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Attending Summer Festivals & Events Safely

Summertime can be a time for gathering with friends and family and enjoying many of the local outdoor events and festivals offered throughout Simcoe Muskoka. If you are planning to attend an event or gathering, here are some things to keep in mind to help make your experience one that is both healthy and enjoyable.

Be sun, heat and water safe, prevent sunburns, water, heat-related illness by taking the following actions:

  • Stay in cool, shaded areas while the sun is out or bring your own source of shade, such as an umbrella or tent.
  • Use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher as well as a lip balm with sunscreen. Apply 30 minutes before going outside and every two hours or after skin becomes wet from water or sweating. Sunscreen is not recommended for babies under the age of 6 months.
  • Cover up. Wear a wide-brimmed hat that shades the face, neck, and ears and light-colored loose-fitting clothes covering as much of the body as possible (e.g. long sleeved shirt and pants).
  • Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water – avoid alcoholic and caffeine beverages Don’t wait until you feel thirsty as this is a sign that your body is already becoming dehydrated.
  • Only drink water from a safe potable water source such as water fill stations or from municipal water supplies. Use a clean bottle or container at drinking water fill stations. Don’t put hoses or taps directly into your mouth, bottle or container.
  • Wash your hands before and after using drinking water stations.
  • Visit a local beach to cool off. A list of public beaches monitored during the summer is available on our website.

 

Heat stroke is a medical emergency! If you experience any of the following severe symptoms of heat-related illness get help immediately.

  • Not sweating
  • Hot flushed skin or pale skin
  • Severe nausea or vomiting
  • Fainting or loss of consciousness
  • Confusion or disorientation
  • Difficulty speaking
  • Movement and coordination problems
  • Lethargic
  • Not urinating or very small amounts
  • Rapid breathing and/or heart rate
  • Body temperature over 39oC.

 

For further information, visit our Sun Safety, Heat Health Effects and Beach Water Testing webpages.

Summer is a perfect time for barbecues, picnics, and outdoor meals. But without careful thought and preparation, these activities can present an increased risk of foodborne illness. To be food safe, follow these recommendations:

Keep things clean:

  • Pack soap and a cloth for washing and ensure there is a safe source of water available. If tap water is not available, use bottled water or boil untreated water for two minutes before using.
  • Wash your hands with soap and warm water before and after handling food.
  • Clean all cooking surfaces and utensils with soap and warm water before and after each use. Before packing your cooler, wash it with soap, sanitize with a bleach-water solution, and rinse with cold water.

Keep raw meats, poultry, fish, and eggs separate:

  • Store raw meats, poultry, fish, and eggs separate from other foods to prevent cross-contamination of bacteria. Pack these foods in leak-proof bags at the bottom of your cooler or pack them in a separate cooler.
  • Pack two sets of utensils and use one set for raw meats only.

Chill perishable foods:

  • Keep all perishable foods cold, at a temperature of 0-4⁰C. Pack them in an insulated cooler with ice packs, frozen re-usable water bottles, or bags of ice. Be sure to keep your cooler out of the sun.
  • Never leave perishable foods out for more than 1-2 hours.

Cook foods to the appropriate temperature:

  • Food is safely cooked when it reaches a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria. Pack a digital thermometer to check if your food is cooked thoroughly.

For more information, visit our Food Safety webpages.

Here are some tips to help you make healthy food choices while attending summer events and gatherings:

For more information, visit our webpages on Healthy Eating.

When enjoying the outdoors, we enter tick and mosquito habitats. The risks of Lyme disease, spread by blacklegged ticks, and West Nile virus, carried by certain mosquitoes, are increasing throughout Simcoe Muskoka because of the warmer temperatures brought on by climate change. To decrease your exposure to tick or mosquito-borne illnesses, you can take the following actions:

  • Avoid or limit your time outdoors at dusk or dawn, as this is when mosquitoes are most active.
  • When outdoors in grassy or wooded areas, wear light-coloured, long-sleeved shirts and pants, shoes with closed toes, and tuck your pant cuffs into your socks. Light-coloured clothing makes ticks easier to see.
  • Use an insect repellent containing DEET or Icaridin. Before using an insect repellent, make sure it is registered in Canada, read the label, and follow directions. If using a spray repellent, be sure to use the product in a well-ventilated area. Apply only to exposed skin and/or clothing - never underneath clothing.
  • Do a full body tick check on yourself and your family (including pets) after being outdoors.
  • If you find a tick, remove it as soon as possible and check the rest of your body as there could be more. Once removed, visit eTick.ca to identify the tick and follow the guidance provided. If you develop any symptoms associated with Lyme disease, be sure to speak with your health care provider.

For instructions on doing a tick check and to learn more about Lyme disease,  visit our webpage on Lyme Disease and Ticks.
  • Remember, clean your hands often to prevent yourself from getting sick and to stop the spread of germs to others. Use soap and running water for 15 seconds if your hands are visibly soiled. You can use alcohol-based hand rub for 15 seconds if your hands are not visibly soiled. If there is no running water available use wet towelettes (i.e., Wet Naps) to remove the soil and then use alcohol-based hand rub.
  • If you become ill with diarrhea, vomiting, rash, and/or fever, stay home. If you have a cough or runny nose, cover your coughs and sneezes, clean your hands often, and stay home. If your illness lasts many days or becomes worse, you should seek medical attention from your health care provider and tell them you attended an event.

