The Government of Ontario has announced that our district is now in the "Yellow – Protect" level of the provincial COVID-19 Response Framework.
This shift allows more flexibility than the current red.
Districts enter yellow when:
- Weekly incidence rate is 10 to 24.9 per 100,000
- Percent positivity is 0.5 to 1.2%
- Repeated outbreaks in multiple sectors and settings or increasing number of large outbreaks
- Level of community transmission and non-epi linked cases is stable or increasing
Changes to public health measures in the Yellow - Protect level include:
Organized public events, social gatherings and wedding, funeral and religious services, rites and ceremonies
- Limits for certain organized public events and social gatherings such as functions, parties, dinners, gatherings, barbeques or wedding receptions held in private residences, backyards, or parks, where physical distancing can be maintained:
- 10 people indoors
- 25 people outdoors
- Limits for organized public events and gatherings in staffed businesses and facilities, where physical distancing can be maintained:
- 50 people indoors
- 100 people outdoors
- Limits for religious services rites or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services, where physical distancing can be maintained (applies in any venue other than a private dwelling):
- 30% capacity of the room indoors
- 100 people outdoors
Restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments
- Require patrons to be seated; two (2) metres minimum or impermeable barrier required between tables
- Limit of six (6) people may be seated together
- No buffet style service
- Face coverings required except when eating or drinking only
- Establishments must be closed from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m.
- Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- No consumption of liquor is permitted between 12 a.m. to 9 a.m.
- Dancing, singing and performing music is permitted, with restrictions
- Stores must have passive screening for patrons (for example, posting signs outside the storefront about not entering if you have COVID-19 symptoms)
- This does not apply to indoor malls, which are required to actively screen their customers before they enter the mall. Malls can use the patron screening tool to help meet this requirement.
- A COVID-19 safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
- Fitting rooms must be limited to non-adjacent stalls
- Line-ups and patrons congregating outside venues must be managed by the venue; two (2) metres distance and face covering required
- Limit volume of music to be low enough that a normal conversation is possible
- For malls, a COVID-19 safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
- Oxygen bars, steam rooms and saunas closed
Personal Care Services
The Health Unit reminds everyone that the best way to protect yourselves and your loved ones is by following public health measures, such as continuing to stay home, regularly washing your hands or using alcohol-based hand sanitizers, wearing a face covering, physically distancing, not touching your face, and coughing or sneezing into your sleeve.
To read the full list of guidelines for the Yellow-Protect level, please visit COVID-19 Response Framework: Keeping Ontario Safe and Open.
Visit Ontario’s website to learn more about how the province continues to protect Ontarians from COVID-19.
