COVID-19

ARTHUR – The "voluntary management contract" between the Arthur facility and North Wellington Health Care, which operates hospitals in Mount Forest and Palmerston, was announced by the province on Jan. 13. It will be in effect for 90 days, though it can be extended if necessary.

GUELPH – Public health officials are hopeful that by the end of this week, they will be able to offer COVID-19 vaccinations for residents at long-term care homes in the region.

WELLINGTON COUNTY – Local residents should be "very concerned" about new provincial COVID-19 modelling and act immediately to help avoid the worst-case scenario. That was the message relayed by Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health on Jan. 12.

TORONTO – Due to a rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases across Ontario, and the corresponding strain placed on the health care system, the province has declared a second state of emergency and introduced more strict lockdown measures.

WELLINGTON COUNTY – Despite a province-wide lockdown imposed on Dec. 26, the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) region continues to set records for new and active cases of COVID-19.

FERGUS – A local high school class has developed an online resource to help Centre Wellington restaurants that have suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic.

GUELPH – Guelph-Wellington Paramedic Service (GWPS) officials stated in a Jan. 8 press release the paramedic contracted the virus while caring for a patient.

WELLINGTON COUNTY – A program launched by local paramedics in 2016 to monitor patients with chronic diseases in their homes, is helping to fill a gap in staffing at Caressant Care in Arthur as COVID-19 is spreading through the facility.

WELLINGTON COUNTY – An 89-year-old man from Centre Wellington, a long-term care resident at Caressant Care Arthur since 2019, got sick on Dec. 26 and passed away on Jan. 5 from the virus.

MINTO – An action plan to help local non-profit groups recover from COVID-19 pandemic impacts is under development here.

WELLINGTON COUNTY  – About one hour after the local health unit instructed all schools in the region to continue with online-only learning until at least Jan. 24, the province mandated the two-week extension across Ontario.

MINTO – Mayor George Bridge hailed the arrival of COVID-19 vaccine in the region as a step toward eventually controlling the ongoing pandemic.

FERGUS - Enough with the negative, say Claire Knight and Jenn Price. It’s time we all take a look at our lives during COVID-19 and find the positive.

ARTHUR – Mitchell Hewison says he will continue to defy pandemic lockdown rules despite already being charged by the OPP for doing so.