Local residents strongly urged to wear face coverings in public to help fight spread of COVID-19

As part of the Province’s announcement earlier this week, Stage 2 of Ontario’s re-opening plan is set to begin for many communities on Friday, June 12, 2020, including the City of Brantford and the County of Brant.

The EOC Advisory Committee is encouraged by our region’s low COVID-19 transmission rate that meets the provincial criteria to move to Stage 2 of the reopening framework. However, we are also emphasizing the importance for everyone to continue to be extra cautious and vigilant as many local business begin to reopen their doors.

As a community, we must continue to do everything possible to reduce the spread of COVID-19, and the EOC Advisory Committee strongly recommends that face coverings be used by the general public when it isn’t possible to keep a physical distance of at least two metres.

Face coverings are non-medical masks often made of cloth. Surgical masks and N-95 respirators are critical supplies that should be reserved for frontline health care workers and other medical first responders.

It is strongly recommended to wear a face covering in public, but especially in situations such as:

riding public transit
shopping at smaller grocery stores or pharmacies
receiving essential services such as a doctor’s appointment

Evidence to date shows that wearing a face covering can help protect those around you from contracting the disease, and it has been widely reported that many people could be carrying the illness without knowing it. Wearing a face covering each time you go out in public is an effective step to preventing and reducing the risk of spreading COVID-19 in the community.

Wearing a face covering is not an effective substitute for keeping a physical distance between you and others, so to protect yourself from contracting the coronavirus, keep a physical distance of two metres/six feet in public at all times. This is best way to stop the spread of the virus. Practicing both these measures, along with washing and/or sanitizing your hands frequently are recommended to reduce the risk of contracting the disease and the risk of community spread.

Remember, face coverings should not be placed on or used by:

children under the age of two
anyone who has trouble breathing
anyone who is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.

With everyone putting forward their best effort to continue to practice the recommended safety steps, our community will continue to keep our rate of COVID-19 transmission low. The public’s cooperation in continuing to follow these important guidelines is greatly appreciated.

About the EOC

The Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Advisory Committee is made up of organizations within The City of Brantford, The County of Brant and Six Nations of the Grand River, working together to reduce the risk of community spread of Coronavirus COVID-19 in our region. The EOC Advisory Group is made up of representatives of the following organizations:

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Media Contact
Maria Visocchi - Communications
519.751.9900 ext. 5754 | mvisocchi@brantford.ca