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On Thursday (February 17, 2022) the province of Ontario moves into the next phase of its reopening plan.
This phase will see the increase of indoor social gatherings to 50 people, and 100 people outdoors, increasing capacity limits in some settings and removing limits in others.
Though the province is moving to this next step Dr. Kit Young Hoon, Medical Officer of Health for the Northwestern Health Unit is concerned about the effect this may have.
“This reopening could potentially worsen our number so I think that’s something we’ll be looking at closely over the next two weeks is to see what the impact of this reopening is going to have on our epidemiology, statistics, and of course our hospitalization rate,” Young Hoon said.
Currently, the NWHU has a seven-day average percent positivity rate of 22.4 per cent, which Young Hoon said is way above the provincial average of 12 per cent.
“The province is seeing a general improvement while our numbers aren't improving, they’re staying relatively level with some possibility that it could be worsening with respect to hospitalizations.”
In Ontario as of Tuesday (February 15, 2022), the province reported 1,550 people in hospital due to COVID-19, with 384 of those hospitalized in intensive care units.
The next phase of the plan is set to begin on March 1, 2022, when the province plans to eliminate proof of vaccination for all settings, along with removing capacity limits in all remaining indoor public settings. Businesses and other settings may choose to continue to require proof of vaccination.
Below is the full list of eased public health measures happening on Thursday (February 17, 2022):
- Increasing social gathering limits to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors
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Increasing organized public event limits to 50 people indoors, with no limit outdoors
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Removing capacity limits in the following indoor public settings where proof of vaccination is required, including but not limited to:
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Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments without dance facilities
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Non-spectator areas of sports and recreational fitness facilities, including gyms
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Cinemas
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Meeting and event spaces, including conference centres or convention centres
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Casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments
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Indoor areas of settings that choose to opt-in to proof of vaccination requirements.
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Allowing 50 per cent of the usual seating capacity at sports arenas
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Allowing 50 percent of the usual seating capacity for concert venues and theatres
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Increasing indoor capacity limits to 25 per cent in the remaining higher-risk settings where proof of vaccination is required, including nightclubs, restaurants where there is dancing, as well as bathhouses and sex clubs
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Increasing capacity limits for indoor weddings, funerals or religious services, rites, or ceremonies to the number of people who can maintain two metres physical distance. Capacity limits are removed if the location opts-in to use proof of vaccination or if the service, rite, or ceremony is occurring outdoors.
Capacity limits in other indoor public settings, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, retail and shopping malls, will be maintained at, or increased to, the number of people who can maintain two metres physical distance.