Halton MOH updates Class Order to align with Provincial guidance and further protect residents

To align with Provincial guidance, Halton Region’s Medical Officer of Health has made important amendments to her Class Order requiring self-isolation under Section 22 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act. Effective 12:01 a.m. on June 16, 2021, the amendments revise and clarify self-isolation requirements to prevent COVID-19 transmission in the community.

“A key role of Public Health in controlling the spread of the virus is to identify, contact and make sure high risk individuals are isolating as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region’s Medical Officer of Health. “Stopping the spread of COVID-19 is a community effort and as we enter Step 1 of the Roadmap to Reopen we need to make every effort to further reduce the spread and severity of the virus in our community. It is important that our community continues to follow all public health direction and has clarity on what they need to do to stay healthy and protect others.”

Amendments to the Class Order reflect new provincial guidance and include an exemption for some fully vaccinated individuals from the requirement to self-isolate. Key amendments to the Order include:

• clarification that Halton Region Public Health may require people to self-isolate to prevent COVID-19 transmission in circumstances beyond the categories itemized in the Class Order; and
• an exemption to self-isolation requirements for some fully vaccinated individuals, based on specific requirements and in consultation with Halton Region Public Health.

Details of the changes to self-isolation requirements in the Class Order include:
Fully vaccinated individuals who are a close contact of a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19 may not be required to self-isolate if:

• they received their second dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series, or first dose of a one-dose vaccine series, 14 days or more before the day on which they last had close contact with the confirmed case or probable case of COVID-19;
• their vaccine history has been confirmed by Halton Region Public Health;
• they are asymptomatic; and
• they are not a resident of a long-term care or retirement home, a patient admitted to a health care setting, or an individual with an immunocompromising condition (for example, organ or stem cell transplantation recipients, undergoing chemotherapy or immunosuppressive therapies).

Fully vaccinated individuals who meet these requirements may still be required to self-isolate if Halton Region Public Health has information that links their exposure to a Variant of Concern of the COVID-19 virus for which vaccine effectiveness is not well established.
Even if Halton Region Public Health has told you that you do not need to self-isolate:

• you must report your exposure to your employer and follow any restrictions from work as specified by your employer; and
• if you develop new symptoms (even mild symptoms) of COVID-19, you must self-isolate immediately and report your symptoms to Halton Region Public Health.

Halton Region and Ontario have now experienced outbreaks and community transmission of Variants of Concern (VOCs) of the COVID-19 virus—even in vaccinated individuals. Following public health measures is the best way to protect the community against the spread of COVID-19, including VOCs. To protect yourself and others this summer:

• get fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (two doses);
• practice physical distancing by maintaining a 2-metre distance from others outside of your household (or 3-metres if and as required for some newly permitted activities);
• wear a non-medical mask where required and when physical distancing cannot be maintained;
• wash hands frequently with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand rub; and
• get tested if you think you have COVID-19 or may have been exposed to it, even if you’ve been vaccinated.  Stay home, and self-isolate.

To learn more, please read the Class Order and the Class Order fact sheet. To learn more about COVID-19 in our community and what you need to do to protect yourself and others, including under the Class Order, please visit halton.ca/COVID19.