COVID-19: Burlington declares state of emergency
Published March 21, 2020 at 5:59 pm
In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the city of Burlington has officially declared a state of emergency.
In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the city of Burlington has officially declared a state of emergency.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward made the declaration on Saturday, March 21 with support from city council, senior city staff, the city’s Emergency Control Group, and senior staff at Joseph Brant Hospital.
Until further notice, the city is strongly encouraging residents to stay home, avoid gatherings, and self-isolate as much as possible. All local malls and non-essential businesses have also been asked to close.
“While I thank our many residents who are heeding expert medical advice, we have noticed there is still some complacency in our community around the need to self-isolate, to engage in social distancing and to only go outside for essentials, such as food and medical needs or appointments,” Meed Ward said.
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“With the end of March break, many people are returning home over the next few days and may need to restock their shelves. I urge these residents to self-isolate in your homes for 14 days and ask family, friends or neighbours to safely drop off supplies for you.”
The mayor thanks healthcare workers for their support and is asking the public to do everything it can to “flatten the curve” and reduce the transmission of COVID-19.
Additionally, the mayor is reminding residents to avoid hoarding food or essential items, and is asking anyone who owns or manages an essential service to consider setting per-person limits on essential items and remind customers to engage in social distancing.
“From day one, our emergency response plan has focused on two priority goals; keeping Burlington citizens and City staff safe while minimizing the spread of COVID-19 and maintaining our ability to provide essential City services to the community,” said Tim Commisso, Burlington City Manager. “Today’s emergency declaration by the Mayor fully supports the City’s ability to continue to implement specific COVID-19 related actions and obtain the resources necessary to achieve these goals.”
For all the latest information regarding COVID-19, visit halton.ca/coronavirus, burlington.ca/coronavirus, or follow Burlington on Twitter and Facebook. Questions about the cancellation of recreational programs can be directed to [email protected] or [email protected].
“Declaring an emergency is a necessary step in the right direction to effectively slow down the spread of this pandemic throughout our city,” Meed Ward said.
“The next few days are critical in our ongoing efforts to slow down the spread of COVID-19 and I encourage our residents to continue taking every precaution in protecting yourselves.”
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