ORILLA ART, HISTORY MUSEUM HEEDS ADVICE TO CLOSE

ORILLIA — As COVID-19 spreads, more private organization are stepping up to restrict the possible access to the virus.

Locally, Casino Rama has finally given in to government and public concern and closed as of 3 p.m. Monday.

Also in Orillia, the Orillia Museum of Art & History said at the same time that it is heeding the advice of provincial and regional health officials to close.

In a letter to members, the media and the public, executive director Ninette Gyorody wrote today:

Dear Members, Supporters, Parents/Caregivers, and Volunteers:

The Orillia Museum of Art & History is monitoring the situation surrounding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and we want to assure you that we are taking all of the precautions deemed necessary.

To protect visitors, staff and volunteers, and to limit any potential transmission of the coronavirus, we will be closed indefinitely. The board of directors along with staff are re-evaluating our plan on an ongoing basis.

While the risk of becoming infected remains low, we are following the cautionary advice of the province’s chief medical officer, through its dedicated website on COVID-19, which is updated twice daily, and the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.

We will update our webpage and social media as the situation changes and our plans change accordingly.

For any questions, please call the museum at 705-326-2159 or email [email protected].

More information:

COVID-19 is a respiratory infection whose symptoms include fever, cough, or breathing difficulty.  At this point in time, there is no treatment for this infection and no vaccine.  Most people (approximately 80%) who develop COVID-19 will recover on their own.

Here are some reminders of what you and your family can do to stay healthy and prevent the spread of respiratory viruses including COVID-19:

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer

Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing; if no tissue is available, then sneeze or cough into the sleeve or arm

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth

Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces regularly

If you feel ill, stay home until your symptoms resolve.

We want our members, supporters, families and volunteers to remain healthy and well and able to enjoy our programs and events in the future.

Yours in culture,
Ninette Gyorody, executive director