The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) is expanding on its plan to disclose businesses in the community where there have been positive cases of COVID-19.
As AM800 News reported on Wednesday, the health unit will begin reporting any workplace where two or more employees have tested positive within a reasonable timeline to suspect transmission.
Speaking on Friday morning, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ahmed Wajid now says the name of a business will only be released if it meets certain criteria set out by the health unit.
"For example if a business is not open for the general public to go in and do any business there, potentially that eliminates the risk of individuals or the community with that particular business," says Ahmed. "So we will not be naming those businesses unless we feel that there is an urgency or a need.”
That being said, Dr. Ahmed says there are obvious times where a business would be named.
"For example, if there is a grocery store or a place where many people visit and if there is any concerns about cases in that particular business and it has an implication for the community, we will be naming those businesses particularly.”
If a business has employees that test positive and the Health Unit doesn’t find it necessary to disclose the name, Dr. Ahmed says it's up to that business to decide if it wants's to notify the public.
"Many of these businesses are obligated under the occupational health and safety regulations and under the ministry of labour regulations to provide some of that details to their employees, but that’s to their employees and many of the businesses I think they made a responsible decision to disclosed it even to the general public."
The list of businesses in Windsor-Essex experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks as of June 12, 2020. (Image courtesy of Windsor-Essex County Health Unit)
The WECHU is reporting 13 additional cases of COVID-19, eight of which are workers in the agri-farm sector, for a total of 1,133.
No additional deaths are reported for a total of 67, 676 cases are resolved and the health unit continues to deal with an outbreak at one long-term care home where a staff member tested positive.
4,499 people have been tested at various drive-thru tests in Windsor-Essex.