Cobourg Covid-19 Virus update – April 2

Although I keep a page on the status of the Covid-19 Virus which is updated several times a day, I know that many don’t go there but instead rely on updates from blog posts.  If you do go to that page and look for the “New” and “Update” tags, you won’t need to read most of the rest of this article. For everyone else, you should know that there are many changes happening daily with more restrictions as well as more services.  There are also more local cases of Covid-19 and more deaths in the Pinecrest Care home but no deaths yet in Northumberland.  The number of cases for the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (HKPR) health Unit is now 64 with 15 of these in Northumberland.  The death toll now stands at 13 although none of these are in Northumberland.

Updates since March 30

  • The County has recognized that with schools closed, workers performing essential services will often struggle to find suitable day care for their children.  They are therefore offering free day-care starting April 6 – you can apply here
  • With talk of the crisis lasting months, several major events in Cobourg have been cancelled or rescheduled.  The Highland Games have been rescheduled to August 29; the Waterfront Festival has been cancelled, at least as far as Rotary is concerned; and the Rib Fest in August has been cancelled.
  • The rules for Cobourg’s Transit busses have been tightened – notably a maximum of 8 on a bus and windows must be open.  Details here.
  • Although Victoria Hall’s events have all been cancelled, I see that their online box-office is now offline – that is, you can no longer buy tickets for any events that may still be scheduled.
  • The DBIA have set up a portal where you can buy gift certificates from Downtown businesses. Go here.  A great way to support the stores while they struggle to stay afloat.
  • Based on one example (mine) at least some Dentists are only open for emergency work.  My routine checkup and cleaning was cancelled.
  • The County has announced the closure of all trails and parking areas in the County Forest until further notice. For safety, members of the public are asked not to park on the roadside to access the closed forest. 
  • Migrant workers are employed in nearby apple orchards and come to Cobourg to shop so you may be interested that they will be exempt from travel restrictions except that they will be subject to a 14 day quarantine.
  • It may not be new but it’s not only the Golden Plough that’s saying “No Visitors” but also Legion Village and probably other similar homes – this is especially important given the outbreak at Pinecrest in Bobcaygeon.

If you are looking for a list of take-out and delivery of food – meals or groceries – there is a reasonably complete list on the special page here.

Cogeco’s Mark Rockburn interviewed MPP David Piccini on what the Provincial Government is doing on this crisis.  Included (at 7:07) are comments about what was done about returning snowbirds parking their RVs in the Walmart parking lot and not respecting the 14 day quarantine.  Here is that video.

Links

Special page with status of Covid-19 in Cobourg

Ontario Status page

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Wally Keeler
3 years ago

Is the Farmer’s Market cancelled?

Walter Luedtke
3 years ago

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Thank you, John, for your list of take-out and delivery spots.
Just a little update here,
With our high percentage of Seniors safe grocery shopping is of paramount importance.
Foodland and Shopper’s Drug Mart will deliver orders placed over the telephone. Ask about delivery days and restrictions.
No Frills has convenient online shopping on their website and special pickup times. But the the service is so popular that pickup time ‘slots’ have to be reserved two weeks in advance. But bravo NoFrills.
The Walmart website features online shopping but pickup in only available in Bowmanville, Peterborough and Trenton. Time slots are all filled by the locals.
Metro also has online shopping, but the closest store is in Burlington. Boo Metro!
Let’s hope that Walmart and Metro will follow NoFrills example and bring online shopping to Cobourg.

John Draper
Reply to  Walter Luedtke
3 years ago

Thanks Walter. I have now updated the list of food takeout locations on the special Covid-19 page. https://www.cobourgblog.com/covid-19-in-cobourg/

Walter Luedtke
Reply to  Walter Luedtke
3 years ago

Interesting to hear that NoFrills, in addition to bringing online shopping to Cobourg, will have its flier in digital format only, starting on April 16th.
That should make a small dent in the deluge of fliers that we get in the local newspaper every Thursday.

SMS
Reply to  Walter Luedtke
3 years ago

Originally Walmart was going to bring the online shopping in the spring – but the pandemic pushed things back until a later date. No I’m not an employee of Walmart – just a customer who had asked one of the staff about it.

