WINDSOR, ONT. -- Windsor-Essex is moving into the ‘Orange-Restrict’ level of COVID-19 restrictions established by the province.
The region is currently in the “Yellow-Protect” category in the province’s five-tier system, but will move into the more restricted category on Monday.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford made the announcement Friday alongside Minister of Health Christine Elliott, Minister of Finance Rod Phillips, and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams.
"With the numbers rising rapidly in certain regions, we have to make the tough, but necessary decisions now to protect our hospitals, long-term care and retirement homes, and every person in this province," said Ford. "We cannot afford a province-wide lockdown, so we are taking preventative action today by moving Toronto and Peel into Lockdown level restrictions and other regions into higher levels of restrictions. We need to take decisive action to stop the spread of this deadly virus."
The five categories the province revealed on Nov.3 are Green-Prevent, Yellow-Protect, Orange-Restrict, Red-Control, and Grey-Lockdown.
Here's a look at the additional restrictions in Windsor-Essex as it moves from yellow to orange, according to the province’s COVID-19 response framework.
RESTAURANTS, BARS, FOOD AND DRINK ESTABLISHMENTS
• Fifty-person capacity limit for indoor seating
• Limit of four people to sit together
• Establishments must close at 10 p.m.
• Liquor to only be sold or served between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
• Liquor cannot be consumed between 10 p.m. and 9 a.m.
• Patrons must be screened
• Strip clubs must close
SPORTS AND RECREATIONAL FITNESS
• Maximum of 50 people per facility in all combined recreational fitness spaces or programs (does not include pools, rinks at arenas, community centres or multi-purpose facilities)
• Members of the public must be screened
• People cannot stay for longer than 90 minutes unless engaged in a sport
• No spectators allowed, except for parent/guardian who is supervising a child
MEETING AND EVENT SPACES
• Same as restrictions for restaurants and bars
RETAIL
• Patrons must be screened at mall entrances
• Consideration of a capacity cap in retail stores and malls through the winter
PERSONAL CARE SERVICES
• Services where patrons have to take off their face coverings are prohibited
• Change rooms and showers closed
• Bath houses, hot tubs, floating pools, whirlpools and sensory deprivation pods are closed
• Patrons must be screened
CASINOS, BINGO HALLS AND GAMING ESTABLISHMENTS
• Same liquor limitations as restaurants and bars
• Patrons must be screened
CINEMAS
• Fifty-person limit per facility
• Same liquor limitations as restaurants and bars
• Patrons must be screened
PERFORMING ARTS FACILITIES
• Same rules as casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments
GATHERINGS, WORKPLACES AND FACE COVERINGS
There are no changes to these restrictions or guidance under the "restrict" category, but if the region moved to the red category, the province would limit all organized public events and social gatherings to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.
Toronto and Peel are moving into lockdown. Chatham-Kent will move from green to yellow.
Full list: Here's where each Ontario health region is currently placed.
Government officials are discouraging travel between regions of the province to help prevent the spread of the virus.
Indoor dining and gyms can be open with modified guidelines in place in all levels except a full lockdown. Schools and daycares remain open is all levels of the plan.
The framework is based on weekly incidence rates, positivity rate, effective reproductive number (Rt), outbreak trends and the level of community transmission. Windsor-Essex had 45 new cases on Friday and a positivity rate of 2.9 per cent as of Nov. 14.
Ontario's government has also extended public health orders currently in effect across the province for at least another month.
The province says the current orders under the Reopening Ontario Act will remain in force until Dec. 21.
With files from CTVNewsToronto.ca.
