The medical officer of health in Windsor-Essex is warning the public when public health officials tell you to self-isolate, they mean it.
Since the start of the pandemic, Dr. Wajid Ahmed said about 10 people had been ordered to self-isolate. He told reporters an order is issued when someone who has come in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 indicates they do not intend to isolate themselves.
While 10 people over the past five months are not many, he said more and more people appear to be questioning the authority of public health officials.
"More people are asking who named them as their contact. Obviously, we can not share that information under the privacy law," Ahmed explained. "I absolutely don't want to issue an order unless it's necessary."
If a close contact does not isolate, they pose a risk to the community by potentially spreading COVID-19.
Ahmed said the health unit does follow up on those they request to stay home.
"We follow up with them over the phone. We send our health inspectors or our tobacco vaping enforcement officer. At times, we take the help of local police," he said. "If they fail to do that, that's the time when we issue the order."
Not following an order can result in a fine of up to $750.
Ahmed indicated most of those who suggested they would not comply were worried about their income.
"Many of them have some economic concerns -- they were waiting for all this pandemic to get over. Now, when they're going back to work, they're being asked to stay home," he explained.
There were four new cases reported in Windsor-Essex on Friday. Of those, three people are close contacts of a previously confirmed case, and one person acquired it in the community.
The number of active cases in the region continues to inch downwards. As of Friday morning, there were 100. Of those, five people were in the hospital and 90 were self-isolating.
So far, 2,243 out of 2,414 cases reported since March are considered resolved.