New COVID-19 webpage to keep community informed of potential exposure

Toronto Public Health (TPH) has launched a new page on the City of Toronto’s website that discloses specific locations where community members may have been exposed to COVID-19 in large settings or where individual contact information is not available. It also provides instructions on steps that affected people should take to better protect their health and the health of those around them.

The COVID-19 Exposure Notifications page (www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-what-you-should-do/covid-19-public-exposure-reports/) includes information on potential exposures in situations where one or more cases has been detected in a setting within a defined timeframe and where a contact list is not available. To protect privacy, public reporting of exposures will occur for settings where 20 or more people were present and at locations that are not a single residential address. This approach enables community members to take timely action to protect their health and prevent further virus spread in the community. This information will be updated on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 3 p.m. and shared through TPH’s social media channels.

This new approach enhances the current case and contact management efforts and allows TPH to reach members of the public faster when they have been exposed to COVID-19. TPH carries one of the largest municipal case and contact management operations in the country, with more than 900 staff dedicated to case management, individual follow-ups, text alerts and mass notifications through RAVE alerts.

TPH appreciates the ongoing assistance of Toronto businesses and residents in managing exposures to COVID-19 and helping keep our community safe. If you are a business owner/operator, please visit our COVID-19: Businesses & Organizations – Reopening Guides pages for additional support and resources: www.toronto.ca/business-economy/business-operation-growth/covid-19-economic-support-recovery-for-businesses/.

As COVID-19 continues to circulate in Toronto, TPH reminds residents of the importance of taking steps to protect their health and our city’s progress: get fully vaccinated as soon as you can, keep a distance of at least two metres from people you don’t live with, wear a mask, wash your hands and stay home if you feel unwell.

Quote:

“Toronto Public Health continues to review the latest evidence to identify ways to better protect our community against COVID-19. This is especially important as we continue moving forward returning to many of the activities that we’ve missed. We’re sharing this information to help prevent opportunities for virus spread and equipping residents with instructions they can follow to protect their health and the health of those around them if they may have been exposed to this virus.  On behalf of my team, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to our local business community for all of their efforts to protect the health and safety of workers, customers, and our community as we live with this virus.”
– Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health

Source City of Toronto