What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ottawa on Thursday, March 4

Recent developments

• Ottawa is reporting 80 new cases of COVID-19 and one more death.
• Kingston is tightening its rules around St. Patrick's Day.
• Ontario is sending municipalities $500 million more for pandemic costs.

What's the latest?

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) recorded 80 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and one more death. There are 29 more cases in the Outaouais.

Despite being in the green zone, Kingston, Ont., is tightening its gathering and restaurant rulesaround St. Patrick's Day. Gatherings are capped at five people and hour limits are back at its restaurants March 13 to 21.

Ontario hascommitted half a billion more dollars to help municipalities cover pandemic costs, including $33.4 million for Ottawa.

How many cases are there?

As of Thursday, 14,950 Ottawa residents havetested positive for COVID-19. There are currently 517known active cases,13,991resolved cases and442deaths.

Public health officials have reported more than26,500COVID-19 cases across eastern Ontario and western Quebec, including more than 24,800resolved cases.

Elsewhere in eastern Ontario, 131people have died ofCOVID-19,and 161people have died in western Quebec.

Akwesasne has had more than240 residents test positive on the Canadian side of the border and sevendeaths. It's had more than 500 cases combined with its southern section.

Kitigan Zibihas had21confirmed cases andTyendinaga Mohawk Territoryhas had six, with one death.

CBC Ottawa is profilingthose who've died of COVID-19. If you'd like to share your loved one's story, pleaseget in touch.

What can I do?

Restaurants, gyms, personal care services, theatres and non-essential businesses areopenacross eastern Ontario. Most sports can also resume.

Social gatheringscan have up to 10 people indoors or 25 people outdoors. Organized events can be larger.

People are asked to only have close contact with people they live with, be masked and distanced for all other in-person contact andonly travel for essential reasons, especially between differently coloured zones.

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Both Ottawa Public Healthand theEOHUare orange under the province's colour-coded pandemic scale.

They have more restrictions than the rest of the region, which is in green, the lowest level. Local health unitscan also set their own rules.

Health units in RenfrewandLanarkcounties havewarnedprivate gatherings are a problemand could cause stricter rules. Ottawa's health unit is again saying it's close to a move to red.

Western Quebec'sgyms and restaurants can openunder its orange zone rules, joiningnon-essential businesses.Outdoor gatherings of up to eight people arenoware now allowed.

That area'snew curfew hoursare 9:30 p.m. until 5 a.m.

The exception is Grenville-sur-la-Rouge and some of the surrounding area, which remains in red.

Quebecwillallow extra-curricular activities and sports in schools across the provincestarting March 15

Like in Ontario, people are asked not to have close contact with anyone they don't live withand travel from one region of Quebec to another is discouraged.

Distancing and isolating

The novel coronavirus primarily spreads through droplets when an infected person speaks, coughs, sneezes, or breathesonto someone or something. These dropletscan hang in the air.

People can be contagious without symptoms, even after getting a vaccine. New coronavirus variants can be more contagious.

This means it isimportantto take precautions now and in the months to comelikestaying home while symptomatic and getting help with costs if neededkeeping hands and frequently touched surfaces clean and maintaining distance from anyone you don't live with, even with a mask on.

Masks, preferably ones that fit snugly and havethree layers, aremandatory in indoor public settingsin Ontarioand Quebec.

OPH says residents should also wear masks outside their homes whenever possible.

Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms should self-isolate, as should those who've beenordered to do so by their public health unit. The lengthvaries inQuebecandOntario;the latterrecently updated its rules, including in schools.

Peoplehaveto show proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test to enter Canada by land without a fineandhave to pay for their stay in a quarantine hotel if entering by air.

Health Canada recommends older adults and people with underlying medical conditions and/or weakened immune systems stay home as much as possible and gethelp with errands.

Symptoms and vaccines

COVID-19can range from a cold-like illnessto a severe lung infection, with common symptoms including fever, a cough, vomiting and loss of taste or smell.Children candevelop a rash.

If you have severe symptoms, call 911.

Mental healthcan also beaffected by the pandemic,andresources are available to help.

