We have now heard from the Ministry of Health that there is a case of COVID-19 in Saskatoon. I understand that this is concerning. (part 1 of a thread)
A lot has changed on this file in the past 24 hours, and we can assume that things will continue to change in the days and weeks to come.
The City of Saskatoon’s Emergency Management Operations has been working together with critical partners throughout Saskatoon on developing a response plan since January.
We are relying on both the Federal and Provincial Public Health experts to provide guidance on how to respond and keep the community safe.
The statement from Dr. Shahab, Chief Medical Health Officer of Saskatchewan, states that while the risk of acquiring COVID-19 in Saskatchewan continues to be low, it is critical that residents take precautions to protect themselves against respiratory illness.
In response to this confirmed COVID-19 case, Saskatoon's @SaskatoonEMO has raised its Emergency Operations Centre status to a level two.
This means a regular teleconference with our key stakeholders, keeping our plan active, dynamic, and adjustable to respond in the best interest of public health and safety.
At a civic level, our plan includes continuing to share information with staff and patrons provided by @SaskHealth, and taking additional precautions as required which may include additional cleaning requirements, assessment of programs, and provision of services.
We will continue to adapt as the situation changes, staying in close contact with the health experts, and making decisions in the best interests of our residents.
Responding most effectively will take a whole community approach. This will not come down to one organization or one person’s job to solve.
Every organization, business and person can play a role in helping keep us all safe.
What we all need to do now, and many of you have already been doing this, is to focus on preventing the potential spread of COVID-19:
1⃣ Wash or sanitize your hands regularly
2⃣ Cover when you sneeze or cough
3⃣ Practice social distancing (no handshakes or hugs, & the recommended distance is 2 metres)
4⃣ If you feel sick, stay home & call the Healthline at 811 if you are concerned and want to be tested
2⃣ Cover when you sneeze or cough
3⃣ Practice social distancing (no handshakes or hugs, & the recommended distance is 2 metres)
4⃣ If you feel sick, stay home & call the Healthline at 811 if you are concerned and want to be tested
In Saskatoon, we will take care of each other. Responding to this will cause us to change our behaviours and it will cause disruption in how we live our lives. But the more we can be prepared and take the necessary precautions now, the stronger we will be to address this virus.
I commit to keeping you all as informed as I can be, as situations change in our city. (end of thread)
