COVID-19 Pandemic Commonly Asked Questions
On March 19th, 2020, the City declared a state of emergency to enhance the City’s capacity to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. The declaration is consistent with those announced by the province of Ontario, and our neighbouring municipalities, the County of Brant and Six Nations of the Grand River.
In an effort to provide accurate and timely information to our residents, the following Commonly Asked Questions will be updated regularly as the Covid-19 pandemic situation continues to unfold.
For case number updates and information regarding testing and treatment, please visit the city's local public health online resources. For a breakdown of current cases in Ontario and Canada, please visit Public Health Canada.
| How can I get tested for COVID-19 and how is the test done? |
If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (fever & new/worsening cough), first complete a self-assessment at https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus to determine if a clinical assessment is necessary. If the self-assessment indicates a clinical assessment is necessary contact:
Coronavirus infections are diagnosed based on laboratory testing. A specific test for COVID-19 has been developed to confirm an infection, if one is suspected. Testing is done by taking a swab from the back of the nose or throat. An assessment is done prior testing to determine if it is necessary based on symptoms and potential exposures. For more information regarding symptoms and treatment of coronavirus COVID-19, please visit the BCHU coronavirus website page. |
| How do I access my COVID-19 test results? |
| If you have been tested for COVID-19, the Ministry of Health has launched a new online portal for the public to easily access their COVID-19 lab test results. If you do not have a valid Ontario Health Card or still have a red and white card, please call BCHU (519-753-4937 and press '1'). |
| How has the Brant Community Healthcare System prepared for COVID-19? |
| BCHS has worked diligently to prepare the organization to respond to patients who present with COVID-19 and other emergencies. 14 negative pressure rooms, including an operating room are ready. The laboratory is working to become accredited to be able to complete local COVID-19 testing which will allow for faster results. Safety measures for staff and physicians, and processes to manage limited medical supplies have been implemented. Staff are being provided the necessary educational tools to provide the right care to patients with COVID-19. To learn more about how BCHS is preparing for COVID-19, you can listen to Episode 12 of Hospital Insider: The Podcast. |
| How many cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Brantford and Brant? |
| The number of lab confirmed, positive cases in the City of Brantford and County of Brant combined is updated daily at 11 a.m. on the Brant County Health Unit website on this page: https://www.bchu.org/ServicesWeProvide/InfectiousDiseases/Pages/coronavirus.aspx. |
| Do our frontline healthcare workers have enough personal protective equipment? |
The Brant Community Healthcare System is grateful to the many generous members of our community who have stepped forward with offers of personal protective equipment (PPE) for our staff and physicians. Our staff are safe and currently have the right PPE to do their jobs but COVID-19 demands can change quickly. BCHS kindly requests that anyone who would like to donate PPE, or supply PPE by other means, please contact BCHS first. We are working swiftly to ensure donations that we require and can accept, meet national standards for PPE use in a health care setting, and align this equipment to our current products. Anyone wishing to donate or supply products are asked to email foundation@bchsys.org or call BCHS at 519-751-5510 to provide:
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| How are the municipal and provincial orders put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic being enforced? |
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Contraventions of the Emergency Management and Civil Protections Act (EMPCA) and/or City of Brantford By-law violations will result in the attendance of a City By-law Officer or Brant County Health Unit Inspection Officer, supported by a member of Brantford Police Service or Ontario Provincial Police (if warranted).
