BARRIE, ONT. -- The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit wants you to be ‘COVID safe’ while saying goodbye to summer over the long weekend.
Associate Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Colin Lee, understands people will want to let loose before many children return to school, but he says you need to take precautions.
“Ensure that your gatherings are such that there’s still an ability for people to have space to physically distance. It’s better to have parties outside,” Dr. Lee says.
He also recommends being picky about the guest list. “Try to stay within your social circle. This is not the time to invite people you haven’t seen in a number of months.”
If you are meeting in a public place rather than at someone’s home, Lee suggests looking for less popular spots to reduce the likelihood of crowding.
Dr. Lee worries about people picking up COVID-19 at get-togethers and bringing the virus into their homes just in time for the school season.
If there is going to be a bump in cases from bad behaviour in the run-up to Labour Day, they could present themselves in a few days or a few weeks.
Some parents have decided to stop seeing senior relatives as their children encounter more people. “Some conditions, medical conditions, are obviously more severe and susceptible than others. But I think that would be the cautious route to take to see what happens.”
