KFL&A Public Health Updates Class Order on Self Isolation

Kingston— To align with Provincial requirements, KFL&A Public Health’s Medical Officer of Health has made important amendments to the Class Order under Section 22 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act. Effective immediately, the amendments revise and clarify self-isolation requirements and the legal obligations of those who are cases of COVID-19.

“A key role of public health in controlling the spread of the virus is to identify, contact and make sure high risk individuals are isolating as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Kieran Moore, Medical Officer of Health at KFL&A Public Health. “To reduce the severity of the second wave, it is important that our community follows all public health measures and has clarity on what they need to do to stay healthy and protect others. Stopping the spread of COVID-19 is a community effort and what we do today is critical to what we experience two to three weeks from now.”

Key amendments to the Class Order include:

• The categories of people to whom the Class Order applies and directions for how long they need to self-isolate have been revised for improved clarity and to reflect current knowledge.
• Emphasis on the legal requirement for individuals to remain reachable for monitoring by KFL&A Public Health and to share the names and contact information for all contacts if requested by KFL&A Public Health.

Last week, the Province also announced additional health measures to keep people safe.  While many of the measures are targeted to other regions, province-wide measures, including KFL&A region, include mandatory face coverings in all public indoor settings, such as businesses, facilities and workplaces, with limited exceptions, including corrections and developmental services. The Province is also pausing social circles and advising that all Ontarians allow close contact only with people living in their own household and maintain two metres physical distancing from everyone else. Individuals who live alone may consider having close contact with another household. As the situation continues to evolve and actions are taken, residents are asked to check the provincial website and KFL&A Public Health’s website regularly for updates.