What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ottawa on Monday, Feb. 22

Recent developments:

• Ottawa is reporting 55 newCOVID-19 cases and one more death.
• Ontario has changed its school and child-care COVID-19 screening rules.
• Premier Doug Ford is expected to speak at 2 p.m. ET.

What's the latest?

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) recorded 55 new cases of COVID-19 and one more death Monday.Some of Ottawa'skey indicators have been slowly rising for about a week, nearing levels that would qualify the cityfor a move into the red zone and the tighter restrictions that come with it.

Students in Ontariowith just a single potential symptom of COVID-19, such as a runny nose or unexplained nausea, now have to stay home and be tested for the illness, similar to last September.

WATCH LIVE | An Ontario COVID-19 update starts at 2 p.m. ET:

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How many cases are there?

As of Monday, 14,404Ottawa residents havetested positive for COVID-19. There are currently 477known active cases and13,490resolved cases. Public health officials have attributed437deathstoCOVID-19.

Public health officials have reportedmore than 25,500COVID-19 cases across eastern Ontario and western Quebec, including more than24,000resolved cases.

Elsewhere in eastern Ontario, 130people have died ofCOVID-19,and 158people have died in western Quebec.

Akwesasne has had more than210 residents test positive on the Canadian side of the border and sevendeaths.Kitigan Zibihas had21confirmed cases andTyendinaga Mohawk Territoryhas had four, with one death.

CBC Ottawa is profilingthose who've died of COVID-19. If you'd like to share your loved one's story, pleaseget in touch.

What can I do?

Restaurants, gyms, personal care services, theatres and non-essential businesses areopenacross eastern Ontario. Most sports can also resume.

Social gatherings atprivate homes, backyards or in public parks can have up to 10 people indoors or 25 people outdoors. Organized events can be larger.

People are asked to only have close contact with people they live with, be masked and distanced for all other in-person contact andonly travel for essential reasons, especially between differently coloured zones.

Both Ottawa Public Health (OPH) and theEastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU)are orange under the province's colour-coded pandemic scale.

They have more restrictions than the rest of the region, which is in green, the lowest level. Local health unitscan also set their own rules.

Western Quebec is now underthatprovince's orange zone rules,which have some differences from Ontario's rules.

That means local gyms and restaurants will be able to reopen, joiningnon-essential businesses, hair salons and museumsallowed to open across the entire province.

Western Quebec'snew curfew hoursare 9:30 p.m. until 5 a.m.

Like in Ontario, people are asked not to see anyone they don't live with in person and travel from one region of Quebec to another is discouraged.

Outdoor gatherings of up to eight people will be allowed as of Friday.

Distancing and isolating

The novel coronavirus primarily spreads through droplets when an infected person speaks, coughs, sneezes, or breathesonto someone or something. These dropletscan hang in the air.

People can be contagious without symptoms, even after getting a vaccine. New coronavirus variants can be more contagious.

This means it isimportantto take precautions now and in the months to comelikestaying home while symptomatic and getting help with costs if neededkeeping hands and frequently touched surfaces clean and maintaining distance from anyone you don't live with, even with a mask on.

Masks, preferably ones that fit snugly and havethree layers, aremandatory in indoor public settingsin Ontarioand Quebec.

OPH says residents should also wear masks outside their homes whenever possible.

Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms should self-isolate, as should those who've beenordered to do so by their public health unit. The lengthvaries inQuebecandOntario;the latterrecently updated its rules.

Health Canada recommends older adults and people with underlying medical conditions and/or weakened immune systems stay home as much as possible and get friends and family to help with errands.

Peoplehaveto show proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test to enter Canada by land without a fineandhave to pay for their stay in a quarantine hotel if entering by air.

WATCH |New hotel quarantine rules for air travellers are now in effect:

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Symptoms and vaccines

COVID-19can range from a cold-like illnessto a severe lung infection, with common symptoms including fever, a cough, vomiting and loss of taste or smell.Children candevelop a rash.

If you have severe symptoms, call 911.

Mental healthcan also beaffected by the pandemic,andresources are available to help.

Canada's COVID-19 vaccine supply has stabilized.

About 70,800doseshave been given out since mid-December, includingabout 46,600 dosesin Ottawa and 12,600 in western Quebec.

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Ontario's first doses are generally going to care home residents and health-care workers.

Ottawa has given a second doseto most long-term care residents, is giving second doses to some health-care workers and has given a first dose to high-risk retirement home residents.

Thecity isnow vaccinatingolder Indigenous people.

The province's campaign isexpected toexpand to priority groups such as older adults and essential workers in March, with vaccines widely available inAugust.

Ottawa believes it can have nearly 700,000 residents vaccinated by August's Phase 3, hitting a groove of nearly 11,000 doses a day byearly summer.

Quebec is alsogivinga single dose toas many people as possible, starting with people in care homes and health-care workers, then remote communities, then older adults and essential workers and finally the general public.

Quebecers shouldget their second dose within 90 days.

Many of the local vaccine clinic locations that have been announced are in the same communities as test sites.

Where to get tested

In eastern Ontario:

Anyone seeking a testshouldbook an appointment.

Ontariorecommends only getting testedif you have symptoms,if you've been told to by your health unit or the province, orif you fit certain other criteria.

People without symptomsbut who arepart of the province's targeted testing strategycan make an appointment at select pharmacies. Travellers who need a test have very few local options to pay for one.

Ottawa hasnine permanent test sites, with mobile siteswherever demand is particularly high. A new test site is coming tomorrow two days a weekfor residents around Bank Street and Hunt Club Road.

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Kingston's main test site is at theBeechgrove Complex,while another is in Napanee.

People canarrange a testin Picton over the phoneor in Bancroft, Belleville and Trenton, where online booking is preferred.

TheLeeds, Grenville and Lanarkhealth unit has permanent sites in Almonte, Brockville,Kemptvilleand Smiths Falls and a mobileclinic.

Renfrew Countytest clinic locationsare posted weekly. Residentscanalso call their family doctor or 1-844-727-6404 with health questions.

TheEastern Ontario Health Unithas sites in Alexandria, Casselman, Cornwall, Hawkesbury, Rockland and Winchester.

In western Quebec:

Tests are strongly recommended for people with symptoms and their contacts.

Outaouais residentscan make an appointment in Gatineauat 135 blvd. Saint-Raymond or 617 ave.Buckingham. They cancheck thewait timefor the Saint-Raymond site.

There arerecurring clinics by appointmentin communities such as Maniwaki,Fort-Coulonge and Petite-Nation.

Call 1-877-644-4545 with questions, including if walk-in testing is available nearby.

First Nations, Inuit and Mtis:

Akwesasne'scurfew from 11 p.m. to5 a.m. is back and ithasa COVID-19 test siteby appointment only.

Anyone returning to the community on the Canadian side of the international border who's been farther than 160 kilometres away or visited Montreal for non-essential reasonsis asked to self-isolate for 14 days.

Akwesasne has alsoreleased its vaccine plans.

People inPikwakanagancan book a COVID-19 test by calling 613-625-2259.Anyone inTyendinagawho's interested in a test can call 613-967-3603.

Inuit in Ottawa can call the Akausivik Inuit Family Health Team at 613-740-0999 for service, including testing and now vaccines, in Inuktitut or English on weekdays.

For more information

• Ottawa Public Health.
• Your localeastern Ontario health unit.
• TheOntario Ministry of Health(in several languages).
• TheCentre intgr de sant et de services sociaux de l'Outaouais.
• ThePublic Health Agency of Canada.