If you choose to drink at a summer event or gathering, keep the following recommendations in mind to reduce the harms associated with alcohol:

  • Refer to Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health for information on how to reduce your risks when consuming alcohol.
  • No amount of alcohol is safe when pregnant. 
  • Alcohol impairs your judgment, coordination, and reaction time. Arrange a way home in advance if you are planning to drink at an event. Driving while impaired is illegal and dangerous. Avoid being a passenger with an impaired driver.
  • Mixing alcohol with other drugs can be dangerous and sometimes fatal. Get immediate medical assistance if you or anyone else is experiencing the harmful effects of mixing alcohol and drugs.

Visit our Alcohol webpages for more information.

When attending summer events you are strongly encouraged not to smoke or vape to protect your own health, and to protect staff, volunteers, and guests (including children) from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and vapour, and to reduce fire-related risks. If you do choose to smoke or vape at an event, you must comply with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, which states that smoking of tobacco and/or cannabis and vaping of any substance is prohibited as follows:

  • inside all public places and workplaces, including buildings, work vehicles and indoor and outdoor food and/or beverage areas;
  • on patios and within 9 metres of a patio where food and drink is served, including outdoor areas where seating tables are provided for patrons to consume their meal or beverage;
  • inside buildings, temporary structures that are covered, work vehicles, and washrooms (including portable toilets) at the event.

For more information, visit our Smoking and Tobacco webpage.

Thinking of quitting?
Visit Don’t Quit Quitting or SmokersHelpline.ca for tips and online support for your quit attempt.

If you choose to use cannabis at an event or gathering this summer, keep the following recommendations in mind to reduce the associated harms:

  • Follow Canada’s Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines to reduce the risk of potential harmful effects from cannabis.
  • It is safest to avoid using any form of cannabis if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
  • Cannabis impairs your judgment, coordination, and reaction time. Arrange a way home in advance if you will be using cannabis at an event. Driving while impaired is illegal and dangerous. Avoid being a passenger with a driver impaired by cannabis.

Those who choose to use cannabis at events must comply with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, which states that smoking of tobacco and/or cannabis and vaping of any substance is prohibited as follows:

    • inside all public places and workplaces, including buildings, work vehicles and indoor and outdoor food and/or beverage areas.
    • on patios and within 9 metres of a patio where food and drink is served including outdoor areas where seating tables are provided for patrons to consume their meal or beverage.
    • inside buildings, temporary structures that are covered, work vehicles and washrooms (including portable toilets) at the event.

    For more information, visit our webpages on Cannabis.

    Opioids

    • Unregulated drugs can be laced with powerful opioids, such as fentanyl. Fentanyl and other substances can be hard to detect and can make the dose and sedation much higher than expected. Fentanyl in the unregulated drug supply remains unpredictable and can lead to overdose or death.
    • Benzodiazepines and other dangerous tranquilizers normally used for animals (Xylazine and medetomidine) have been showing up in the Simcoe Muskoka unregulated opioid supply. Benzodiazepines and tranquilizers compound the effects of opioids and slow down breathing. The combination of opioids, tranquilizers, and benzodiazepines taken together without knowing it can increase the risk of overdose and death.
    • If you are using opioids or other unregulated substances, use with someone you trust, and keep an eye on each other, carry a Naloxone kit and know how to use it.
    • Naloxone kits are available free of charge to people at risk of an opioid poisoning, their family and friends. They are available at health unit offices and other community partners as well as participating pharmacies. To find a location close to you visit: Where to get a free Naloxone kit.
    • If you are using alone, before you use, consider calling or texting the National Overdose Response Service at 1-800-484-3731 to make an overdose response plan.
    • If you are unsure of the strength of your substance, it is always safer to start with a lower dose and take more if needed.

    Know the signs of an opioid overdose:

    • Breathing will be slow or gone
    • Lips and nails are blue, grey or/ purple
    • Person is not moving
    • Person may be choking
    • You can hear gurgling sounds or snoring
    • Person can’t be woken up
    • Skin feels cold and clammy
    • Pupils are tiny

    Harm Reduction Program Exchange Works

    Harm reduction programs provide access to a variety of drug using equipment including equipment for inhalation and injection. Some partners also provide Naloxone kits (with training), counselling, education, health care and referrals as needed. Harm reduction supplies can be picked up at health unit offices, as well as a variety of community partners. Locations can be found at: smdhu.org/ExchangeWorks.
    • Protect yourself from sexually transmitted infections (STI) and pregnancy by using condoms and other barrier methods for sexual activities.
    • Store condoms at room temperature in a dry place. Extreme moisture, temperature (such as in a car) or direct sunlight can damage your condoms making them ineffective.
    • You can take the emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) up to five days after unprotected sex, although the sooner you use it, the better it works. ECP may be available at your local health unit office, after-hours clinics, pharmacies and your healthcare provider.

    If you are exposed to the blood or body fluids of another person, get assessed as soon as possible by a health care provider for risk of a potential blood borne infection. If you have questions, call the health unit.

    For more information, visit our webpages on Sexual Health.

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