Closing for COVID-19 was 'chaotic,' but restarting will be even harder: Hamilton official

Restarting city services after COVID-19 restrictions will be more complex and time-consuming than it was to shut them down, says the head of Hamilton's emergency operations centre.

The city halted and scaled back municipal services like transit and waste collection in March. This came as Hamilton Public Health Services told people to stay two metres from each other to halt the spread of COVID-19. The city has since put a bylaw in place dictating that.

City services are still scaled back, and public health officials still warn people to keep a physical distance. But the planning has started to get life back to normal, says Paul Johnson, director of the emergency operations centre. And it's not easy.

Reopening will come with new rules and caveats, Johnson said, includingcrowd limits and hygiene measures.

"As chaotic as closing was, and as quickly as we had to close down some things, I actually believe the restart of services will be harder," he said during a media briefing Monday.

The emergency operations centre has already started planning what reopening will look like, Johnson said. And people may already see more city workers this week cutting grass, picking up litter and maintaining roads.

Progress doesnt mean we can quit now: Ontario outlines plan for reopening, but declines to set dates

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Premier Doug Ford outlined the plan to gradually reopen Ontario, but didnt provide a date for when the process might begin. Finance Minister Rod Phillips says reopening will occur in three stages.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger said people should still only leavehome for essential reasons.

"We're not changing anything today," he said. "It's not yet happening, so we're going to have to stick with this a bit longer."

Premier Doug Ford had a similar message Monday. He revealed a three-phase framework to guide how and when toreopen stores and services once COVID-19 spread slows. So far, though, nothing has changed.

Ford said the province's plan is "about how we're reopening, not when we're reopening."

The steps, when theyhappen, will roll out in three phases:

• The first phase will involve opening select workplaces and allowing some small gatherings.
• The second phase allows more businessesand outdoor spaces to reopen, and gatherings can be larger.
• In the third phase, public gatherings can be even larger, and all workplaces will open "responsibly."

Before that happens, though, Ford wants to see two weeks of new case numbers dropping. Ontario's case counts are still higher than most provinces, with 424 newly confirmed cases today.

Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, Hamilton's medical officer of health, says Hamilton is on "the flat part" of the COVID-19 curve.

Hamilton reported 409 cases today, including404confirmed and fiveprobable. Seventeen people have died and 204 have recovered.

That's slightly higher than 401 cases Sunday.

Thirty people are hospitalized for COVID-19 12 at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton and 18 at Hamilton Health Sciences.

There are institutional outbreaks at the Barrett Centre for Crisis Support (one staff member), St. Joseph's Villa (one patient),St. Joseph's Healthcare'sCharltoncampus 6 Mary Grace (six staff),St. Joseph's Healthcare Charltoncampus CTU Central Unit (two staff), theHamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre (one inmate),St. Joseph's Healthcare's West 5thcampus (two staff), Dundurn Place Care Centre (six residents), St. Peter's Hospital (two patients, three staff), Good Shephard Men's Centre (one staff), Wesley Supportive Housing (four residents, four staff),Emmanuel House (three residents, six staff),Cardinal Retirement Residence (47 residents, 17 staff), and Heritage Green Nursing Home (12 residents, three staff).

Here's what's happening elsewhere:

Brant

The number of cases in Brantford and Brant County increased by three overnight. Now there are 90 cases, of which58 have recovered and three have died.

The Brant County Health Unit reports outbreaks atTelfer Place Long-Term Care in Paris (one resident) andSt. Joseph's Lifecare Centre (one staff member). Both of those places had declared outbreaks earlier this month and recovered.

Haldimand-Norfolk

The death toll from COVID-19 at Anson Place Care Centre remains at 27, although the Hagersville facility is still awaiting Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit confirmation on another.

The home made headlines after 71 residents and 30 staff members in its 101-bed facility tested positive for COVID-19.

Executive director Lisa Roth says there are no new confirmed cases.

"We continue with all required isolation measures for residents including in-room meal services and twice daily screening for symptoms," Roth said Sunday. "Our staff are also checked for symptoms twice a day and are required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) throughout their shift."

Overall, Haldimand and Norfolk counties have 183 confirmed cases. Thirty-six have recovered and 30 have died.

That's a slight increase from Sunday, although the health unit is reporting fewer deaths now. A technical error caused the health unit to overstate the death toll.

Halton

Halton's health unit is reporting 491 cases, including 429 confirmed and 62 probable. That's an increase of seven from Sunday. Twenty-one people have died and262 have recovered.

In Burlington, there are 98 cases (85 confirmed,13 probable), up one fromSunday. Seven people have died and 51 have recovered.

Niagara

Eighteen residents have died at Lundy Manor, a Niagara Falls long-term care home.

Tim Foster, Oxford Living's vice president of strategy and business development, said Sunday that three more people have died recently.

"Our singular focus remains protecting the health and safety of our residents and staff, and we continue to work closely with Niagara Regional Public Health and the [Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority] in this regard," he said in a statement.

Lundy Manor is just one of six institutional outbreaks in Niagara. Two units of Niagara Health's St. Catharines hospital site have outbreaks. So do the following long-term care homes:Bethesda Home in Grimsby, Henley House in St. Catharines, and The Woodlands of Sunset, Royal Rose Place and Seasons Welland in Welland.

Overall, Niagara has 461 confirmed cases, up from 451 the day before. That per-day number has been fairly consistent since Friday. Casesincreased by 24 over the weekend.

Of those, 174 have recovered and 42 have died. that's up from 37 on Sunday.