York Region to reopen at 'orange restrict' in new COVID-19 response system

Restaurants and gyms are poised to reopen Nov. 7 in Newmarket and the rest of York Region

Newmarkettoday.ca
November 4, 2020

Restaurants, bars and gyms are poised to reopen Nov. 7 with Newmarket and the rest of York Region placed in the orange restrict level in the province's new framework of five categories unveiled today.

In all categories except a full lockdown, 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, we're prepared as of Saturday, Nov. 7 at 12:01 a.m. to move Ottawa, Peel and York Region to restrict level," Premier Doug Ford said at Queen's Park. "This means gyms and indoor dining will be open with the capacity limits and restricted hours."

York, Peel, Ottawa, Eastern Ontario and Toronto (reopening may be delayed to Nov. 14) are in level orange.

York's neighbour, Simcoe County, is in green-prevent with the majority of Ontario's 34 public health units.

The colour-coded levels are generalized measures of the severity of the COVID-19 situation in a given region and include the kind of response and restrictions required to address it.

• Green - Prevent: focusing on education and public awareness, as well as safety measures in the workplace. The equivalent of the loosest restrictions allowable under stage 3.
• Yellow - Protect: enhanced target enforcement, fines and education to limit transmission.
• Orange - Restrict: implement enhanced measures, restrictions and enforcement while still avoiding closures.
• Red - Control: broad-scale measures across multiple sectors to control transmission. The equivalent of modified stage 2 restrictions.
• Lockdown - a measure of last and urgent resort: widespread restrictions, including closures, to halt transmission. The equivalent of modified stage 1 or pre-stage 1 measures. Declaration of emergency is possible.

 

"This framework, developed in consultation with our health experts, will serve as an early warning system allowing us to scale up and scale back public health restrictions on a regional or community basis in response to surges and waves of COVID-19," Ford said. 

Choosing in which level a region is placed is based on data from the different health units, with these initial classifications based on data from the week of Oct. 26. Those assessments will be reexamined every 28 days, or two COVID-19 incubation cycles.

The weekly incidence rate in regions under level orange must be between 40 and 99.9 cases per 100,000 people. The test positivity rate must be between 2.5 and 9.9 per cent. At this level, hospital and ICU occupancy are increasing.

York Region's positivity rate is currently 5 per cent, and the seven-day average is 103 cases per day, according to the associate medical officer of health Alanna Fitzgerald-Husek. Based on York Region's population, an average of 40 cases per day would bring it down to the rate of 25 cases per 100,0000 population, which is one of the province's targets.

So what specifically are the restrictions that will be enforced in York Region under level orange?

Limitations of gatherings:

• Social gatherings: 10 people indoors / 25 outdoors.
• Organized public events: 50 people indoors / 100 people outdoors.
• Religious services, weddings and funerals: 30 per cent of capacity indoors / 100 people outdoors.

These are the same rules that apply to the green and yellow levels.

Restrictions on restaurants and bars:

• Indoor dining is allowed with a maximum capacity of 50 people.
• A maximum of four people can be seated together.
• Establishments must close at 10 p.m.
• Alcohol can only be consumed between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
• Patrons must be screened, such as answering a questionnaire.
• Strip clubs must remain closed.

Restrictions for gyms and sports facilities:

• Maximum of 50 people per facility in all combined recreation spaces and classes.
• Maximum does not apply to pools, rinks at arenas, community centres or other multi-purpose facilities.
• Patrons must be screened, such as a questionnaire.
• Patrons can stay a maximum of one hour. An exemption is made for sports.
• No spectators are allowed unless they are parents or guardians supervising children.

Restrictions for retail stores:

• Fitting rooms must be limited to non-adjacent stalls.
• Lineups outside must have people spaced two metres apart.
• Volume on background music must be turned down to no louder than a normal conversation.
• Malls must have a safety plan available upon request.
• Patrons must be screened at mall entrances.
• Possible capacity limits in stores and malls during the winter.

Restrictions for personal care services:

• Oxygen bars, steam rooms, saunas, and whirlpools are closed.
• Patrons must be screened and provide contact info.
• change rooms and showers are closed.
• Bathhouses and other adult venues, hot tubs, floating pools and sensory deprivation pods are closed, with some exceptions.

Restrictions on cinemas:

• Maximum of 50 people per facility.
• Masks must remain on except when eating or drinking.
• Drive-ins allowed operating with restrictions.
• Liquor only sold or served between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Patrons must be screened and provide contact info.

Restrictions for meeting centres and event spaces:

• Maximum of 50 people per facility.
• Must close by 10 p.m.
• Alcohol can only be sold or served between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
• No consumption of liquor between 10 p.m. and 9 a.m.
• Maximum of 40 people seated together.
• Patrons must be screened, such as a questionnaire.