Northwestern Health Unit issues new travel recommendations

KENORA, Ont. — Although health officials advise against all non-essential travel outside Northwestern Ontario because of the elevated incidence of COVID-19 across Canada, they are also providing guidance for those who do travel.

The Northwestern Health Unit on Tuesday issued new recommendations which it said align with the Ministry of Health's recommendations.

The recommendations include:

Travel within Ontario

• Using the provincial COVID-19 response framework as a guide, people in higher transmission areas should avoid travel to lower transmission areas (e.g., from Red to Orange, from Yellow to Green) except for essential reasons
• Avoid all non-essential travel to areas that have higher levels of COVID-19 (Orange, Red and Grey levels)
• Those returning to our area from very high risk areas (Lockdown or Grey) in Ontario, should drastically reduce close contact with others for 10 to 14 days after arriving home. This will help lower the risk of exposure to COVID-19

Inter-provincial travel

• Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others
• Self-isolate, or drastically reduce close contact with others 10 to 14 days after returning home to help lower the risk of spreading COVID-19
• Manitoba border communities who use Kenora as their main service hub and do not travel west of Falcon Lake, MB are exempt from this recommendation

The NWHU said anyone who travels and develops symptoms should self-isolate and get tested for COVID-19.

It said residents should not host out-of-town guests for non-essential reasons. However, if they do host guests from a higher-risk area, they should self-monitor for symptoms and get tested if symptoms develop.

Thunder Bay District Health Unit Recommendations

The Thunder Bay District is currently in the orange/restrict zone under Ontario's COVID-19 framework, while the Northwestern Health Unit is in the yellow/protect zone.

The Thunder Bay District Health Unit issued updated travel guidance on Nov. 27, including a strong recommendation that no one travel outside the region for any non-essential purpose.

The TBDHU said residents who do travel should stay home for 14 days upon returning, especially when returning from a high-risk area.

It also recommended against any interaction with others outside the household during this period.  This includes not having visitors in the home.

The TBDHU called on local workplaces to develop their own policies regarding return-to-work after travel.

That policy, it said, should consider the following:

• Both the populations that employees interact with AND the level of risk that those who have traveled could have of transmitting the virus on to others, particularly to those who are at higher risk of complications from COVID-19
• The availability of personal protective equipment
• The ability of employees to work remotely
• How compensation or benefits may or may not apply for employees who have traveled and are required to self-isolate for 14 days, whether or not the travel was work-related or for personal reasons
• Specific guidelines for people who travel regularly to ensure the continued flow of goods and services and those who provide essential services