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| What is the difference between mandatory isolation and quarantine? |
| The Government of Canada has put an Emergency Order in place under the Quarantine Act that applies to all travellers arriving in Canada from outside of the country, in order to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Canada. TRAVELLERS WITH SYMPTOMS - Mandatory Isolation If you have recently returned to Canada and have symptoms, you must self-isolate. This is mandatory. If required, immediate medical attention will be provided upon arrival in Canada. Mandatory isolation means you MUST:
If you have symptoms but do not have a place to isolate, you will be required to isolate for 14 days in a facility designated by the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada.Violating any instructions provided to you when you entered Canada could lead up to six months in prison and/or $750,000 in fines. TRAVELLERS WITHOUT SYMPTOMS - Mandatory Quarantine (mandatory self-isolation) If you have recently returned to Canada and have no symptoms, you must quarantine (self-isolate) yourself. This is mandatory. You are at risk of developing symptoms and infecting others. This means you MUST:
You can take public transportation to get to your place of self-isolation after you arrive in Canada, but you must not stop on the way home and practice physical (social) distancing of being 6 ft apart from others at all times. Violating any instructions provided to your when you entered Canada could lead up to six months in prison and/or $750,000 in fines. If you develop symptoms within 14 days:
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| How do I report a violation of COVID-19 orders in place? |
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On March 28, 2020 the Ontario government issued a new emergency order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act to prohibit organized public events and social gatherings of more than five people, effective immediately. On March 30th, 2020, the City of Brantford issued an order to temporarily close all City-owned playgrounds and other outdoor amenities effective immediately. |
| How do I report a non-essential business that is open? |
| If you have concerns that a business or service is still open when it should not be, please contact: In Brantford: Please call the Brant County Health Unit at 519-753-4937 and press '1', if your complaint involves any of the following businesses/services:
For any other type of business, please report your concerns to the City at covidviolations@brantford.ca or call the City’s Customer Contact Center at 519-759-4150. For more information about what the City can enforce in priority order, please visit: Brantford.ca/covid19Violations. Business Questions Companies and workplaces that have questions about the temporary closure of all non-essential workplaces related order can call Ontario’s Stop the Spread Business Information Line at 1-888-444-3659. Employee Concerns If you have COVID-19 concerns or questions about your workplace or construction site, please call the Ministry of Labour’s Health and Safety Contact Centre at 1-877-202-0008. |
| Does the 5 person gathering limit apply to private residences? |
| The Ontario government issued an emergency order banning gatherings of more than five people in public spaces. Regulation 52/20 permits the exception to this rule if the number of people in a single household is more than 5. This does not mean that if you have under 5 people in your household that you can invite others to gather at your home. Health officials urge that people should not engage in any gatherings with family and friends outside of the people who live in your household. The only other exceptions to this gathering rule are child-care centres that are still running in support of frontline health-care workers, so long as each centre does not have more than 50 people and funerals where a gathering of 10 people practicing physical distancing is permitted. |
| Can an exception be made to the gathering restriction to celebrate holidays? |
| No. It is more important than ever to follow gathering restriction orders to protect your health and safety and others. While this coming weekend is a holiday long weekend associated with faith-based celebrations, such as Passover, Easter and Ramadan, it's very important to continue practicing physical distancing by not gathering with family and friends in person. Instead, set up a video call or pick up the phone to connect. We must all do our part to stay apart and flatten the curve. Please limit your celebrations to those you live with only, even if this does not include all members of your family. |
| What City facilities are closed and what programs are cancelled or modified? |
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Please visit the City’s Closures page for a complete list of City of Brantford closures, cancellations, and programming and services modifications during the City’s ongoing response to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Please review this COVID-19 Fact Sheet regarding what activities are permissible and which are not in public. |
| What activities are permitted in parks and on trails that remain open? |
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While the benches are now open for public use while physical distancing, all other public amenities in City parks (such as playground structures and picnic tables) remain unavailable for public use at this time. Parking lots at City parks and trails are open. Walking, jogging and sitting on natural, grassy areas within City parks and on trails is permitted, however, physical distancing of 2 metres (6 feet) from others MUST be practiced at all times. Cycling is also permitted on biking trails that are open in the City of Brantford city limits, however, riders must make every effort to physically distance from other people on the trail. Additionally, outdoor exercise breaks should not exceed an hour in length. If you are not an essential service provider, stay home, stay safe, and save lives. |
| How do I register my recreational vehicle for the purposes of self-isolating or quarantine during the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic? |
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You may now register your recreational vehicle for the purposes of self-isolating or quarantine using our online form. |
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