Ontario is announcing major changes to how it will impose and classify COVID-19 shutdowns by introducing a new tiered system for when to impose lockdowns and closures. The changes are expected to take effect this Saturday, November 7, 2020.
Yesterday's announcement came only a few hours after the province of Ontario reported its most infectious day yet with 1,050 new cases. That number is especially concerning as only about 25,000 tests were conducted - only half of targets set out by Premier Doug Ford and his government.
Under the new framework released on Tuesday, which has not been implemented yet, each of Ontario's 34 public health units will be placed in one of five categories based off their current COVID-19 trends.
A breakdown of the categories can be read here. The five new levels are:
- Prevent (Green, lowest restrictions)
- Protect (Yellow, similar to current Stage 3)
- Restrict (Orange, similar to Stage 2, but with open restaurants and gyms)
- Control (Red, similar to current Stage 2)
- Lockdown (Grey, similar to stage 1 from the spring)
The biggest change is that in all scenarios except a full lockdown (Grey), indoor dining and gyms can reopen with modified guidelines in place.
"Based on current trends and the advice of the chief medical officer of health," said Premier Doug Ford on Tuesday at Queen's Park, "We're prepared as of Saturday, Nov. 7 at 12:01 a.m. to move Ottawa, Peel and York Region to restrict level. This means gyms and indoor dining will be open with the capacity limits and restricted hours." Ford also announced Toronto Region will move to the orange "Restrict" level one week later on Saturday the 14th.
Proposed starting stages for all Regions
The provincial government is proposing Ottawa, Peel Region, York Region, and Eastern Ontario Health Unit be placed in the orange "Restrict" level on Nov. 7. Toronto will join these four regions on Nov. 14.
It's proposed that Brant County Health Unit, Hamilton, Durham Region and Halton Region be put in the yellow "Protect" category.
All remaining health units are proposed to be in the green "Prevent" category. No health units proposed to start in the red "Control" or grey "Lockdown" level.
Each of the five new coloured categories have new and varying rules about which businesses can open and how they can do so safely. It also includes rules about how public health measures will operate and what gathering limits will be. Read about them here.
Ontario's gathering limits remain at 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors for private events, while organized events can have 50 people indoors and 100 outdoors, unless the region moves to the red "Control" phase.
More can be learned about today's announcements online from the provincial government's website.