Peterborough Public Health Activates Extreme Cold Response Plan

With an early start to the winter and colder weather ahead, Peterborough Public Health has activated its Extreme Cold Response Plan (ECRP) to advise residents on the best way to protect their health when temperatures plummet.

Photo courtesy of The City of Peterborough

“We all need to take precautions during cold weather to prevent illness and injuries such as frostbite and hypothermia,” said Julie Ingram, Manager of Environmental Health. “Most healthy people can tolerate a short period of cold weather if they are dry and properly dressed. Our alert system is designed to advise the public when there is an increased risk and what actions they can take to prevent cold weather-related injuries.”

Ingram noted that trend data indicates a doubling in the rate of local emergency department visits related to cold exposure between 2009 and 2018. In addition, between September 2020 and October 2021, there were 26 emergency department visits in the Peterborough area related to cold exposure.

People who are more vulnerable to the risks of cold temperatures include the elderly, infants less than one year old, people with a history of cardiovascular disease such as heart attacks and strokes, and people who are homeless or marginally housed. People who are homeless in particular spend long periods of time outside and can suffer increased health effects from the cold even at warmer temperatures.

Peterborough Public Health’s ECRP has three levels of notification:

• Frostbite Alert

• Frostbite Warning

• Cold Weather Emergency

The most common form of extreme cold notification is a Frostbite Alert. Last season, there were four Frostbite Alerts issued, and none from the other two categories. Frostbite alerts are issued when temperatures are forecasted to be from -27° to -38° Celsius or a wind chill of -27° to -38° Celsius. In these conditions, exposed skin can freeze in as little as 10 to 30 minutes. Residents are advised to take the following precautions:

• cover unprotected skin

• avoid prolonged outdoor exposure

• drink warm fluids

• check on neighbours

• maintain a warm indoor environment (ideally 20° Celsius or warmer)

Notifications of frostbite alerts and warnings will be posted on www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca and Peterborough Public Health’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts, as well as issued to the media and stakeholder groups when the forecasted temperature or wind chill may result in an increased risk of frostbite. Most townships and Curve Lake First Nation post extreme weather alerts on their websites and social media channels.

City of Peterborough Social Services also has a Cold Weather Protocol that takes effect in cold weather, which may trigger extended hours of operation for the Drop-In program.

When Social Services activates their Cold Weather Protocol they will share information regarding the locations and times of emergency shelters and any relevant outreach programs, as well as reminders to get out of the cold during periods of extreme cold.

A cold alert will be issued by Social Services when the temperature drops below -15° Celsius with a wind chill.

One Roof Community Centre drop-in at 99 Brock St. will extend their hours of operation during a cold alert from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Normal hours of operation for drop-ins is from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. with a take away meal available between 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

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Local Schools To Reopen January 25th With Enhanced Public Health Measures

Publicly-funded elementary and secondary schools in Peterborough City and County will be permitted to resume in-person learning on January 25th.

After reviewing the most recent COVID-19 data and on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Peterborough Public Health (PPH) is one of the seven public health units given the green light to allow students return on Monday.

This means that most schools in the following schools boards will resume in-person learning:

• Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board (Peterborough City and County, Northumberland County, Hastings County only)

• Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board (Peterborough City and County, Northumberland County and Kawartha Lakes only)

• Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir (Peterborough City and County only)

In a media release by Peterborough Public Health, Dr. Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health, explains that local COVID-19 rates in children haven’t risen as much as in other areas to warrant keeping area schools closed.

“In our community, the testing positivity rate is relatively low at 1.1%,” she says. “We are closely following our numbers and monitoring the trends. If the situation in our region changes, we will take appropriate action.”

For local students and staff currently exhibiting any COVID-19 symptoms, Dr. Salvaterra strongly encourages them to get tested now so they have their test results before school resumes on January 25th. Even though schools will reopen for in-person learning, staff and students must stay home if they have symptoms and while waiting for test results.

Dr. Salvaterra also notes that the provincial shutdown with enhanced measures as well as the stay at home order remains in effect for all of Ontario until at least February 11th, which means no socialization or gatherings before or after school even with cohorts.

With this reopening, the province requires schools to add additional public health measures, such as masking in younger grades and enhanced screening requirements to ensure students can safely return to school and reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

For an entire, detailed breakdown of the enhanced measures being put in place, click here.

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