It has been a difficult time for everyone. We are fighting what has been described as an “invisible threat” to our health and our way of life. Let me assure you—this “invisible” threat is very real. We all must act now to protect the health of our loved ones and the many people on the front-lines—our healthcare workers, first responders and those providing essentials services.
The only way to stop the spread of COVID-19 is together. I can’t stress enough how important it is that everyone takes Public Health direction seriously. Physical distancing and staying home if possible are important steps you can take to help “flatten the curve”. We need to care of each other and take these actions together for the greater good of our community.
To be very direct, this means you can’t be gathering in parks or at home with people who are not members of your household. We continue to hear that people are going into parks or meeting up in the community. I know you might be anxious about all of this but this type of behavior will end up extending the amount of time these measures are in place. The majority of people are following the direction of Public Health and I thank all of you for your patience and what you are doing to help end this emergency as quickly as possible.
I am grateful for the healthcare workers including our Public Health staff, and Paramedics who have been working around the clock to help those impacted by COVID-19. You are making great sacrifices in terms of the risks you face and the time away from your families. There will never be enough words to thank you for all you are doing. I share the same message of thanks to every essential service worker. We have people in our community in grocery stores, pharmacies, long-term care homes, restaurants, distribution centres, trucking and government that are working hard to make sure everyone has access to essential needs and services. Thank you for your dedication.
We all have a role to play in protecting our community and keeping each other safe—together we can “flatten the curve”. Please continue to follow direction from Halton Region Public Health and visit halton.ca/COVID19 to get the latest information about symptoms, risk, when to contact 311 or seek medical attention.