Peel introduces even stricter COVID-19 guidelines just one day after entering red zone

Thestar.com
Nov. 9, 2020
Breanna Xavier-Carter

Peel Region introduced stricter COVID-19 guidelines on Saturday as the province broke a single-day case record, and just one day after Ontario moved the region to red zone status.

Ontario recorded 1,132 new cases and 11 deaths, including 336 infections in Toronto and 258 in Peel.

The Region of Peel announced in a release that it was introducing the changes because COVID-19 trends were heading in the “wrong direction.”

Canada’s chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam noted Saturday that several regions are “experiencing accelerated growth” and urged Canadians to step up containment efforts.

“Case counts and test positivity rates remain high, public health capacity is stretched thin, and hospitals are at capacity with some procedures cancelled,” Peel Region’s news release said in response to growing numbers.

The Trillium Health Partners (THP) hospital group in Mississauga said current capacity levels are in line with where they normally are for this time of year, and they are working to create more space for those who need it most.

“THP regularly experiences some of the highest patient volumes in the province and is one of three hospitals who have been caring for the greatest number of patients with COVID-19 throughout the pandemic,” said Keeley Rogers, a TPH spokesperson.

“We have been working with government to create additional space to receive patients through the pandemic including preparing our pandemic response unit, so that everyone who requires care can have access to it,” Rogers added.

Dr. Lawrence Loh, Peel Region’s Medical Officer of Health, issued the new guidelines on Saturday with the hopes that it will help curb the spread.

One major difference between the province’s red zone restrictions and Peel’s newly introduced ones is that residents must keep their contact solely to members of their households.

In the red zone, Peel was allowed to gather with 10 people indoors and 25 people outside. Now, the restrictions are calling for no social gatherings celebrating holidays or life events, including weddings and associated gatherings.

“It is time to shrink our lives to stop COVID-19 from growing completely out of control. These directives are strict, but they are what is needed to keep people in Peel working and learning, and able to access food, medical care and basics of everyday life,” said Loh.

Some other specific restrictions that Peel introduced on Saturday included:

• Meeting and event spaces, including banquet halls must close.
• Religious services and ceremonies should be virtual; when not possible, indoor services are limited to 30 per cent capacity to a maximum of 50 people with social distancing.
• Although classes are discouraged, gyms and fitness centres must make sure all fitness class participants pre-register and provide information for contact tracing.

These guidelines will go into effect as of 12:01 a.m. on Monday and will remain in effect until further notice.

Alberta also reported a record-breaking case count Saturday and British Columbia introduced new restrictions in The Lower Mainlands, its most populous area.

Alberta counted 919 new cases of the virus, making it a single-day high for the province.