Ken Strauss
3 years ago

I wonder why the US differs from the Canadian recommendations regarding masks.:
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that Americans cover their faces when leaving the home, especially around other people. The latest guidance suggests that Americans use makeshift coverings, such as T-shirts, scarves or bandanas to cover their noses and mouths. Medical-grade masks, especially N95 masks, are to be reserved for first responders and health care workers.”
Source: Boston Globe Newspaper

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Ken Strauss
3 years ago

Taiwan did this: ” really early, in January, they had a quick count of all the stockpiles in the country. And they said, you know, “We have 44 million surgical masks.” And so, there’s 23 million people in Taiwan, so there’s less than two masks per person. So, immediately they said, “No export of surgical masks outside of Taiwan right now, because we need to make more.” So, then they quickly got together all the suppliers of the three different layers of materials for the surgical mask and say, you know, “You can’t sell this right now. We’ve got to make more.” So, then they quickly established 60 different lines of production just for masks. Within three weeks, they ramped up the production from 2 million a day to 10 million a day. Now, today they could probably make 11 million to 12 million a day. Taiwan did this: “right now if you are in Taiwan, you could take your National Health Insurance card, and you could get masks. You could get 10 masks per week. So normal citizens could get 10 masks per week. So you could still go to school. You could go to work. You could take the Metro. And you can’t hoard masks, because you have to use your insurance card to get the masks.” https://www.democracynow.org/2020/4/3/taiwan_coronavirus_response

Observer
3 years ago

Yes I guess times have changed. I knew a couple of fellows didn’t finish high school. Back in the hippie days. They signed up for picking tobacco a couple of summers. Their wages for the week then were $65. per week and their room and board. Didn’t hear any complaining – they felt rich at the end of the season and started the fall with a nest egg as they looked for permanent work.

Mark
Reply to  Observer
3 years ago

$65 a week was big money back than, in the ‘60’s add in room and board
Probably 5 x what works are paid now

Observer
Reply to  Mark
3 years ago

No – I don’t think so. Minimum is $14.00 an hour – 7 days a week Mark the job runs so $65.00 for 7 days. Even with a deduction for room and board the pay is much better today. With Grade 12 I started my first job about then not quite the 60s – pay $73.00 a week for an office job, 5 days a week 9 – 5 to put it in perspective for a new entry level worker. Wasn’t exactly big money. If you worked for the place that made Christmas tree decorations you got $60.00 for a 40 hour week – it was bottom pay.

Mark
Reply to  Observer
3 years ago

$65 in 1965 is $540 now , so I was a bit off
But at nickel a draft , $65 went farther 😄

Observer
Reply to  Mark
3 years ago

Try picking tobacco Mark – try it 7 days a week when the crops are ripe. A lower priced one bedroom apartment went for $150. a month. You then had TTC fare – $12.00 a week, groceries, phone bill, clothes – I bet you are too young to know. An experienced worker made $175.00 a week and up. A two bedroom was $175. a month.

Observer
Reply to  Mark
3 years ago

Mark – you are off on your year – try a few years later. By the by – draft beer was more than a nickel. Where do you get your ideas???

Mark
Reply to  Observer
3 years ago

In ‘75 , 32 oz jug of draft at Ryerson was $5 bought a lot of them 😄🍺
And my Uncle was telling draft glass was a nickel at tavern at King and Dufferin
Pick tobacco, that hard work, my mother did in the ‘40’s and made cigars
A hydro lineman in ‘67 In Port Arthur made about $2.75 an hour

Observer
Reply to  Mark
3 years ago

Terrible Mark – my father was a bartender for many years. He bought a new car every four years, we vacationed at Muskoka in a lodge, he had many wonderful customers – one an MP took us on a tour of Ottawa and then in for a personal meeting with the mayor. Life was good and yes money went further. But there was still a segment of the population in Canada that would take a job picking tobacco. The migrant workers seem very necessary today.

Observer
Reply to  Observer
3 years ago

Well folks all the down voters, like it or lump it. I don’t see Canadians in these jobs – apparently the farmers are unable to get Canadian people to work on the farms today. I recall in many visits to my cousins in Woodbridge, we went at haying season. I joined them with my father as they walked about pitching square hay bales on the wagon in the blazing sun – who needs a gym? Just go out and throw some hay around. After it was conveyed into the loft in the barn lified up onto the mobile belt, then at the top to be piled high in the loft. Today it is much more automatic but still there are many hard labour jobs. And at the bottom of the food supply chain the farmer struggles. Hence the wages are low.

