WINDSOR, ONT. Chatham-Kent police and Chatham-Kent Public Health are investigating a church gathering in the region. A concerned citizen took a video of dozens of cars outside the Old Colony Mennonite Church in Chatham around 12:15 p.m. on Sunday. Under the current provincial COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, religious gatherings indoors are allowed a maximum capacity of 10 people. It’s not the first time the church has been under investigation. Officers were also called to the church at 22046 Wheatley Road after a report of a large gathering on Dec. 26, 2020.
A Wheatley man was charged after police say they found more than 100 unmasked people inside.
In October, the OC Mennonite Church in Prespatou quietly decided for the sake of their member’s mental and spiritual health to resume regular, non-distanced, non-masked church services. Their COVID cases had resolved, schools had reopened and they hoped that no one would be interested. I would have argued that they should have expected a pandemic research team. After all, COVID-19 is a new strain of virus which we need to know more about. The nearly closed community of Prespatou provides an opportunity to study the spread, impact and herd-immunity possible by being exposed and contracting COVID-19. It is possible that this has happened, or is happening, but it’s not making the news.
Surrey wedding host, restaurant owner, northern B.C. church fined for breaking COVID-19 orders
Thousands of dollars in fines have been handed out by RCMP in both Surrey, and Fort St. John to a growing number of people who police say are ignoring COVID-19 health orders.
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Posted: Apr 14, 2021 3:03 PM PT | Last Updated: April 14
RCMP say most of the fines were issued over large gatherings, including a $2,300 fine for the host of a wedding where 22 people were in attendance.(David Bell/CBC)
Prespatou pastor issued $2,300 COVID-19 ticket energeticcity.ca - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from energeticcity.ca Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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The surge in COVID-19 cases in early January can traced to people who refused to stay away from holiday gatherings, says medical officer of health Dr. David Colby.
“A lot of people disregarded public health advice with regard to holiday gatherings and we’re paying the price in terms of increased numbers,” Colby said.
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The Chatham-Kent public health unit reported 26 new cases on Jan. 7 as the region’s cumulative total rose to 842 cases.