XFM News
One college tradition that has grown increasingly over the years is Western University’s ‘Fake Homecoming’ illegal street party, where students gather to drink in their best spirit wear on Broughdale Avenue.
What normally would be 20,000 students flooding the neighbourhood resulted in back yard and front porch small parties scattered around the city due to COVID-19 guidelines last year.
The difference now is that students are looking forward to participating more in this year’s FOCO with the release of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Although being double vaccinated decreases the serious side affects of COVID-19, Middlesex-London Medical Officer of Health Doctor Chris Mackie shares there are still concerns for close gatherings this weekend to lead to a spike in COVID cases.
“I think certainly the gatherings we’ve seen with young people are front of mind, and we definitely are concerned about the level of close contact, the number of people in what we have already seen, and of course with things happening this weekend, we certainly could see more of that. That is certainly one of the issues.”
With general gatherings and social events limited to 25 people indoors and 100 people out doors as part of the Ontario Reopening Act, these limits apply to FOCO as an organized or informal public event or social gathering, with rules keeping in place of gatherings held on a street, private dwelling such as houses, apartment buildings, condominiums, or student housing.
“We’re hoping that people make good decisions. We’re not against partying, we’re not against drinking, we’re not against dancing. This is really about doing those things as safely as possible. We really encourage people to party small, avoid large gatherings of any kind.” Mackie shares.
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