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City facilities to bar those who travelled outside region

City facilities will screen out those who have left region in previous 14 days, as COVID-19 cases rise
Complex
City facilities like the Canada Games Complex will bar entry to anyone who has travelled outside of the region in the previous 14 days. (File photo)

THUNDER BAY – The City of Thunder Bay will bar access to its facilities to anyone who has travelled outside of the region in the previous 14 days, beginning Monday.

The move comes after weeks of rising COVID-19 case counts in the city, with 68 cases active in the Thunder Bay District as of Friday. As cases continue to surge elsewhere in the country, the city said Friday it saw travel as an increasing risk.

“We anticipated that increased travel could be a contributing factor to a second wave,” said Mayor Bill Mauro in a statement. “Our advocacy on travel restrictions and the announcement by the health unit is a positive step that we can take as a corporation to better protect our residents.”

Thunder Bay’s medical officer of health, Dr. Janet DeMille, strongly advised residents to travel outside of the region only for essential purposes earlier in the week.

Members of the public will be asked two screening questions before entering city facilities, to determine if they have travelled outside of northwestern Ontario in the previous 14 days, or if a member of their household has returned from travel outside of northwestern Ontario in the previous 14 days and developed COVID-19 symptoms.

For screening purposes, northwestern Ontario is considered to run from the Manitoba border to Manitouwadge.

Anyone answering yes to either question will not be permitted to enter, and will instead be instructed to self-isolate immediately and contact the Thunder Bay COVID-19 Assessment Centre to be assessed and scheduled for testing, the city said.

“The health and safety of city staff and the residents they serve is essential, so we are taking a preventative approach to protect them from COVID-19,” said city manager Norm Gale.

The policy will go into effect on Monday at 12:01 a.m., while a similar policy for city staff took force Friday.

The rule applies to outdoor and partially outdoor facilities as well, it said.

In its statement, the city said it would work to accommodate those turned away due to the policy.

“The City recognizes that some members of the public may have to travel for essential reasons such as medical care or other reasons,” it said. “If a resident requires accommodation, they can contact the appropriate area at which they are requesting service and all efforts will made to accommodate their needs.”



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