Mapleview Community Church has sent an email to the congregation informing them that "a number of Mapleview church volunteers and leadership" members have tested positive for COVID-19.
The south-end Barrie church hosted a Trunk or Treat event on the weekend where members of the community could come and get Halloween candy from volunteers lined up in their vehicles on the property at 300 Mapleview Dr. W.
Pastor Jay Davis told BarrieToday in an email that, as of right now, he has not been informed by the health unit of anyone who has come in contact with COVID from Saturday’s outdoor Halloween event.
“The event was an outdoor — cool, wet day — pre-registered event, with a check-in for the families as they arrived,” said Davis. “After check-in, those attending remained outside the entire time while moving from car to car to receive their treat.
"People generally were not there much more than 20 minutes" due to the weather, he added.
Davis said the event was two one-hour sessions with slotted times for those pre-registered and that visitors would not have been in close contact for more than 15 minutes with any of the church’s staff or volunteers.
“At that time, we had no confirmed positive cases at the event. Mapleview church sent the letter out of an abundance of caution immediately after learning Sunday evening that a couple of those helping received positive test results,” said Davis. “The letter was sent out in an abundance of caution as our first concern is always to all those participating at the Mapleview church campus as well as to all those experiencing the ill effects of COVID.
"The past 19 months have been hard on everyone and everyone has been fighting a hard battle," he added. "We continue to pray for our community and city in which we minister and live.”
BarrieToday contacted the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit for more information, but no one was available for comment as of publication.
Medical officer of health Dr. Charles Gardner will hold his regular media debriefing this afternoon at 1:30 p.m., at which time more information is expected.
