Officials have no plans for mandatory testing

WINDSOR-ESSEX — Wednesday’s local and provincial updates with the media on the COVID-19 pandemic provided some answers to questions being asked across the county.

Dr. Wajid Ahmed, Windsor-Essex Medical Officer of Health, met with the media Wednesday and answered questions about the local test results and reports.

Dr. Ahmed stressed that he does not have the power or ability to mandate testing in the agri-food sector. That call can only be made by upper levels of government.

Later in the day, Premier Doug Ford said that he cannot force people to take a test but is pleading with farms in Windsor-Essex get their workers tested.

These statements come on the heels of the announcement that the temporary testing site at the Nature Fresh Farms Recreation Centre in Leamington, is closing down effective Thursday.

Out of about 8,000 agri-food workers in the region, only about 750 attended and got swabbed. This was completely voluntary for the workers to get tested.

Erie Shores HealthCare was pleased that the centre was at least able to test those 750 workers, who may not have been tested otherwise.

In total, there are about 320 agri-food workers in the region who have tested positive over the course of the pandemic. About 165 of those positive cases are currently active. There have been two deaths in the sector.

Windsor-Essex remains on the ‘no-fly’ list for being able to graduate to Phase 2 of Ontario’s reopening plan and Ontario Minister of Health, Christine Elliott, says that the agri-food situation, coupled with the amount of healthcare workers traveling back and forth across the border, are the primary reasons that Windsor-Essex has not progressed to Phase 2.

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