Be COVIDWise

Last revised on July 07, 2020

As the community gradually reopens (Stage 2), Ottawa Public Health (OPH) encourages you to go about your daily activities while continuing to protect yourself and others. Please follow these recommended precautions to help keep COVID-19 under control. We must all continue cautiously to prevent infections and keep the virus at a manageable level in our community by being COVID wise. Testing and follow-up is not enough to control the virus; we must prevent transmission in the first place.

W – Wear a mask or face covering when you are in indoor public spaces and when you cannot maintain a physical distance of two metres (six feet).

I – Isolate yourself from others when you are sick (and get tested promptly if you have COVID-like symptoms).

S – Stay two metres (six feet) apart from those outside your household.

E – Exercise proper hand hygiene; wash your hands regularly or use sanitizer especially before touching your face.

Reducing the risk

Certain groups are at a higher risk (older adults, people with weakened immune systems or chronic health conditions) and should take extra precautions. Practice physical distancing by staying 2 metres (6 feet) apart from others. Wear a mask or a face covering when you are in indoor public spaces and whenever physical distancing is challenging or not possible. Wash your hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Limit the spread of germs by covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or cough into your upper sleeve or arm, not your hand. Activities have high to low levels of risk when it comes to spreading the virus. Use this table to help choose your activities as we work to keep the virus under control.

Least safe options

Gathering indoors or outdoors with those outside your household especially when physical distancing is difficult. Some examples include:

Sharing food or drinks
Having guests inside your home or visiting friends or family inside their home
Going to crowded places
Visiting cottages and campgrounds with others outside your household

Use caution

Wear a mask or face covering when you are in indoor public places and when it is difficult or not possible to maintain a physical distance of at least 2 metres (6 feet) from others.

OUTDOORS

Spending time outdoors (including your backyard or driveway) with people who are not part of your household
Exercising outdoors in potentially busy areas during popular times (e.g. shared pathways, parks in the evenings and on weekends)
Using public transportation including buses, light rail, transit, taxis and ride sharing
Eating at a patio restaurant (please limit group size per table – preferably from your own household)

INDOORS

Using elevators and hallways in buildings, malls or apartments
Shopping at grocery and retail stores and farmers' markets.
Going to the businesses that offer personal services (e.g. salons/barbers, tattoo parlours, massage clinics) or medical appointments
Picking up take-out food orders and other in-store pickups
Having service providers in your home for repairs, renovations, maintenance, etc.

Safer options

Doing activities either alone or with members of your household AND maintaining a physical distance of at least 2 metres (6 feet) from others such as:

Golfing, playing tennis, playing catch, kicking a ball, flying a kite, gardening
Having a picnic or sitting in a quiet park or other outdoor space
Doing personal hobbies and crafts such as bird watching, stargazing, painting, journaling, sewing, knitting and reading
Shopping online with home delivery or curbside pickup
Staying in touch with friends and loved ones virtually or with drive-by visits

Take care of yourself

Take care of yourself. It’s OK to NOT be OK. Help is available and we encourage you to reach out to the Distress Centre of Ottawa to connect with someone at 613-238-3311.

We are all in this together.

For more information, visit: OttawaPublicHealth.ca/ActiveDuringCOVID19