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Ottawa mayor orders end to ban on window visits in city nursing homes

Apr 30, 2020 | 10:23 AM

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson says he’s ordered the people who run the city’s nursing homes to find a way to let family members visit residents through windows again.

The four municipal homes’ administrators told families to stop coming to their grounds in letters sent out this week, saying there had been incidents of outdoor visitors not observing distancing rules meant to protect residents from COVID-19.

The instruction prompted a furor from families who haven’t been allowed in to visit their relatives in weeks, as well as from city councillors.

The mayor says he wants a new plan in place by May 7.

About 700 people live in Ottawa’s four city-run long-term care centres.

Three staff in them have tested positive for COVID-19.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2020.

The Canadian Press