Kawartha Lakes encouraged by community’s respect for COVID-19 rules
by The Standard | May 21st, 2020 https://thestandardnewspaper.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Community-Respect-May-21st-2020.mp3
DAN CEARNS, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, for The Standard
KAWARTHA LAKES: City of Kawartha Lakes Mayor Andy Letham is happy with how the local community has reacted to COVID-19 related social distancing measures so far. “Our [COVID-19 case] numbers continue to be fairly steady. A lot more testing going on in some of the long term care homes and seniors residence[s]. I think those numbers being steady is a credit to our residents and the sacrifice everybody is making, and being good boys and girls out there,” Mayor Letham told reporters, during a telephone press conference on Wednesday, May 13th. The City opened the Lindsay landfill site to the public, on Monday, May 11th, and Mayor Letham was pleased with the way people followed the rules there. “The landfill had, [on] our first day, about 350 cars. They were lined up a little bit early, but everything seemed to go smoothly. Everybody was respective of [the fact] they had to wait and had to maintain some distance. So that was good news,” he said. That type of response is why the Mayor was confident the city could open the majority of their boat launches, on Thursday, May 14th. “I think people have been anxious to get out and do some events outside that they can do safely and blow off a little steam. Everybody seems to be really responsible. We’re going to ramp up enforcement this weekend, we’re going to have bylaw and police, targeting boat launches and the [Victoria] rail trail. Just to remind everybody, that although you are outside, it is not business as usual. We still need to be responsible. But, I’m encouraged so far,” Mayor Letham explained. The Mayor is also encourage by, the outbreak at Ross Memorial Hospital’s Continuing Care Program unit recently being declared over. “I think these organizations, the hospital and some of our long term care homes, have really good protocols in place to contain [outbreaks], and I think that’s a credit to them, that when it’s one or two [people], you know they’re following some pretty good protocols in there, when they can limit it,” Mayor Letham told The Standard. “I think we can expect some of these outbreaks to pop up as we do more testing, but I’m very encouraged that they’re not going any further than that, and they’re working through their course to recovery.”