February 26, 2021 – RCDHU Introduces New Text Notification System for COVID-19 Exposures
February 26, 2021 ‐ Today, Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) is introducing a new text notification system to notify contacts of COVID-19 exposures. Renfrew County and District (RCD) residents may receive a standard text message from a Public Health Nurse (PHN) at RCDHU or a virtual assistant notifying them that they may have recently been exposed to COVID-19.
February 22, 2021 – Government Changes the COVID-19 School and Child Care Screening Tool
February 22, 2021 ‐ Effective immediately, guidelines for the COVID-19 School and Child Care Screening Tool have changed across the province in accordance with provincial guidelines. The Ontario Government is adopting a more rigorous and cautious approach to the provincial screening criteria. This update to the COVID-19 School and Child Care Screening Tool has been made in light of the emergence of COVID-19 variants.
February 18, 2021 – Barry’s Bay Area: COVID-19 Hotspot in Renfrew County and District
February 18, 2021 ‐ Since January 1st, 2021, the Barry’s Bay area has had 27 cases of COVID-19 whereas the remainder of Renfrew County and District (RCD) has totalled only 47. This is 36% of all the cases, in an area with only 12% of the total population in RCD.
February 10, 2021 – COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics Completed in Renfrew County and District Long-Term Care Homes
February 10, 2021 ‐ Today, Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) is reporting good news for residents of Renfrew County and District (RCD) in the fight against COVID-19. All long-term care (LTC) residents in RCD who wanted a vaccine, have received one. To date, RCDHU in collaboration with partners have successfully completed COVID-19 vaccination clinics in all 10 LTC homes and provided first vaccinations to 908 people.
February 8, 2021 – Provincial Stay-at-Home Order in Renfrew County and District over end of day February 10, 2021
February 8, 2021 ‐ Today, the Ontario Government announced that Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU), along with two other regions, will be moving back to the COVID-19 Response Framework at the Green-Prevent level on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 at 12:01 a.m. As of this date, RCDHU will no longer be subject to the Stay-at-Home order.
February 3, 2021 – Update – COVID-19 Vaccine Roll Out in Renfrew County and District
February 3, 2021 ‐ As of today, Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) is reporting that 396 people have successfully received COVID-19 Vaccines in Renfrew County and District (RCD). “This is no doubt, an exciting time for the residents of RCD. We want to extend a sincere thank you to our partners for helping in this smooth rollout,” states Dr. Robert Cushman, Acting Medical Officer of Health, RCDHU.
January 31, 2021 – RCDHU is issuing an advisory for potential COVID-19 exposures
January 31, 2021 ‐ Today, Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) confirms one positive laboratory-confirmed case of novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) in Renfrew County and District (RCD) has been linked to possible exposures. RCDHU is issuing an advisory after confirmation that a person who tested positive for COVID-19 visited the following location: • Renfrew Pontiac Livestock (Cobden): Tuesday, January 26, 2021, between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.
January 29, 2021 – RCDHU Shares Good News for Renfrew County and District in the Fight Against COVID-19
January 29, 2021 ‐ Today, Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) is reporting good news for residents of Renfrew County and District (RCD) in the fight against COVID-19. Currently, there are no outbreaks to report in RCD and RCDHU has successfully begun COVID-19 Vaccine Roll Out for priority populations. To date, RCDHU in collaboration with partners have successfully completed five COVID-19 vaccination clinics and provided first vaccinations to 396 people.
January 29, 2021 – Positive COVID-19 Test Result Affecting School Transportation Routes
January 29, 2021 ‐ Today, Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) in collaboration with the Renfrew County Joint Transportation Consortium (RCJTC) is confirming that a staff member from a local bus company has tested positive for novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). This was an isolated incident and three schools have been contacted - Madawaska Valley District High School, Palmer Rapids Public School, and George Vanier Catholic School. All students and staff who have been deemed to be a close contact of the positive case, have been given direction to immediately self-isolate and arrange for testing. The schools remain open to in-person learning for all other students and staff.
January 26, 2021 – RCDHU COVID-19 Vaccine Roll Out – Long Term Care Residents to Receive Vaccinations First
January 26, 2021 ‐ Renfrew County and District Health Unit (RCDHU) is working with Long Term Care Homes to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to residents during the next two weeks. RCDHU staff in collaboration with partners have completed the first on-site clinic at Valley Manor Long-Term Care Home in Barry’s Bay. This is in accordance with the January 25 provincial government announcement that each long-term care, high-risk retirement home and First Nations elder care home residents in the province would receive first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine by February 5, 2021.