Matt
3 years ago

On the “Covid-19 in Cobourg” page, directly under the “Confirmed Cases…” table, there is an instruction that states, “If you think you may have the virus, go to the assessment centre…”

This is in direct contradiction to the Ontario Gov, guidelines, which specifically state not to do so unless you’ve been instructed to by a health care professional. Ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus

If you feel symptoms, you’re supposed to immediately self-isolate, contact a health care professional and follow their instructions.

Sure it was an oversight, but the “Covid 19 in Cobourg” page should probably be updated.

Thanks.

Rational
3 years ago

In my view, given Covid 19, apple orchards should consider hiring local for this year. This would eliminate individuals from ?wherever? and reduce risk. I acknowledge apple season is in the fall. However, as no one understands the virus timeline then decisions should be made now. Next year go back to normal with migrant help.

ben
Reply to  Rational
3 years ago

Be realistic – just how many locals will apply?

Frenchy
Reply to  ben
3 years ago

Just curious… does anybody know how much migrant workers get paid? Do they have to pay for lodging here or is that part of their package? When it’s all broken down, what would be the total cost per hour to Ontario farmers?

Leona Woods
Reply to  ben
3 years ago

Interesting point. It is my understanding that locals do not apply for farm and field work as it is too physically demainding and the pay is too low. Farmers are always desperate for workers. I think the work force could be augmented by the released non-violent prisoners who need to finish out their sentences. There were working farms attached to some prisons before these were closed down and they were found to be somewhat therapeutic.

Rational
Reply to  ben
3 years ago

As an add-on to my comment – unemployment will increase/is increasing due to Covid – 19. Thus local individuals may be more readily available for extra work/earnings.

Bill Thompson
Reply to  ben
3 years ago

Students ?

Rob
Reply to  ben
3 years ago

I made both of my children work at Burnham farms picking berries for at least one summer (my son returned for a second) … its important to understand what you don’t want to do for the rest of your life on your journey to figuring out what you do want. Honest, hard work..no one should think they are above it – of course that’s not the case.

Frenchy
Reply to  Rob
3 years ago

Good on you Rob, and good on your kids. It’s only work (or maybe even hard work). No one is asking anybody to murder someone or do something illegal, just work hard and honesty. And.. they even pay you to do it!

Informed
Reply to  Rob
3 years ago

5 cents a quart and all you could eat. Feels like yesterday

Jet
Reply to  Rational
3 years ago

Migrant workers are experienced so they work more efficiently, require less supervision and with less damage to the produce. They won’t quit when their back starts to ache or complain it they get wet and muddy.

Matt
Reply to  Jet
3 years ago

They also know how to run and service very job-specific heavy equipment and machinery they work with.

If Canadians were doing that job it would be considered a skilled trade and and it would pay substantially more.

Frenchy
Reply to  Mark
3 years ago

All of Ontario or just the restricted fire zones?
According to this article Northumberland County is not included.

John Draper
Reply to  Frenchy
3 years ago

My interpretation was that the edict applied to ALL Ontario but i just called MNR and they confirm you are right. Restrictions start north of Rice Lake.

Rob
Reply to  Mark
3 years ago

The North Pole Examiner just released news that Santa has cancelled Christmas. Elves have been put on permanent layoff and reindeer are being processed at a local abattoir. Doesn’t look good for the Easter Bunny that’s for sure. 🙂

MiriamM
Reply to  Rob
3 years ago

Yikes!! When I read your post I thought, ‘this is a family channel!’ here on John’s page. Well, looks more like the elves and reindeer would be pivoting their business and work skills to reinvent their job descriptions … if herds of wild goats can take over a town in the UK, trimming their way through hedges and gardens, and mamma boar take her family of piglets on tour as a new attraction through a seaside village in Italy … it could be the Easter Bunny may have some extra help this year from other creatures!

Wally Keeler
Reply to  MiriamM
3 years ago

Hungry monkeys, nature makes a come back https://youtu.be/ZYK4c6wNUyM

Rob
Reply to  Wally Keeler
3 years ago

I’ve seen Planet of the Apes, I know how this ends…..