Hastings and Prince Edward Counties/Oct. 23, 2020 – All hunters are urged to take additional precautions this hunting season to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Province has recently advised that in-person gatherings should be limited to those who live within your household. If you choose to participate in a hunting trip with individuals from outside of your household, please take steps to keep one another safe.
- Pack supplies to prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as alcohol-based hand sanitizer, cleaning supplies and soap for frequent hand washing.
- Minimize the number of people in a vehicle when travelling to and from hunting sites and ideally share a vehicle only with your household members.
- Once at the hunt camp, keep 2 metres between yourself and others. Bring your own tent or trailer if possible.
- Limit indoor gatherings to 10 people or less and socialize outdoors whenever possible.
- Wear a mask when physical distancing is not possible.
- Avoid sharing items such as cigarettes, drinks, and cooking utensils.
- Clean frequently touched surfaces often and thoroughly.
- Avoid buffet style meals and encourage people to cook their own food. If cooking for others, wear a mask and wash your hands thoroughly while preparing and serving meals.
“While gathering together is a large part of traditional hunting activities, we are asking all local hunters to take additional precautions this year to prevent the spread of COVID-19”, says Dr. Piotr Oglaza, Medical Officer of Health and CEO at HPEPH. “To protect yourself and others, stay within provincial gathering limits, socialize outdoors, wash your hands often, avoid sharing food and drinks, and physically distance from those outside your household.”
Use Ontario’s self-assessment tool before deciding to travel and do not participate in any group travel, activities, or accommodations if you are feeling sick. Have a plan in case a member of your hunting party becomes ill while you are away. The individual will need to self-isolate and return home immediately. If the individual develops severe symptoms, call 911. Otherwise, contact Telehealth Ontario for guidance at 1-866-797-0000. Keep track of the names and contact information of those in your hunting party/at your hunting camp, in case contact tracing is required.
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Media Contact:
Maureen Hyland, Communications Specialist
mhyland@hpeph.ca
About Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) is a public health agency that serves the counties of Hastings and Prince Edward from four local offices. We monitor the health of our local population, deliver programs and services within our communities, and help develop healthy public policies. We provide information and support in many areas to help improve the health and well-being of our residents. Together with our communities, we help people become as healthy as they can be. For more information, please visit hpePublicHealth.ca. You can also find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
