3 Ontario regions enter 'green' zone as province begins gradual reopening

680news.com
Feb. 10, 2021

With Ontario’s COVID-19 state of emergency expiring Tuesday, the province will transition back to the colour-coded reopening plan that eases restrictions based on COVID-19 case counts in respective regions starting Wednesday.

That system has now been modified to allow some degree of in-person shopping at non-essential stores at all levels, including the grey-lockdown level.

The first three regions to enter the green-prevent level on Wednesday will be Hastings Prince Edward, Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington, and Renfrew County and District.

There is growing concern from some that the return to the colour-coded framework with no movement controls will lead to more travel between regions.

Max Kaiser, the deputy mayor of Greater Napanee , says there is uneasiness with the thought of people travelling to the area for shopping and other needs.

“Absolutely, there is very much a lot of concern,” Kaiser said. “Prior to Christmas, as the GTA was in lockdown in early December but we weren’t in this area, we saw lots of vehicles with Pickering, Oshawa, Whitby license plates in the area during their Christmas shopping.”

All other regions remain under the stay-at-home order until Feb. 16 and COVID-19 hotspots Toronto, Peel and York regions will be the last to re-enter the framework about a week later, on Feb. 22.

The category they are placed in will depend on their local case rates and any sudden increase in cases could delay that plan.

Here is a look at the changes in the framework for stores, organized events, restaurants and bars, personal care services and gyms and other recreational facilities:

The CEO of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, Doris Grinspun, said the province should have delayed the economic reopening until two to three weeks after all students resume in-person learning to determine if that has been accomplished safely.

Students in Toronto, Peel Region, and York Region will return to physical classrooms next week while schools in other regions have reopened.

While COVID-19 new cases across the province have gradually declined in recent weeks there is growing concern from health officials about the rise of more infectious strains. Three strains of the virus have popped up in Ontario.

Last week Education Minister Stephen Lecce said Ontario is considering cancelling March break in an effort to curb the spread of the virus.

Lecce says he’s waiting on the opinion of the province’s chief medical officer of health before making a final call.

NDP Opposition leader Andrea Horwath called on Monday for March break to go ahead as planned, saying it’s important for the mental and emotional health of parents, educators and students.

“What we’re calling on Doug Ford to do is to provide clarity around that sooner rather than later,” Horwath said.

Schools in Toronto, Peel, and York are to reopen on Feb. 16, while students in all other public health units have returned to in-person classes.

Dr. Theresa Tam says provinces must tread carefully in reopening businesses in the coming days and weeks in light of the new, stronger variants.

“This is not the moment to release everything in terms of public health measures,” said Tam on Tuesday. “I think provinces and territories of course are making the individual decisions based on their own context but all must do it with extreme cautiousness.”