City of Sarnia: COVID-19 Update – November 16, 2021
Press Release
The Sarnia Primary Control Group (SPCG) met electronically with staff from Lambton Public Health (LPH) and Point Edward regarding developments related to COVID-19.
Local
LPH has mandated additional proof of vaccination requirements for individuals 12 years of age and older upon entering facilities used for sports and recreational activities. As stated in the Letter of Instruction, individuals 12 years of age and older are now required to show identification and proof of vaccination for a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. By November 30, all individuals aged 12+ must show identification and proof of full vaccination (two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine plus 14 days following the second dose).
As we head into the new year, Lambton County youth who are turning 12 years of age within 6 months are permitted to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Expanding vaccine eligibility will facilitate full vaccination of those turning 12 early in the new year, thus meeting the vaccine requirements that enable them to continue to participate in their sports while keeping the community safe. It is important to share this information with any sports organizations and groups that this will impact.
Based on guidance from the Province of Ontario, LPH is expanding eligibility for third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to:
- Individuals 70 years of age and older;
- Health-care workers and designated essential caregivers in congregate settings (including long-term care home and retirement home staff and designated caregivers);
- First Nation, Inuit and Metis adults including their non-Indigenous household members 18 years of age and older; and
- Anyone who received two doses of AstraZeneca or one dose of Janssen.
All newly eligible groups are now able to receive a third dose 6 months (168 days) after their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. There are a variety of vaccination options in the community to choose from including pharmacies, primary care, and LPH community clinics.
Before booking your appointment, please check the date that you received your second dose. Locally, many Lambton residents 70 years of age and older received their second shot in June, which makes them eligible for a third dose in December.
For the latest updates on Lambton County’s COVID-19 Immunization Rollout or to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment online please visit GetTheVaccine.ca.
Provincial Update
The Plan to Safely Reopen Ontario and Manage COVID-19 for the Long-Term outlines a roadmap to lift all public health restrictions by March 2022.
As of October 25, 2021, capacity limits, including physical distancing requirements are lifted in the vast majority of settings where proof of vaccination is required, such as:
- Restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments without dance facilities
- Indoor areas of sports and recreation facilities such as gyms and setting where physical fitness instruction is provided
- Casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments
- Indoor meeting and event spaces
Other settings are permitted to lift capacity limits and physical distancing requirements if they choose to opt-in to the proof of vaccination certification system, including:
- Locations where wedding, funeral or religions service, rite or ceremony take place
- Personal care services (barber shops, salons, body art)
- Indoor areas of museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions
- Indoor areas of amusement parks; fairs, rural exhibitions and festivals
- Indoor tour and guide services
- Indoor areas of marinas and boating clubs
- Indoor clubhouses at outdoor recreational amenities
- Open house events provided by real estate agencies
- Indoor areas of photography studios and services
The plan does allow for local health units to reintroduce capacity limits or other public health measures based on local data and COVID-19 case counts.
Locations, other than private dwellings, funeral or religious service, rite or ceremony takes place may also implement proof of vaccination requirements for services, rites, or ceremonies at the location.
Proof of vaccination requirements do not apply to settings where people receive medical care, food from grocery stores and medical supplies.
As of October 27, 2021, capacity limits were removed for:
- outdoor organized public events such as outdoor parades, outdoor memorial services, and other similar events; a face covering is required if physical distancing of 2 metres is not possible, with limited exceptions
- most other outdoor settings
Note: Restrictions on outdoor social gatherings continue to be limited to 100 people.
Nov 15, 2021, the anticipated lifting of capacity limits in high-risk settings was paused out of an abundance of caution as the province monitors public health trends.
These higher-risk settings include, among other settings, food or drink establishments with dance facilities such as night clubs and wedding receptions in meeting/event spaces where there is dancing.
The government and the Chief Medical Officer of Health will continue to monitor the data for the next 28 days to determine when it is safe to lift capacity limits in these settings.
COVID-19 Resources
- City of Sarnia: https://www.sarnia.ca/covid-19/
- Lambton Public Health: https://lambtonpublichealth.ca/2019-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-vaccines/
- County of Lambton: https://www.lambtononline.ca/en/resident-services/covid-19.aspx
- Government of Ontario: www.ontario.ca/coronavirus
- Government of Canada: www.canada.ca/coronavirus
As of 11:30 a.m. on November 16 the SPCG can report that:
Summary of COVID-19 cases in Lambton County from LPH
| Confirmed Cases | 4,285 |
| Resolved Cases | 4, 173 |
| Deaths | 73 |
| Active Cases | 39 |
| Current Active Outbreaks | 4 |
| Incidence Rate per 100,000 – Week of October 31 – November 6, 2021 | 42.8 |
| Percent Positive – Week of October 31 – November 6, 2021 | 3.8 |
| Immunizations – as of November 10, 2021 | |
| Total immunizations given | 192, 708 |
| First Dose | 97, 044 |
| Second Dose | 93, 480 |
| % Age 12+ with ≥ 1 dose | 83.9 |
| % Age 12+ fully vaccinated | 80.8 |
By-Law Enforcement COVID-19 Reporting System
| Total number of complaints and inquiries received | 2,232 |
| Total number of emails received | 1,877 |
| Total number of phone calls received | 355 |
| Total number of charges issued | 13 |
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For further information, please contact:
City of Sarnia, Customer Service
customerservice@sarnia.ca or 519-332-0330 Ext. 3131
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