THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay’s medical officer of health began a live question-and-answer session on COVID-19 Tuesday evening with a simple acknowledgement.
“We are facing something that’s really unprecedented,” Dr. Janet DeMille stated. “These are difficult times.”
DeMille, who heads the Thunder Bay District Health Unit, took to television and computer screens across the city along with Mayor Bill Mauro in an attempt to provide some guidance and reassurance in uncertain times.
The two took questions submitted by residents and selected and read out by city staff for over an hour. The event was broadcast live on Shaw TV and Tbaytel, and livestreamed on the city’s webpage and social media accounts.
Questioners wanted to know how to protect themselves against the virus, the rationale behind city decisions, where to draw the line on safety precautions, how the city’s most vulnerable are being helped, and what the near future might look like.
Mauro began by emphasizing the importance of political decision-makers like himself taking their lead from public health professionals, saying DeMille had been providing crucial guidance in the city’s pandemic response since January.
DeMille fielded a number of questions on how citizens should be protecting themselves and others from the virus.
On face masks – a hot topic, DeMille said – she offered cautious advice: masks could help prevent the wearer from spreading the virus in situations where physical distancing from others is not possible. But masks could also present their own risks if not worn and taken off properly, she warned.
The practice of wearing a mask may not be as necessary in a less dense urban centre, DeMille suggested.
“I think in terms of our experiences here in Thunder Bay, we don’t have a lot of crowded spaces, so it may not become the norm,” she said. “But people should feel comfortable wearing one.”
The vast majority of residents seemed to be taking the situation seriously, Mauro said, but acknowledged there were consistent reports of some who refused to. DeMille pointed to a phone line run by the health unit to report non-compliance.
He hoped it wouldn’t come to that, the mayor said, but bylaw enforcement officers would step in where necessary. He urged citizens to use the health unit's phone line for public health non-compliance, not call police.
Several times, Mauro pointed to the limits of the city’s responsibility in responding to the pandemic, reminding viewers of the role of social agencies and the provincial and federal governments.
On the question of fire restrictions, Mauro clarified that the city was under a provincial order banning fires in parts of the province including Thunder Bay.
“It’s not the city’s purview,” he said. “We find ourselves constrained.”
The mayor said the provincial order was likely intended to keep resources like fire personnel available to assist with the pandemic.
Asked what the city was doing to assist the most vulnerable, like the homeless, the mayor pointed to the District Social Services Administration Board (DSSAB), which received over $500,000 in additional funding to help local social service agencies respond to the pandemic. He noted the city had also provided over $200,000 in additional funding for local non-profits.
The mayor concluded the session by thanking frontline workers, acknowledging they faced challenging conditions including limited personal protective equipment. He invited feedback from viewers, saying the city may hold similar sessions in the future if they were found to be useful.
