The region of Simcoe-Muskoka will be moved from the Yellow Protect level to Orange Restrict come Monday.
The Province is moving to get community spread of COVID-19 under control – it’s also putting Toronto and Peel Region into lockdown on November 23rd.
Nearly 80 per cent of recent cases are occurring in regions that are already in the Red Control zone.
Premier Doug Ford says Ontario is teetering on the edge of having to delay surgeries.
“I know these past few months have been extremely difficult,” said Ford. “Covid fatigue is setting in on all of us, but I’ve seen the strength of our people and it’s up to each and every one of us to determine our future – to write the next chapter of our history, and we all have a part to play.”
So, what does the “Orange-Restrict Level” mean?
Organized public events, social gatherings and religious services, rites and ceremonies
- Limits for functions, parties, dinners, gatherings, barbeques or wedding receptions held in private residences, backyards, or parks:
- 10 people indoors
- 25 people outdoors
- Limits for organized public events and gatherings in staffed businesses and facilities:
- 50 people indoors
- 100 people outdoors
- Limits for religious services, weddings and funerals:
- 30% capacity indoors
- 100 people outdoors
Restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments
- Maximum number of patrons permitted to be seated indoors is 50
- Require patrons to be seated; 2 metre minimum or impermeable barrier required between tables
- Limit of 4 people may be seated together
- Dancing, singing and performing music is permitted, with restrictions
- Karaoke permitted, with restrictions (including no private rooms)
- Require patron contact information for all seated patrons
- No buffet style service
- Line-ups and patrons congregating outside venues managed by venue; 2 metres distance and face covering required
- Face coverings except when eating or drinking only
- Personal protective equipment, including eye protection, required when is a worker must come within 2 metres of another person who is not wearing a face covering
- Night clubs only permitted to operate as restaurant or bar
- Establishments must be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- No consumption of liquor permitted between 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
- Limit volume of music (to be no louder than the volume of a normal conversation)
- Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
- Strip clubs closed or permitted to operate as a restaurant or bar
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Sports and recreational fitness facilities
- Maintain 2 metre physical distancing, unless engaged in a sport
- Maximum of 50 people total in areas with weights and exercise machines and all classes (revoke OCMOH approved plan)
- No spectators permitted (exemption for parent and guardian supervision of children)
- Team sports must not be practiced or played except for training (no games or scrimmage)
- Team or individual sports must be modified to avoid physical contact; 50 people per league
- Exemption for high performance athletes and parasports
- Patrons may only be in the facility for 90 minutes except if engaging in a sport
- Limit volume of music to be low enough that a normal conversation is possible; measures to prevent shouting by both instructors and members of the public
- Face coverings required except when exercising
- Increase spacing between patrons to 3 metres in areas where there are weights or exercise equipment and in exercise and fitness classes
- Require contact information for all members of the public that entre the facility
- Require reservation for entry; one reservation for teams
- Require screening of members of the public, including spectators (for example, questionnaire)
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Meeting and event spaces
- Maximum of 50 people indoors per facility (revoke OCMOH approved plan)
- Booking multiple rooms for the same event not permitted
- Establishments must be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- No consumption of liquor permitted between 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
- Require contact information for all seated patrons
- Limit of 4 people may be seated together
- Limit volume of music to be low enough that a normal conversation is possible
- Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Retail
- Fitting rooms must be limited to non-adjacent stalls
- Line-ups and patrons congregating outside venues managed by venue; 2 metre distance and face covering required
- Limit volume of music to be no low enough that a normal conversation is possible
- Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
- Requirement to maintain 2 metres while standing in line and flow management
- For malls a safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Personal care services
- Oxygen bars, steam rooms, saunas, bath houses, other adult venues, hot tubs, floating pools, whirlpools and sensory deprivation pods closed (some exceptions)
- Services requiring removal of face coverings prohibited
- Change rooms and showers closed
- Require contact information from all patrons
- Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments
- Maximum of 50 people
- Table games are prohibited
- Casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments can operate in accordance with a plan approved by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
- Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- No consumption of liquor permitted between 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
- Require contact information from all patrons
- Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Cinemas
- Maximum of 50 people indoors per facility (revoke OCMOH approved plan)
- Face coverings except when eating or drinking only
- Drive-in cinemas permitted to operate, subject to restrictions
- Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- No consumption of liquor permitted between 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
- Require contact information from all patrons
- Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Performing arts facilities
- Maximum of 50 spectators indoors and 100 spectators outdoors
- Singers and players of wind or brass instruments must be separated from spectators by plexiglass or some other impermeable barrier
- Rehearsal or performing a recorded or broadcasted event permitted
- Performers and employees must maintain 2 metre physical distance except for purposes of the performance
- Drive-in performances permitted
- Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- No consumption of liquor permitted between 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
- Require contact information from all patrons
- Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
For more details on the province’s COVID-19 Response Framework, please click here.
Effective Nov 23 at 12:01 a.m., @SMDhealthunit is moving to Orange-Restrict under the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework.
Learn about the #PublicHealth measures you need to follow at: https://t.co/QlSWofoKMq pic.twitter.com/1Dq4LQReSv— Ontario Ministry of Health (@ONThealth) November 20, 2020
To watch the full November 20th Provincial address, see below.
Premier Ford, Minister Elliott, and Minister Phillips make an Announcement
Premier Ford, Minister Elliott, and Minister Phillips make an Announcement
Posted by FordNation on Friday, November 20, 2020
