Statement by Mayor Fred Eisenberger on additional COVID-19 restrictions

HAMILTON, ON - The additional safety measures announced by the Premier are important, timely and strongly supported by the City of Hamilton. Avoiding gathering with those outside your household, downloading the COVID-19 alert app on your smartphone and getting a flu shot as soon as possible will help manage further spread of the virus.

While the province announced targeted measures for our neighbours in Ottawa, Peel, and Toronto as a result of their higher than average rates of transmission, communities including Hamilton are trending in the same direction. Our Public Health teams have observed trends in COVID-19 spread among those who are having social gatherings, not practicing appropriate physical distancing and not wearing masks indoors or in other settings where physical distancing is a challenge.

It is critical to remember and practice the fundamental public health management measures. Residents can help reduce the transmission of COVID-19 in our community by:

• Washing hands frequently with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds
• Staying home if sick, self-isolating from others and getting tested
• Keeping a physical distance of at least two metres from others in your group, unless they are household members
• Wearing a mask or face covering in an enclosed space, especially in settings where it is difficult to maintain a physical distance from others
• Meeting up outside and keeping gathering times short
• Taking extra precautions if people are elderly or have chronic health conditions

All of us remain the first line of defence against the spread of the virus and with everyone’s cooperation, we can help stop the spread, contain the second wave and get through this together.