday, dozens of people seeming to have forgotten that it was a closed place. At Center Laval, there was nobody at the entrance to check if the mask was worn, as required by the new rule. Most of the interventions that were witnessed by Le Journal at the entrance to shops yesterday were aimed at forgetful customers. “We have [masks] at home. But we will [immediately] go and buy some,” explained Eric-Alexandre Dufort and Pascale Desnoyers.
The health measures to counter the COVID-19 pandemic were imposed gradually, which allowed both traders and customers to assimilate the instructions. The manager of the Rona Le Quincailler hardware store, Nicolas Allard, ensures that the customers are very disciplined. “We have zero problems. It’s not even a topic of conversation, people put on their masks. We had prepared, we had our surgical masks in case someone didn’t. People have their masks on, and since the announcement, we have seen the wearing of masks increase, ”says the one who has worked at the hardware store for 20 years. An employee of the Royal Dollar Pierre Jetté also notices that the customers respect the instructions. “We may have met two people who did not have a mask, but it was in their pocket. Since this morning, it has been working well. At the beginning [of deconfinement], there were a lot of people who came with masks, before it was compulsory,” he adds.
In the cafes Come to work at the Café Le Placard, Gabrielle Comtois ensures that she has been carrying a mask in her bag for a few weeks now. “It’s nice to be able to take it off when you settle down to work. I also understand the rule of when I get up, I have to put on my mask,” explained the client.
The restaurateur of the same café, François Audet, notes that his clientele has been different in recent days. However, customers respect the instructions to wear a mask. “I sold the most a few weeks ago. In recent days, I’ve been selling more masks than coffee! ” he says, blaming the construction holidays. “It may also be the wearing of a compulsory mask, or the pedestrianization of Avenue Mont-Royal”, he supposes.
A mask at the gym? Sports and bodybuilding centers must, like shops and restaurants, impose the wearing of masks indoors. However, the mask can be removed when athletes are doing machine repetitions or running on treadmills. “We have to wear it between the machines and the various exercise stations. It is permissible not to have it while exercising. So, there is a lot of “take and put back”. But we disinfect the machines, so we have a little less risk of contagion, even if we handle the mask a lot,” said José Charles, a member of Éconofitness on avenue du Mont-Royal.
Saint-Eustache, Rosemère and other cities start media campaigns to urge citizens to buy local.
Dimitris Ilias
It was in the minds of everyone as soon as the pandemic isolation started. How would local businesses survive In March NSN published one of the first voices to address the issue and sound the alarm for the survival of small businesses. It was the voice of Boisbriand city councilor Jean-François Hecq, himself owner of a small business. A major push is happening now to support small businesses. Apart from federal and provincial support, municipal organizations are gearing up to help save small businesses in the North Shore cities. For example, the IDÉ Saint-Eustache, in conjunction with the MRC Deux-Montagnes, the Deux-Montagnes Chamber of Commerce (CCI2M) and Tourisme Basses-Laurentides (TBL) announced a solid economic recovery plan intended to promote the resumption of activities in local businesses. “Since the start of the pandemic, we have already put in place several assistance measures to support business people in this difficult situation, including a personalized support service via IDÉ Saint-Eustache, the online publication of ” a website describing all the assistance measures available, the publication of a list of local suppliers of protection products and the offer of tailor-made training. Today, it is in the continuity of what has been started that we are announcing other measures to support the economic recovery of our region”, declared Pierre Charron, mayor of Saint-Eustache. Citizen solidarity “Before announcing the recovery plan, we conducted a vast online survey of citizens in order to find out their intentions and opinions in relation to their consumption habits. Several interesting aspects emerged from this, in particular the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic instills a sense of solidarity in them and that they are more inclined to want to encourage local businesses. Also, the return of the public market in Vieux-Saint-Eustache was strongly demanded by citizens. It is in this context that we have developed a communication campaign for local purchasing and have done our utmost, with TBL, to reinvent the public market in the context of a pandemic”, added the President of the Commission of economic development” municipal councilor Patrice Paquette. “Local spirit, I buy! »: Not just a slogan Throughout the summer, a series of communication tools will support the business community. With the slogan “Local spirit, I buy! », The campaign evokes the feeling of belonging and solidarity towards local shops. Taking concrete actions in terms of local purchasing is a way of being, a state of mind that is beneficial for the entire community. This campaign will be visible on different platforms: display, web, social media, etc. and is offered to all member municipalities of the MRC who wish to send targeted messages to their citizens and tourists. Finally, a contest will soon be announced to further stimulate local buying as well as a series of playful video clips featuring Simone, a curious and endearing young girl, and her new friend, freestyle ski medalist Mikaël Kingsbury. Concrete support for businesses The 1,600 businesses and businesses in Saint-Eustache will soon receive, by mail, an explanatory leaflet and a poster in the colors of the buy local campaign to display in their businesses. They will discover, among other things, that temporary installations and displays are allowed until October. Also, new thematic routes to which they can be added will soon be offered to tourists in the region. In addition, they are invited to share their ideas or concerns with members of the Economic Development Commission. Friendly picnic areas In order to fully enjoy summer, an unusual initiative will soon see the light of day in seven municipal parks: the development of picnic areas where street furniture will be specially installed, with a giant menu allowing citizens to consult the list of restaurants offering the “take-out” or “delivery” option. This is a great opportunity to have a snack! The picnic areas will be located: At Jean-Guy-Mathers park (367, rue Godard) At Chénier park (315, rue Albert) At promenade Paul-Sauvé (behind the town hall, 145, rue Saint-Louis) At the park des Camélias (400, boulevard Binette) In Rivière-Nord park (706, rue Primeau) In the gardens of the Globensky manor (235, rue Saint-Eustache) In Parc Clair Matin (250, rue Therrien)
Mayor Westram in video message In Rosemère, the buy local campaign was promoted personally by Mayor Westram himself on a video message posted on the cities’ website: “The crisis we are going through has had devastating effects on our merchants and our contribution is essential to the survival of them. Beyond words let us be aware of the consequences on our local economy and take action. Our local shops, businesses, restaurants, cafés, our professional services here in Rosemère, our entrepreneurs have worked hard to put together all the necessary sanitary measures to ensure a safe visit. Buying local, in addition to encouraging the economy you will find high quality products and services, don’t forget your face covering, we are waiting for you!”
