What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ottawa on Saturday, Sept. 18

Recent developments:

• Ontario officials are working to help Alberta's stricken health-care system battle COVID-19 surge.
• Ottawa reported 65 more COVID-19 cases Saturday.

What's the latest?

Ontario officials are "having conversations right now"to determine what support the province can provide to help Alberta'scrippled health-care system as it battlesits deadly fourth wave of COVID-19.

Deputy Premier and Minister of HealthChristine Elliott confirmed Ontario would be providing assistance to Alberta during a newsconferenceon Friday.

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) reported 65 more COVID-19 cases Saturdayand no deaths. Many pandemic indicators are back around levels seen in June 2021 when the city came out of the third wave.

How many cases are there?

As of Saturday, Ottawa has a total of 29,216confirmed cases ofCOVID-19.There are 484known active cases, 28,138 cases consideredresolved, and 594 people who have died from the illness.

Public health officials have reportednearly53,400 COVID-19 cases across eastern Ontario and western Quebec, including more than 51,400cases now resolved.

Elsewhere in eastern Ontario, 200 people with COVID-19 have died. In western Quebec, the death toll is 216.

Akwesasnehas had more than 800 residents test positive forCOVID-19and has reported10 deathsbetween its northern and southern sections.

Kitigan Zibi has had 34 cases and one death. Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory has had 14, with one death. Pikwakanagan hasn't had any.

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

What are the rules?

Eastern Ontario:

Ontario is inStep 3 of its reopening planand will stay there for the foreseeable future. Its science table says more vaccinations and fewer contacts are needed to avoid a lockdown this autumn.

Ontario's vaccine passport system startsWednesdayfor many activities.

• Why vaccine passports may be an important tool in boosting vaccination rates

People will have to show photo identification and either a paper or PDF version of their vaccine receipt until an app is ready, likely in late October. There will bemedical exemptions.

Other groups are also coming out with their own COVID-19 vaccine policies.

• Here are the noteworthy vaccine policies for Ottawa-Gatineau

General gathering limits are 25 people inside and 100 people outside. Those limits are even higher for organized events.

Indoor dining capacityis based ondistancing. Gyms,movie theatres and museumscan reach acapacity of 50 per cent inside.

Ontario's back-to-school rulesallowforextracurricular activities, and while masks remainmandatory, vaccines are not. School boards can go beyond these rules.

Western Quebec

Under its green zone rules, 10people are allowed to gatherinside private residences and 20 people outdoors which increases to 50 if playing sports. Organized events can be much larger.

A vaccine passportis in place for people age 13 and up in spaces such aspublic events, bars, restaurants and gyms.

Quebecers can use an app or show paper proof; people from out of province will have to show paper proof.Everyone will also have to show ID.

There are medical exemptions.

Thisprovince's school rulesinclude masks in class forstudents, but don't includeclassroom bubbles.

What can I do?

COVID-19primarily spreads through droplets thatcan hang in the air.

People can be contagious without symptoms, even after getting a vaccine. Variants of concernaremore contagious and areestablished.

This means it isimportantto take precautions now and in the future, such asstaying home while sick and getting help with costs if needed keeping hands and 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 Quebecand recommended in crowded outdoor areas.

Vaccines curb thespreadof all variants of COVID-19 and go a long way toward avoiding deaths and hospitalizations,without offering total protection.

There'sfederal guidance for what vaccinated people can do in different situations.

Fully vaccinated,tested and pre-approved peoplecan cometo Canada.The U.S. border remains closed to non-essential land travel.

Health Canada recommends older adults and people with underlying medical conditionsgethelp with errands.

Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms should self-isolate, as should those who've beenordered to do so by their public health unit. The length of self-isolation varies inQuebecandOntario.

Vaccines

Four COVID-19 vaccines havebeen deemed safe and approvedin Canada and are now going by brand names instead of manufacturer names.Two areapproved for youthas young as 12.

Canada's vaccinetask force sayspeople can wait up to 16 weeks between first and seconddoses. Factors pushed provinces to drastically speed up that timeline, including supply and the more infectious delta variant.

That same task force says it's safe and effective to mix first and second doses.

Ontario and Quebec aregiving certain groups third doses.

There have been more than 3.4million COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the wider Ottawa-Gatineau region combined first,second and third doses which has about 2.3 million residents.

Eastern Ontario

Ontario isvaccinating anyone whowill beage12 or older in 2021. Peoplecanlook for provincialappointments opening uponlineor over the phone at 1-833-943-3900.

Local health units haveflexibilityin the larger framework, including around booking,so check their websitesfor details.

They offer standby lists and walk-indoses on short notice ascampaignsshiftfrom mass clinics to mobile clinics to fill gaps in vaccine coverage.

Thirdshotdetails dependon the health unit.

Pharmacies continue to offer vaccines through their own booking systems, as do some family doctors.

Western Quebec

Anyone 12 and oldercan make an appointment online or over the phoneor visit one of the province'spermanent and mobile walk-in clinics.

Some hours and locations are changing in late September.

Symptoms and testing

COVID-19can range from a cold-like illnessto a severe lung infection, with common symptoms including fever, a cough,runny nose,headache, vomitingand loss of taste or smell.

Children tend to have an upset stomach and/or a rash.

If you have severe symptoms, call 911.

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

In eastern Ontario:

Anyone seeking a testshouldmake an appointment. Check with yourhealth unit for clinic locations and hours.

Ottawa's drive-thru COVID-19 test site on Coventry Road near the RCGT Park baseball stadium will be open until 5:30 p.m. daily instead of 2 p.m. daily as of Sunday because of increased demand, says Ottawa's testing task force.

Ontariorecommends only getting testedif you fit certain criteria, such as having symptoms, exposure or a certain job.

People without symptomsbut who arepart of the province's targeted testing strategycan make an appointment at select pharmacies. Rapid testsare available in some places, now including some schools.

Ottawa's COVID-19 testing task force says unvaccinated people without symptoms can't get thetests they need to work, learn on a university campus or attend a public event at its clinics. They need to look for a pharmacy or lab that offers it.

Travellers who need a testhave a fewlocal options to pay for one.

In western Quebec:

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

People can make an appointment and check wait times online. Some walk-in testing is available.

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

Rapid tests are being used in schools in other parts of the province.

First Nations, Inuit and Mtis:

First Nations, Inuit and Mtispeople, or someone travelling to work in a remote Indigenous community, are eligible for a test in Ontario.

Akwesasne has COVID-19 test andvaccine clinics, with information online or at613-575-2341.

People in Kitigan Zibican call the health centre at 819-449-5593 for a test or vaccine; email is another option for vaccine booking.

Tests are available inPikwkanagnby calling613-625-1175 and vaccines, at 613-625-2259 extension 225 or by email. Anyone inTyendinagawho's interested in a test can call 613-967-3603 and should watch the website fordedicated vaccine clinics.

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

For more information

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