The local Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jim Chirico responded to public calls against the extension of the shutdown in Parry Sound on Wednesday.
Dr. Chirico said case counts are much lower in the district of Parry Sound but it is important to note that it has two individuals with confirmed preliminary positive results for a Variant of Concern of unknown strain, who were exposed through Community spread.
In a call with MyParrySoundNow, Parry Sound Mayor Jamie McGarvey says those two cases do not change where he stands.
McGarvey says “We have been asking to have consideration given to different zones within this health unit district and I would hope that the Medical Officer of Health would consider that there are businesses here that are really struggling,”
He adds that he was made aware the other day of the number of businesses that are up for sale because “people don’t know whether they’re going to be able to get through this or not,”
Dr. Chirico addressed businesses as well saying “The shutdown measures are also worrisome for our business Community”
He said the government is offering financially to help keep local businesses afloat but at the end of the day it’s the customers that help local business owners put food on the table and support their families.
In response, McGarvey said “Yes, there are some grants available and our Economic Development officer has been working with businesses to do that but that only goes so far and not all of those businesses are eligible for all the grants,”
He said “So let’s figure out something that allows these businesses to open so that they can have some customers in, under a strict protocol, because I do agree with a strict protocol and let’s try to get things moving,”
“We’re dealing with two distinct Highway corridors and to the North of us we have businesses open and to the South of us businesses are open and we’re in the middle here trying to deal with with an Outbreak really in North Bay that’s an hour and a half away from us on another Transportation corridor so there’s got to be some recognition on this,” McGarvey said. “He (Dr. Jim Chirico) has the ability within his mandate and what he’s done to be able to, I would hope, say -Okay, West Parry Sound you are Yellow or Red or Green; I mean we went from Green to Grey in one day,”
“Surely he could say OK West Parry Sound from Dunchurch over is yellow, you’re open for business under strict protocol and businesses have no problem with that. It’s being able to get customers into your business to be able to shop and again you wear a mask, hand sanitizer, wash your hands, social distance and make sure you do all those things and you know we can survive,” He added, “But to just say no, and lockdown, I’m sorry but that is not working and for the number of case coins that we have we should be in green really,”