Published March 14, 2020 18:41
The safety and well-being of the children and youth in our care is always our first priority.
In response to the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, and in consultation with our Board of Directors, The Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa has made the difficult decision to suspend all programs and services effective March 16th until further notice. We will reassess at the end of the week and make a decision about following weeks.
This was a difficult decision; we understand the importance of the Club in the lives of our children and youth, however we believe this is a necessary and prudent step to support the health and safety of the children and youth who attend our Clubs.We have been paying close attention to the situation in Ottawa, and we have been taking precautions based on the recommendations of federal and provincial governments, as well as our national body, Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada. We have also been carefully monitoring the actions taken by other organizations in our community, such as schools and other after-school programs.
Ottawa Public Health advises people to take the following measures to reduce the risk and spread of the virus:- Clean your hands frequently with soap and water, or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Stay at home if you are sick, which includes not visiting others in hospital or a care home.
- Cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze.
- If you don't have a tissue, sneeze or cough into your sleeve or arm.
- Get a yearly flu vaccination.
- Consider social distancing, or staying two metres or more away from other people. This is the reason behind many cancellations.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact Colleen Mooney, Executive Director, cmooney@bgcottawa.org
Watch our social channels – Twitter, Instagram, Facebook @bgcottawa – for updates. We will post a decision about when the Clubs will re-open on these channels.