Since the beginning of the pandemic we’ve come together as a community to keep Lambton a safe and healthy place to live. Just as Lambton Public Health staff and our healthcare partners have worked tirelessly to keep our community safe and healthy, you have also done your part to keep it that way – thank you.

These past nine months have been challenging. Families and communities have suffered loss – loved ones, family members, and community leaders. We’ve lost the ability to properly mourn loss, to celebrate life and its milestones, and yet we have persevered. Thank you for taking this seriously. Thank you for listening to what public health has asked you to do. Thank you for being patient with the impacts the pandemic has had on our lives. Thank you for being resilient and supporting one another through these challenging times.

But we are not done yet.

As we approach the holiday season and the time of the year when we usually get together with family and friends, we are asking you to continue to be patient and to follow public health measures. By doing so you allow our healthcare system to function and continue to serve the most vulnerable. Some strategies that may help to limit the spread of COVID-19 include:

• Limit all non-essential social activities
• If you need to see someone or do something, be safe about it:
  • Stay apart when you are indoors
  • Wear masks especially if you are meeting someone who could be at risk of severe disease
  • Try not to gather around meals, or spend a lot of time in your visits
  • Visit with as few people as possible and as little as possible.
  • Stay home if you are sick or even mildly unwell
• Continue to support our communities through charitable donations and alternative volunteering strategies to support one another safely.

Ultimately, the safest practice is to keep your visits virtual rather than in-person. That said, your health is important and we care about you. It is still important that you seek medical services during the pandemic. And remember to reach out to people if you need someone to talk to. Sometimes a quick check in or chat can go a long way to keeping us mentally strong. These next few weeks will be difficult but we know we can get through this together. When this pandemic ends – and it will end – we will be able to gather once more, surrounded by the friends and loved ones we were able to keep healthy and safe. We will be able to go to see our favourite bands, adventure abroad, celebrate with friends, and share meals with loved ones once more. We will be able to do so knowing that we did our best to keep our each other healthy. And we will be stronger for it.