Local Pandemic Status
What you need to know to help you and your family stay healthy:
Moving to the Red – Control Level of the COVID-19 Response Framework
As stated in a News Release from the province of Ontario on February 12, 2021, twenty-seven public health regions, including Windsor-Essex, will be transitioned out of the shutdown and into the revised and strengthened COVID-19 Response Framework: Keeping Ontario Safe and Open (the "Framework"). Based on a general improvement in key indicators, Windsor and Essex County will transition to the Red – Control Level of the Framework with public health measures enforced under O.Reg 263/20: Rules for Areas in Stage 2 on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 at 12:01 a.m.
After returning to the Framework, Windsor-Essex County will remain in Red-Control for at least two weeks. Public health regions will move up to a higher level, if necessary, based on the indicators outlined in the Framework.
Recognizing the risk posed by new variants to the province's pandemic response, Ontario is introducing an "emergency brake" to allow the Chief Medical Officer of Health, in consultation with the local medical officer of health, to immediately advise moving a region into Grey-Lockdown to interrupt transmission. Dr. Wajid Ahmed, WECHU Medical Officer of Health, will have the ability to issue Section 22 orders under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, to target specific transmission risks in the community.
As part of our transition into the Red-Control level of the Framework on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 at 12:01 a.m., some key changes include:
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Indoor social gatherings are restricted to a maximum of 5 people, and outdoor social gatherings to a maximum of 25 people
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Gathering limits for religious services and ceremonies, including weddings and funeral services are 30% capacity of the room indoors and 100 people outdoors
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Indoor dining is permitted at restaurants and food establishments with a maximum of 10 patrons indoors.
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There is a limit of 4 people who can be seated together.
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Sports and recreational facilities such as gyms and fitness studios can re-open with a capacity of 10 people in indoor areas with weights and exercise machines, 10 people per indoor class and up to 25 in outdoor classes.
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Meeting and event venues can have 10 people indoors or 25 people outdoors.
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Increased capacity limit of 75% for supermarkets and other stores that primarily sell groceries, convenience stores, and pharmacies
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All other retail is permitted to open for in-person shopping with a capacity limit of 50%. This includes small businesses, big box stores, liquor stores, hardware stores and garden centres.
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Personal service settings (e.g. hair salons, nail salons, aesthetician services, piercing, tattoos, tanning, and spas) are permitted to reopen with physical distancing and appropriate PPE. Services that require a mask to be removed are not permitted at this time.
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Casinos, bingo halls, and gaming establishments may open with a capacity limit of 10 indoors or 25 outdoors. Table games are not permitted at this time.
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Drive-in cinemas are permitted to re-open.
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Individuals are required to wear a mask or face covering in the indoor areas of businesses or organizations that are open.
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Visitor restrictions for long-term care homes will once again apply to those homes in the public health regions that are in the Orange-Restrict level or higher.
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Long-term care homes must implement enhanced testing requirements.
Additional measures under the Stay-At-Home Order
The enhanced public health and workplace safety measures are anticipated to be in place locally until at least February 16, 2021 at 12:01 a.m. After this date, the province will gradually transition each region from the shutdown measures into a revised and strengthened COVID-19 Response Framework: Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework.
The following public health measures continue to be applicable:
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Outdoor organized public gatherings and social gatherings are restricted to a maximum of 5 people, with limited exceptions.
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Individuals are required to wear a mask or face covering in the indoor areas of businesses or organizations that are open.
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Wearing a mask or face covering is recommended outdoors when you are unable to maintain a physical distance of two metres or more from others.
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All non-essential retail stores, including hardware stores, alcohol retailers, and those offering curbside pickup or delivery, must open no earlier than 7 a.m. and close no later than 8 p.m. The restricted hours of operation do not apply to stores that primarily sell food, pharmacies, gas stations, convenience stores, and restaurants for takeout or delivery.
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Non-essential construction is further restricted, including below-grade construction, exempting survey.
Schools and Child Care Centres
Schools in Windsor-Essex County have returned to in-person instruction. The following new measures are now in effect:
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Mandatory masking for Grade 1-3 and requirements for mask wearing outdoors where physical distancing cannot be maintained
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Enhanced screening protocols
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Expanded targeted testing
Child care centres for non-school aged children will continue to remain open, Enhanced screening protocols have been implemented to align with school screening requirements. Child care centres will also have the opportunity to voluntarily participate in targeted, asymptomatic testing. Before and after school programs are now authorized to resume.
Enforcement Measures
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All provincial offences officers, including police officers, have the authority to disperse crowds indoors as well as outdoors. For example, when a group of more than five people who are not from the same household are gathering outdoors, they can be required to leave and the premise may be closed.
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Individuals have a duty to identify themselves when a police officer has reasonable and probable grounds that an offence under EMCPA has been committed.
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Enforcement officers have the authority to issue tickets to individuals, employees and corporations in retail settings and businesses if found not complying with an order (e.g. staff member or customer not wearing a face covering).
For additional details, please refer to Ontario Regulation 82/20: Rules for Areas in Stage 1 or review a summary document from the Government of Ontario: Enhancing Public Health and Workplace Safety Measures in the Provincewide Shutdown (January 12, 2021).
The following capacity limits and closures continue to apply:
Capacity Limits
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All businesses or facilities that engage in retail sales to the public must post a sign in a location visible to the public that states the maximum capacity under which they are permitted to operate.
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Discount and big-box retailers that sell groceries are limited to 25% capacity.
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Stores that sell liquor, wine and spirits are limited to 25% capacity.
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Wedding services, funeral services, and other religious services, rites or ceremonies limited to 10 people indoors or 10 people outdoors with physical distancing maintained.
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No more than 10 performers may be permitted to be on the film, television set, concert venue, theatre, or cinema at any given time.
Closures
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No drive-in or drive-thru events allowed (for entertainment).
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Hardware stores closed for in-person retail shopping (i.e., curbside pick-up or delivery only)
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All indoor and outdoor dining services closed (i.e., take-out, drive through, delivery permitted)
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Facilities for indoor or outdoor sports and recreational fitness are closed (with exceptions). Outdoor recreational amenities, such as outdoor ice rinks, trails remain open (with restrictions, e.g. no team sports played)
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Golf courses and driving ranges are closed
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Meeting and event spaces closed (with limited exceptions)
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Concert venues, theatres and cinemas (includes drive in or drive through events) are closed for all purposes, including rehearsing or performing a recorded or broadcasted event
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Non-essential retail open for curbside pick-up or delivery only (i.e., in-person retail shopping not permitted) – several exceptions apply such as stores for grocery, convenience, hardware, beer, wine, liquor, pharmacies.
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Personal Care Services are closed (e.g., hair and barber salons, nail salons)
Casinos, Bingo Halls, and Gaming Establishments closed -
The person responsible for a business that is permitted to be open must prepare a safety plan and make it available upon request.