Passport services in Canada resuming by mail and by appointment for travel in less than 30 days
The Government of Canada has started the gradual resumption of some passport services in Canada.
Starting July 31st, Canadians can apply for a passport by mail. If Canadians have an immediate need for a passport or are travelling in less than 30 days with proof of travel, they can request in-person appointments. Applicants can visit Canada.ca/passport to learn more and find out how to apply.
If Canadians do not have travel plans, we ask that they wait before applying for a passport. Processing times are expected to be longer than normal due to high demand and measures to safeguard the health and safety of our employees and Canadians.
Applicants who are concerned about renewing their passport should note that they can now use the simplified renewal process within two years after the expiry date rather than one, if their passport expired on or after February 1, 2019. This means they have more time to renew if they aren’t travelling soon. The simplified renewal process allows Canadians to submit a shorter form without resubmitting their citizenship documents and a guarantor declaration.
As Service Canada Centers begin to gradually and safely reopen, passport services will be limited to appointment only. Canadians can continue to visit canada.ca/service-Canada-home for the latest updates.
The current issue of The North Shore News volume 16-18 published July 31th, 2020. Covering North Shore local news, politics, sports and other newsworthy events. (Click HERE to read the paper.)
Front page of The North Shore News, July 31th, 2020 issue.
The Integrated Health and Social Services Center (CISSS des Laurentides) announced that the Hospital of Saint-Eustache is facing outbreaks of COVID-19 in 3 of his 13 inpatient units. All services are maintained, but the most stringent protective measures are taken to eradicate the virus as quickly as possible. Since Monday, July 27, 14 patients and 11 employees have tested positive for COVID-19. The patients concerned were transferred to the various red zones designated by the CISSS des Laurentides to receive patients affected by COVID-19. They will receive the necessary care there. For their part, the employees concerned were removed from work and replaced, while they heal. The units concerned are the 1EA, the C1A and the C2A. In addition, a fourth unit (the E3A) is under surveillance since people who tested positive have passed through it. “We take the situation very seriously and are working hard to stop these outbreaks as quickly as possible. The health and safety of our customers and our staff is at stake,” said the President and CEO of the CISSS des Laurentides, Ms. Rosemonde Landry, specifying that the presence of COVID-19 in the community and the fact that several people are carriers of the virus without knowing it makes it very difficult to control transmission. Additional protective measures have been put in place in the care units concerned in order to eliminate the presence of the virus. For example, cleaning and disinfection have been increased, even more frequent monitoring of user symptoms is carried out, and the use of protective equipment has been enhanced. In addition, as of this Friday, a massive screening of all the staff and physicians of the Hospital Saint-Eustache will be initiated in order to obtain an accurate picture of the situation and to prevent further contamination. As a preventive measure, the CISSS des Laurentides has suspended visits to the three units concerned for an indefinite period. Exceptional measures may apply for visitors from humanitarian causes, including users in palliative care or children. “I call on all the people who come to our facilities, whether they be our hospitals or our CLSCs, rehabilitation centers or CHSLDs. It is crucial that protective measures such as wearing a mask, washing hands and respecting the two- meter distance are strictly observed. This is fundamental to help us defeat this invisible enemy We must remain vigilant! », concluded Ms. Landry.
The City of Boisbriand will visit residences located south of highway 640 and west of boul. de la Grande-Allée in order to update its property assessment files, in accordance with section 36.1 of the Act respecting municipal taxation. Under the law, “the evaluator must, for each evaluation unit, ensure at least every nine years the accuracy of the data in his possession which concern it”. These visits will begin in August and will run for a few months. An appraiser from the LBP firm will therefore visit homes in Boisbriand. He will have in his possession an identity card with photo and a letter of authorization signed by the City. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the assessor will not enter people’s houses. He will ring the doorbell and ask the residents questions or give them a form which you they will need to fill out themselves and return directly to LBP. He will also inspect the property in order to take technical surveys and photos of the exterior of people’s residences. Citizens should rest assured that he will apply adequate sanitary measures at all times during his visit.
The current issue of The North Shore News volume 16-17 published July 24th, 2020. Covering North Shore local news, politics, sports and other newsworthy events. (Click HERE to read the paper.)
Front page of The North Shore News, July 24th, 2020 issue.
