The County of Wellington aims to end its State of Emergency by the end of the year. The decision was made in consultation with the Medical Officer of Health for Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, effective December 31, 2021 at 11:59 pm. That is if COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to decline and if the paediatric COVID-19 vaccination (ages 5-11 years old) process is under way.
The County declared a State of Emergency on March 23, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The State of Emergency provides Warden Kelly Linton the authority to take actions and make orders he considers to be necessary to protect the health, safety, property and welfare of County residents.
The State of Emergency also delegates some additional authority to the County’s Chief Administrative Officer, Scott Wilson. It has enabled the County to rapidly redeploy staff to assist at the Wellington Terrace Long Term Care Home and in COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics.
In a media release, Warden Kelly Linton says while there is no longer a need for a local State of Emergency to be in place, the pandemic is not over. He urges all residents to get vaccinated and continue to follow guidance from Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health.
"After nearly 20 months of a global pandemic, it is time to chart a path back to something more normal for all of us. I applaud our municipal partners for all they have done to protect residents from COVID-19 and look forward to charting a careful end to restrictions that reflects the reality and needs of our communities,” said Dr. Nicola Mercer Medical Officer of Health and CEO for Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health. “Ending the pandemic is a job for all of us. Please continue to follow public health guidance so that as we approach the time to ease restrictions, we are as safe and as ready as we can be."
To date, nearly 80% of eligible Wellington County residents are fully vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine.