Meghani Issues Amended Instructions for workplaces

By: Laura Steiner

Halton Region’s Medical Officer of Health  (MOH) Dr. Hamidah Meghani has amended COVID-19 orders for workplaces.  The new orders will consolidate instructions issued May 8, and February 12, 2021.

The new instructions provide guidance for additional contact tracing  measures in certain premises, including the collection of information from customers.  They require businesses and organizations with over 100 employees who work on physical presence to:

• Establish, implement and ensure compliance with a COVID-19 safety plan
• Establish, implement and ensure compliance with a COVID-19 workplace vaccination policy

The order changes the amount of time required for isolation:

• Those with high-risk exposures such as seniors, and those with chronic medical conditions must isolate for 10 days, instead of 14
• Those who are in the high-risk category including seniors, and those with chronic medical conditions have recovered from COVID-19 or have already been vaccinated will no longer be required to self-isolate at the discretion of public health.

These changes will be in effect as of Friday September 10, at 12:01 a.m.  The adjustments will bring Halton in line with provincial orders.

The Region of Halton has added an increase of 101 COVID-19 cases.  Of these, 23 are from Milton.  83% of eligible Milton residents have had both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.  The Region didn’t update its dashboard yesterday due to the Labour Day holiday