Confirmed COVID-19 cases as of April 9th at 5:00 PM are as follows:
- State of Michigan: 21,504 confirmed cases; 1,076 deaths
- St. Clair County: 162 confirmed cases; 4 county resident deaths (There was also 1 death in a county hospital of an out-of-county resident)
- Ontario: 5,759 confirmed cases; 200 deaths
- Sarnia-Lambton: 98 confirmed cases; 9 deaths
Governor Whitmer extended the Stay Home, Stay Safe Executive Order through April 30th and made a few changes. To enable critical workers to get to their workplaces, automobile dealerships will now be allowed to open for remote sales, though showrooms must remain closed.
Under the new order, all public and private gatherings among persons outside a single household remain temporarily prohibited. Though Michiganders may leave the house to get groceries or needed supplies, the new order encourages people to limit the number of household members running errands to the maximum extent possible. As before, people may engage in outdoor activities like walking, hiking, running, cycling, kayaking, canoeing, or any other recreational activity, consistent with remaining at least six feet from people from outside a person’s household and with other restrictions imposed by prior executive orders. The order clarifies, however, that travel for vacations or for any other purpose is prohibited.
A new section of the order imposes restrictions on stores in an effort to reduce crowds. Large stores must limit the number of people in the store at one time to no more than 4 customers for every 1,000 square feet of customer floor space; small stores must limit capacity to 25% of the total occupancy limits (including employees) under the fire codes. To regulate entry, stores must establish lines with markings for patrons to enable them to stand at least six feet apart from one another while waiting. Large stores must also close areas of the store that are dedicated to carpeting, flooring, furniture, garden centers, plant nurseries, or paint.
The City of Sarnia encourages families to stick to the directives on social distancing even through this holiday weekend. They acknowledge that these are difficult and unusual times, but they urge everyone to continue observing proper hygiene practices and physical distancing.
The Joint Information Center offers these tips for practicing preventive measures such as household cleaning. Simple steps, such as cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces (e.g. tables, doorknobs, light switches, faucets, countertops, and electronics) on a daily basis. Use soap and water, followed by a disinfectant, using the directions on the label. Many disinfectants need to be left on the surface for a few minutes before being wiped dry. Diluted bleach water (five tablespoons of bleach per gallon of water) is effective against coronaviruses if left on the surface for more than one minute. For more information visit: www.cdc.gov
Please continue to reputable sources for information on COVID-19:
- Centers for Disease Control: cdc.gov/coronavirus
- State of Michigan: Michigan.gov/coronavirus or Info Hotline 1-888-535-6136 Daily 8:00 am – 5:00 pm or email questions to COVID19@michigan.gov
- St. Clair County Health Department: COVID-19 Info Hotline (810) 966-4163 Mon – Fri, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm or email questions to covid19@stclaircounty.org
- St. Clair County Community Mental Health COVID-19 Support Line (810) 985-8900, available Monday-Friday, 8:30am – 4:30pm
- Lambton Public Health: https://lambtonpublichealth.ca/2019-novel-coronavirus/
- City of Sarnia COVID-19 Hotline: 1-877-4-SARNIA (1-877-472-7642)
Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand
