Ontario Government Placing Tighter Restrictions To Help Curb Omicron COVID Variant
/The Ontario government is applying additional public health and workplace safety measures in order to limit the rapidly spreading and highly transmissible Omicron variant of COVID-19 announced Friday.
Screenshot.
The restrictions include capacity and social gathering limits to help curb transmission and continue to safeguard Ontario’s hospitals and ICU capacity as the province continues to rapidly accelerate its booster dose rollout.
“Throughout this entire pandemic, we’ve never faced an enemy like Omicron given how quickly it spreads,” said Doug Ford Premier. “We need to do everything we can to slow its spread as we continue to dramatically ramp up capacity to get as many booster shots into arms as possible. Doing so is the best way to safeguard our hospital and intensive care units.”
The latest modelling suggests that the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant could put additional strain on Ontario’s hospital capacity, making it critical to slow the spread as the government dramatically increases vaccine capacity and expands eligibility for third booster doses according to the Ontario Government.
The province recently doubled its vaccination capacity and continues to ramp up further to get as many vaccines into arms as possible. Over 156,000 doses were administered on Dec. 16 with capacity increased to 200,000 to 300,000 in the coming days.
To further strengthen its response to Omicron and reduce opportunities for close contact as the province gets as many vaccines into arms as possible, Ontario is introducing a 50 per cent capacity limit in the following indoor public settings:
Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments and strip clubs
Personal care services
Personal physical fitness trainers
Retailers (including grocery stores and pharmacies)
Shopping malls
Non-spectator areas of facilities used for sports and recreational fitness activities (e.g. gyms)
Indoor recreational amenities
Indoor clubhouses at outdoor recreational amenities
Tour and guide services
Photography studios and services
Marinas and boating clubs
These limits do not apply to any portion of a business or place that is being used for a wedding, a funeral or a religious service, rite or ceremony. Businesses or facilities will also need to post a sign stating the capacity limits that are permitted in the establishment.
To further reduce the spread of COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, additional protective measures are also being applied:
The number of patrons permitted to sit at a table will be limited to 10 people and patrons will be required to remain seated in restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments, meeting and event spaces and strip clubs.
Bars and restaurants, meeting and event spaces and strip clubs will be required to close by 11:00 p.m. Takeout and delivery will be permitted beyond 11:00 p.m.
Dancing will not be allowed except for workers or performers.
Food and/or drink services will be prohibited at sporting events; concert venues, theatres and cinemas; casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments; and horse racing tracks, car racing tracks and other similar venues.
The sale of alcohol will be restricted after 10:00 p.m. and consumption of alcohol in businesses or settings after 11:00 p.m.
