Letter of Instruction Issued to Sports and Recreation Facilities Will Replace Previous Letter of Instruction to Sports Groups
Written by Communications, October 15, 2021
Vaccine Receipt Verification App Now Available
As of October 15, Peterborough Public Health is repealing the letter of instructions for organized sports groups issued on September 17, 2021. This will be replaced with a new letter of instruction for sports and recreational fitness facilities to ensure our community has enhanced protection as the province slowly begins to lessen public health requirements for these facilities. This letter of instruction will be enforceable under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020 and will require all sports and recreational fitness facilities to confirm proof of vaccination and personal identification for all persons 12 years of age and older.
The current provincial proof of vaccination requirements exempt certain participants of organized sports, including participants between the ages of 12-17, volunteers, coaches and officials. The letter of instruction from Peterborough Public Health will require all persons responsible for businesses and organizations with indoor facilities located in the City or County of Peterborough where organized sports are played and/or practiced to:
- Effective 12:01 a.m. on October 18, 2021, upon entry to the facility, confirm proof of vaccination (or proof of a medical exemption) and personal identification, for all volunteers, coaches and officials, 12 years of age and older, in addition to the individuals prescribed by the regulation.
- Effective 12:01 a.m. on November 26, 2021, upon entry to the facility, confirm proof of vaccination (or proof of a medical exemption) and personal identification, for all persons 12 years of age and older, including participants actively engaged in organized sports.
- Continue to comply with all other public health measures related to screening, physical distancing, use of personal protective equipment, and maintaining a log with contact information of every member of the public who enters the facility, as outlined in Reg. 364/20.
“Given the high-risk nature of sports, which includes close contact and forceful exhalation, I am requiring proof of vaccination for these individuals, in addition to the individuals prescribed by provincial legislation,” said Dr. Ian Gemmill, Acting Medical Officer of Health. “This enhanced letter of instruction will help to ensure these facilities can remain open and programs operating.”
On October 15, the province announced the launch of an enhanced COVID-19 vaccine receipt screening system. This system allows owners and operators of high-risk businesses and organizations, including those outlined in the Peterborough Public Health Sports Facilities Letter of Instruction, access to an app for their smart device that will help review and verify patron’s COVID-19 vaccine receipts. With the launch of this system, patrons can download a new COVID-19 vaccine receipt that contains a QR code. This QR code will be scanned upon entry of high-risk indoor settings. To ensure the online vaccine certificate portal remains stable, the province will stagger the availability of the vaccine receipts to residents based on birth month. For more information please review the provincial online vaccination portal or call the provincial vaccine contact centre at 1-833-943-3900.
Additional information on the provincial proof of vaccination requirements and Peterborough Public Health letter of instruction can be found at www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca/proofofvaccine
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For further information, please contact:
Brittany Cadence
Communications Manager
705-743-1000, ext. 391