The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

5 | The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,M arch 19,2020 theifp.ca deetnarauG kroW llA ac.snoitulosgnicafrusercipe.www !TNEMECALPER NAHT SSEL RAF - spotretnuoC dna stenibaC nehctiK Lions Club has postponed the annual Citizen of the Year Awards Dinner to April 28. By Tuesday morning, local restaurants and bars were ordered to close by Premier Doug Ford as he declared a state of emer- gency in the province, with only those that can offer take out and delivery al- lowed to operate. Places of worship and daycare cen- tres are also impacted by the provincial order. As of press deadline, there were four confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Hal- ton -- three in Burlington and one in Oakville. There had been no cases docu- mented in north Halton. "While we continue to see more cases, I want to re- assure residents that most individuals who do con- tract COVID-19 with mild symptoms will recover on their own," said Halton Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hamidah Meghani. "Please continue to follow the advice provided by health care professionals, self-monitor or self-isolate as appropriate and simply stay at home if you are feel- ing unwell." Bonnette has used his well-followed Twitter plat- form in recent days to urge local residents to look out for each other during these challenging times. "Hey Halton Hills, let's make this extraordinary time one of care and kind- ness for others. Check on them. Show you care. Let's start a movement," he wrote. "Please shop rea- sonably. Leave some for others. Let's remember those who are vulnerable. Remember our food banks." By Wednesday, the Town decided to close all of its facilities to the public, including Town Hall, the Robert C. Austin Opera- tions Centre and fire sta- tions, with the department continuing its regular emergency response du- ties. "We are doing things dif- ferently as the majority of our technical and indoor staff will work from home and other employees rede- ployed as possible," said Bonnette. Growing concerns about the novel coronavi- rus, which has been de- clared a pandemic by the World Health Organiza- tion, drove many to super- markets and shops to stock up on toilet paper and oth- er essentials. Social media users ex- pressed frustration over empty shelves and long lines at checkout, with some calling for stores to enforce a purchasing limit. "We have never seen any- thing like this, and no mat- ter how prepared we were, could not anticipate what is happening," Georgetown FreshCo owner Justin Ber- nard told local residents in a Georgetown community Facebook group. Although the federal government's website states that people should try to fill their cupboards with non-perishable items and other essentials, it ad- vises against panic buying and making large-scale purchases in one go. "The reason for stocking up on these items is not necessarily because you will need to self-isolate. Having these supplies on hand will ensure you do not need to leave your home at the peak of the out- break or if you become ill," the explanation reads. The website suggests gradually building up household supplies. For extensive coverage of the local response to CO- VID-19, visit theifp.ca. - with files from Bambang Sadewo STORY BEHIND THE STORY: We're tracking the local arrival and impact of the coronavirus on resi- dents and will continue to deliver the facts on this story as it evolves. NEWS Continued from page 1 LET'S HELP EACH OTHER THROUGH ORDEAL: MAYOR Bare shelves have been a common sight at grocery stores these days. Graham Paine/Torstar