What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ottawa on Friday, June 12

Recent developments:

• Today is reopening day in Ottawa businesses like hair salons and restaurants with patios can welcome back customers.
• Health officials are urging people to remember to practise physical distancing because the virus is still out there.
• All day today, CBC Radio One is focusing on the needs at the Ottawa Food Bank.

What's happening today?

Starting today public life in Ottawa is about to get a whole lot more interesting. It's Stage Two reopening day hair and nail salons, malls and patios can open among many other services and establishments.

While it might be tempting to go hog-wild, experts are urging people to remain vigilant: wear masks, stay two metres apart and keep hands clean.

Go here to read a full list of the businesses opening as part of Stage Two.

All day today CBC Ottawa's radio programs will explore themes of food security and recognize people who are helping feed our communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tune in to CBC Radio One 91.5 FM or the CBC Listen app.

How many cases are there?

As of OPH's latest report on Thursday, there have been 2,012 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa and 257 deaths linked to the respiratory illness.

There are more than 3,200 known cases across eastern Ontario and western Quebec.

About 2,600 people in the region have recovered from COVID-19.

COVID-19 has killed 50 people in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark counties, 17 in other parts of eastern Ontario and 29 in the Outaouais.

What's open and closed?

Ottawa and two dozen other regions of Ontario have entered "Stage 2." Public pools can reopen, as can restaurant patios, salons, all shopping malls and a host of other businesses.

Child-care centres can also reopen, provided they adhere to strict public health measures including capacity limits, enhanced screening for symptoms and a ban on visitors

Ontario Parks says it's ready to begin opening some campsites starting the week of June 22. The provincial parks service says it will provide washrooms, drinking water and trailer sanitation stations; however, laundry, group camping, picnic shelter rentals and swimming pools will remain closed for the season.

In Quebec, malls, campgrounds and Airbnbs, courts and services such as dentist offices and hair salons reopened.

The City of Ottawa says summer day camps will start July 6 with smaller group sizes, more counsellors and restricted activities due to the coronavirus.

Soccer and baseball teams in western Quebec can begin training, but players will have to continue physical distancing.

Outdoor team sports may resume in Ontario as well, if physically distanced, and for training only.

Quebec elementary schools outside Montreal are open. Schools for its older students and all Ontario schools are closed through summer.

Post-secondary schools are moving toward more online classes this fall, with Ontario promising a fall plan for younger students by July and Quebec hoping to have students back in class full-time.

Distancing and isolating

The coronavirus primarily spreads through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. People don't need to have symptoms to be contagious.

That means physical distancing measures such as working from home and staying at least two metres away from anyone they don't live with.

Ottawa Public Health now wants people to think about how to safely do certain things and recommends people wear a fabric or non-medical mask when they can't always stay two metres from strangers, such as at a grocery store.

WATCH: Expanding your 'household bubble'? Don't mix and match, OPH says

Expanding your household bubble? Dont mix and match, OPH says

4 years ago

Duration 0:48

Vera Etches, Ottawas chief medical officer of health, says its important that household bubbles are limited to the same people for every interaction rather than intermingling with several different groups.

Anyone who has symptoms or travelled recently outside Canada must self-isolate for at least 14 days.

Specifically in Ottawa, anyone waiting for a COVID-19 test result must self-isolate at least until they know the result.

The same goes for anyone in Ontario who's been in contact with someone who's tested positive or is presumed to have COVID-19.

People 70 and older or with compromised immune systems or underlying health conditions should also self-isolate.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

COVID-19 can range from a cold-like illness to a severe lung infection, with common symptoms including fever, a dry cough, vomiting and the loss of taste or smell.

Less common symptoms include chills, headaches and pink eye. The Ontario government says in rare cases, children can develop a rash.

If you have severe symptoms, call 911.

Where to get tested

In eastern Ontario:

In Ottawa any resident who feels they need a test, even if they are not showing symptoms, can now be tested.

Tests are done at the Brewer Arena from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., seven days a week, or at 595 Moodie Dr. and 1485 Heron Rd. those same hours on weekdays.

Testing has also expanded for local residents and employees who work in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit area.

There is a drive-thru test centre in Casselman and assessment centres in Hawkesbury and Winchester that don't require people to call ahead and others in Rockland, and Cornwall that require an appointment.

In Kingston, the assessment centre at the Kingston Memorial Centre is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on weekends from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for anyone with symptoms.

Napanee's test centre is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily for people who call for an appointment.

The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark unit asks you to get tested if you have a symptom or concerns about exposure.

It has a walk-in site in Brockville open seven days a week at the Memorial Centre and testing sites in Smiths Falls and Almonte which require an appointment.

The public health unit in the Belleville area is asking people to call it at 613-966-5500, their family doctor or Telehealth if they have symptoms or questions.

If you have no symptoms, you can arrange a test in Bancroft, Belleville or Trenton by calling the centre, or in Picton by texting 613-813-6864. You can also call Picton's number as a backup.

You may also qualify for a home test.

Renfrew County is also providing home testing under some circumstances. Residents without access to a family doctor can call 1-844-727-6404 if they have health questions, COVID-19-related or not.

If you're concerned about the coronavirus, take the self-assessment.

In western Quebec:

Outaouais residents should call 819-644-4545 if they have symptoms. They could end up being referred to Gatineau's testing centre.

First Nations:

Local communities have declared states of emergency, put in a curfew or both.

Akwesasne has opened a mobile COVID-19 test site available by appointment only. Anyone returning to Akwesasne who's been farther than 80 kilometres away is asked to self-isolate for 14 days.

Anyone in Tyendinaga who has symptoms can call 613-967-3603 to talk to a nurse.

Pikwakanagan's council planned to let businesses reopen as of May 29. Kitigan Zibi is keeping schools closed through the summer.

For more information

• Ottawa Public Health.
• Your local eastern Ontario health unit.
• The Ontario Ministry of Health (in several languages).
• The Centre intgr de sant et de services sociaux de l'Outaouais.
• The Public Health Agency of Canada.