Windsor-Essex is in 'orange' status, according to new WECHU COVID-19 indicator

The “orange” status indicates a medium risk. (Courtesy WECHU)

Windsor, Ont. — The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit has a new tool to let residents know how the region is doing in the pandemic.

The local COVID-19 pandemic status indicator is posted on the health unit’s website.

The region is currently in “orange” status, which indicates a medium risk.

The indicator has three levels. It could range from yellow to orange to red. Yellow is the lowest risk, orange is medium risk and red is high.

“These indicators are grouped this way to ensure that the various risks that are associated with the pandemic are mitigated,” says medical officer of health Dr. Wajid Ahmed.

Ahmed says it will help residents and businesses to make decisions based on the risk level.

"Businesses an opportunity to modify their operations according to risk levels to keep their businesses safe and municipalities an opportunity to allow certain events or to provide more or less services to the resident," says Ahmed.

The color status is determined based on epidemiological data.

"We will be monitoring each of these trends as we always do and then if there are any concerning trend that we are identifying, we will be updating the community as such but right now the goal is to keep this data posted every week," says Ahmed.

He says the status indicator is aligned with the government’s framework for reopening the province.