WINDSOR, ONT. -- Many regions in the province are in the ‘Red-Control’ category of Ontario’s COVID-19 response framework, including Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent.

According to the province, these are the rules in the red zone:

Organized public events, social gatherings and wedding, funeral and religious services, rites and ceremonies

  • Limits for all organized public events and social gatherings:
  • 5 people indoors
  • 25 people outdoors
  • Limits for religious services rites or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services, where physical distancing can be maintained (applies in any venue other than a private dwelling):
  • 30% capacity of the room indoors
  • 100 people outdoors

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Restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments

  • Capacity limits: Indoors: the lesser of approximately 50% of indoor dining area or 50 people. Outdoors: limited to allow physical distancing of 2 metres to be maintained
  • Indoor and outdoor dining, take out, drive through, and delivery permitted, including alcohol
  • No buffet style service
  • Line-ups and patrons congregating outside venues managed by venue; 2 metres distance and face covering required
  • A sign posted by the establishment in a location visible to the public that states the maximum capacity (number of patrons) they are permitted to operate under
  • Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
  • Require patrons to be seated; 2 metres minimum or impermeable barrier required between tables
  • For indoor dining, patrons may only be seated with members of their same households, with limited exceptions for caregivers and people who live alone
  • Require contact information for all seated patrons
  • Face coverings required except when eating or drinking only
  • Personal protective equipment, including eye protection required when is a worker must come within 2 metres of another person who is not wearing a face covering
  • Establishments must be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  • Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  • No consumption of liquor permitted between 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
  • Dancing, singing and the live performance of music is prohibited
  • Limit volume of music to be low enough that a normal conversation is possible
  • Night clubs and strip clubs only permitted to operate as restaurant or bar
  • A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request

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Sports and recreational fitness facilities

  • Maintain 2 metres physical distancing at all times
  • Increase spacing between patrons to 3 metres in areas where there are weights or exercise equipment and in exercise and fitness classes
  • Capacity limits, where physical distancing can be maintained
  • 10 people in indoor areas with weights and exercise machines
  • 10 people in all indoor classes or
  • 25 people in outdoor classes
  • No spectators permitted, however each person under 18 may be accompanied by one parent or guardian
  • Team sports must not be practiced or played except for training (no games or scrimmage)
  • Activities that are likely to result in individuals coming within 2 metres of each other are not permitted; no contact permitted for team or individual sports
  • Exemptions for high performance athletes and parasport
  • Patrons may only be in the facility for 90 minutes except if engaging in a sport
  • Limit volume of music to be low enough that a normal conversation is possible; measures to prevent shouting by both instructors and members of the public
  • Face coverings required except when exercising
  • Require contact information for all members of the public that enter the facility
  • Require reservation for entry; one reservation for teams
  • Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
  • A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request

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Meeting and event spaces

  • Capacity limit for the venue, where physical distancing can be maintained:
  • 10 people indoors or
  • 25 people outdoors
  • Establishments must be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  • Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  • No consumption of liquor permitted between 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
  • Face coverings required except when eating or drinking only
  • Require contact information for all seated patrons
  • Limit of 4 people may be seated together
  • Limit volume of music to be low enough that a normal conversation is possible
  • Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
  • A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request

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Retail

New for Red-Control as of February 2021:

  • Capacity limits of 75% for supermarkets and other stores that primarily sell groceries, convenience stores, pharmacies
  • Capacity limits of 50% for all other retail, including discount and big box retailers, liquor stores, hardware stores and garden centres
  • Stores must post capacity limit publicly
  • Stores must have passive screening for patrons (for example, posting signs outside the store front about not entering if you have COVID-19covid 19 symptoms)
  • This does not apply to indoor malls, which will have to do screening in accordance with instructions by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
  • Stores within the malls subject to appropriate retail measures
  • Fitting rooms must be limited to non-adjacent stalls
  • Line-ups and patrons congregating outside venues managed by venue; 2 metres distance required inside and outside; face covering also required while in line
  • Limit volume of music to be low enough that a normal conversation is possible
  • For malls:
  • Maximum number of patrons permitted to be seated indoors in mall food court is 10
  • A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request

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Personal care services

  • Oxygen bars, steam rooms, saunas, bath houses and other adult venues, closed
  • Sensory deprivation pods closed (some exceptions)
  • Services requiring removal of face coverings prohibited
  • Hair salons are permitted with safety protocols in place
  • Require contact information from all patrons
  • Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
  • A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request

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Casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments

  • Capacity limit for the venue, where physical distancing can be maintained: 10 people indoors or 25 people outdoors
  • Table games are prohibited
  • Face coverings required except when eating or drinking only
  • Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  • No consumption of liquor permitted between 10 p.m. to 9 a.m.
  • Require contact information from all patrons
  • Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
  • A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request

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Cinemas

Closed, except for:

  • drive-in cinemas
  • rehearsal or performing a recorded or broadcasted event, with restrictions, which include:
  • Performers and employees must maintain 2 metres physical distance except for purposes of the performance
  • Singers and players of brass or wind instruments must be separated from any other performers by plexiglass or other impermeable barrier
  • A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request

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Performing arts facilities

  • Closed to spectators
  • Rehearsal or performing a recorded or broadcasted event permitted, with restrictions, which include:
  • Performers and employees must maintain 2 metres physical distance except for purposes of the performance
  • Singers and players of brass or wind instruments must be separated from any other performers by plexiglass or other impermeable barrier
  • Drive-in performances permitted
  • A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request