COVID-19 Cases Rise in Kingston as Businesses Prepare for Holiday Shopping – Kingston | The Canadian News

KFL & A Public Health has confirmed that nearly half of recent COVID-19 cases cannot be traced due to spread in the community.

That’s news that no one wants to hear and it’s alarming for businesses as they prepare for what is traditionally the busiest part of the shopping year.

“Hoping for the best and preparing for the worst is all we can do right now,” said Amanda Findlay, owner of Go Green Baby.

Findlay’s primary customer base is parents of young children and pregnant women. She says she has seen a drop in foot traffic to her store over the past week as COVID-19 numbers have risen in the region.

“It’s understandable but also a little scary, because the last year and a half has been very, very difficult and we’ve been trying all sorts of different things to keep our business afloat,” Findlay said.

Shopping before Christmas is critical for many retailers each year, even more so during the pandemic, according to Crock-A-Doodle manager Kim Mittal.

“This is our season. This is where we get most of our money and last year we lost it because we were closed, so we hope to recoup our costs this year, ”Mittal told Global Kingston.

For the past three days, KFL & A Medical Health Officer Dr. Piotr Oglaza has been emphasizing that community outreach is here and that the best way for residents to protect themselves is to get vaccinated and stay home if they are sick. .

“Don’t interact with members of your own household when you have symptoms. That’s what often leads to a series of exposures in workplaces and social settings, ”Dr. Oglaza said.

The Greater Sudbury Public Health Unit has seen a similar increase in COVID-19 cases and two weeks ago it again implemented stricter measures.

They have restored capacity limits and physical distancing in nonessential businesses, strengthened masking requirements for public events organized both indoors and outdoors, and require proof of vaccination for anyone over the age of 12 who participates in organized sports.

Earlier this week, Dr. Oglaza said the tighter restrictions could also return to Kingston.

“If we continue to see the spread, especially in environments where perhaps a reduction in the capacity limit could be considered, that is definitely something that will be on the table for discussion,” said Dr. Oglaza.

The current COVID-19 case count at KFL & A is 199, with a dozen people in the hospital and three on ventilators.

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