Contact tracing for private gatherings now MANDATORY in Durham region

The Durham region of Ontario has passed rules dictating that all private gatherings must be documented by residents and given to the relevant authorities upon request.

On September 10, the Durham Region Health Department issued a "COVID-19 Class Order for Social Gatherings," which they define as "a gathering of two or more people who do not reside in the same household." The reason for the order, they say, is that some residents have failed to comply with previous requests by the DRHD to provide contact tracing information.

Under the order, hosts of social gatherings are now required to "maintain a list of full names and contact information (including phone numbers) for all attendees ... regardless of age, in a private dwelling and/or commercial premises." Upon request, hosts "shall provide Durham Region Health Department (DRHD) with this information within 24 hours of the request, or other time specified." The list of names and contact information is required to be maintained for at least one month.

The DRHD goes on to say that both private citizens and businesses now hold the same responsibility when it comes to documenting who enters their domain. Those who fail to comply, they add, "may be charged and fined up to $5,000 per day while corporations may be fined up to $25,000 per day."

Those who are impacted by the order do have the ability to challenge it via the Health Services Appeal and Review Board, who can be contacted via their website.