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Canada's COVID-19 vaccine supply has stabilizedand a third vaccine was recently approved.

In early March the national task force said evidence showsfirst doses have offered such strong protection that people can wait up to four months to get a second dose, opening the door for jurisdictions to spread first doses widely.

Ontario and Quebec health officials have not said ifthey'll adjust their plans.

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About 97,800doseshave been given out in the wider regionsince mid-December, includingabout 51,400 dosesin Ottawa and 13,300 in western Quebec.

Ontario's first doses generally went to care home residents and health-care workers.

The province's campaign before national advice changed was toinclude morepriority groups such as people over age 80starting in mid-March, moving topeople as young as age 60through July,and essential workers in May.

Ontarians who are eligiblecan book appointments online or over the phone starting March 15.

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Dr. Vera Etches, Ottawas medical officer of health, says all of the citys shelters have experienced an outbreak since the beginning of the pandemic and that the upcoming vaccinations will keep residents and staff safe.

Local health units have some flexibilityin the larger framework,so check with them for specifics.

For example, Ottawa has chosen to offer shots to certain peoplein certain areas of the citystarting tomorrow. Appointments are now availableover the phone.

It's been vaccinating Indigenous people and is starting to give shots topolice officersand in shelters this week.

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Manyeastern Ontariovaccine clinic locations are in the same communities as test sites and none are open yet for the general public. Health units are asking people to keep their phone lines clear.

Quebec also startedwith people in care homes and health-care workers.

It moves to older adults outside care homesstarting March 10 in western Quebec's six clinics, thenessential workers and finally the general public.

People who qualify can make an appointment online or over the phone.

Pharmacists will also be giving shots, starting March 15 in Montreal and expanding from there.

Where to get tested

In eastern Ontario:

Anyone seeking a testshouldbook an appointment.

Ontariorecommends only getting testedif you have symptoms,if you've been told to by your health unit or the province, orif you fit certain other criteria.

People without symptomsbut who arepart of the province's targeted testing strategycan make an appointment at select pharmacies. Travellers who need a test have very few local options to pay for one.

Ottawa hasten regulartest sites, with mobile siteswherever demand is particularly high.

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TheEastern Ontario Health Unithas sites in Alexandria, Casselman, Cornwall, Hawkesbury, Rockland and Winchester.

TheLeeds, Grenville and Lanarkhealth unit has permanent sites in Almonte, Brockville,Kemptvilleand Smiths Falls and a mobileclinic.

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Kingston's main test site is at theBeechgrove Complex,another is in Napanee.

People canarrange a testin Picton over the phoneor in Bancroft, Belleville and Trenton, where online booking is preferred.

Renfrew Countytest clinic locationsare posted weekly. Residentscanalso call their family doctor or 1-844-727-6404 with health questions.

In western Quebec:

Tests are strongly recommended for people with symptoms and their contacts.

Outaouais residentscan make an appointment in Gatineauat 135 blvd. Saint-Raymond or 617 ave.Buckingham. They cancheck thewait timefor the Saint-Raymond site.

There arerecurring clinics by appointmentin communities such as Maniwakiand Petite-Nation.

Call 1-877-644-4545 with questions, including if walk-in testing is available nearby.

First Nations, Inuit and Mtis:

Akwesasne has a COVID-19 test siteby appointment only and a curfew of 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Anyone returning to the community on the Canadian side of the international border who's been farther than 160 kilometres away or visited Montreal for non-essential reasonsis asked to self-isolate for 14 days.

People inPikwakanagancan book a COVID-19 test by calling 613-625-2259.Anyone inTyendinagawho's interested in a test can call 613-967-3603.

Inuit in Ottawa can call the Akausivik Inuit Family Health Team at 613-740-0999 for service, including testing and now vaccines, in Inuktitut or English on weekdays.

For more information

• Ottawa Public Health.
• Your localeastern Ontario health unit.
• TheOntario Ministry of Health(in several languages).
• TheCentre intgr de sant et de services sociaux de l'Outaouais.
• ThePublic Health Agency of Canada.