Thunder Bay – COVID-19 – The region is shifting from Yellow-Protect to Orange Restrict.
Dr. Janet DeMille, Medical Officer of Health of the Thunder Bay District Health Unit (TBDHU) anticipates that the TBDHU will be moved into the “Orange – Restrict” level of the provincial COVID-19 Response Framework: Keeping Ontario Safe and Open. Strengthened public health measures will further help control the spread of COVID-19 in the TBDHU area.
The decision regarding a health unit’s position on the provincial framework is made by the provincial government. This is expected to happen on Friday, December 4, 2020 with an announcement shortly thereafter.
What Changes?
Here are the guidelines as the Province of Ontario has implemented:
Organized public events, social gatherings and religious services, rites and ceremonies
- Limits for functions, parties, dinners, gatherings, barbeques or wedding receptions held in private residences, backyards, or parks:
- 10 people indoors
- 25 people outdoors
- Limits for organized public events and gatherings in staffed businesses and facilities:
- 50 people indoors
- 100 people outdoors
- Limits for religious services rites or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services (apply regardless of the venue where held):
- 30% capacity of the room indoors
- 100 people outdoors
Restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments
- Maximum number of patrons permitted to be seated indoors is 50; outdoor dining, takeout, drive through and delivery permitted
- Require patrons to be seated; 2 metre minimum or impermeable barrier required between tables
- Limit of 4 people may be seated together
- Dancing, singing and performing music is permitted, with restrictions
- Karaoke permitted, with restrictions (including no private rooms)
- Require patron contact information for all seated patrons
- No buffet style service
- Line-ups and patrons congregating outside venues managed by venue; 2 metres distance and face covering required
- 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.
- Limit volume of music (to be no louder than the volume of a normal conversation)
- Screening of patrons is required, in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
- Night clubs and strip clubs only permitted to operate as a restaurant or bar
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Sports and recreational fitness facilities
- Maintain 2 metre physical distancing, unless engaged in a sport
- Maximum of 50 people total in areas with weights and exercise machines and all classes
- Maximum of 10 people per room indoors and 25 outdoors in fitness or exercise classes
- No spectators permitted (exemption for parent and guardian supervision of children)
- Team or individual sports must be modified to avoid physical contact with an exemption for high performance athletes, including parasport athletes, and professional leagues; maximum 50 people per league
- 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
- Increase spacing between patrons to 3 metres in areas where there are weights or exercise equipment and in exercise and fitness classes
- 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
Meeting and event spaces
- Maximum of 50 people indoors per facility
- Booking multiple rooms for the same event not permitted
- 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.
- 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
Retail
- Fitting rooms must be limited to non-adjacent stalls
- Line-ups and patrons congregating outside venues managed by venue; 2 metre distance and face covering required
- Limit volume of music to be no 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
- Requirement to maintain 2 metres while standing in line and flow management
- For malls a safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
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
- 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
Casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments
- Maximum of 50 people
- Table games are prohibited
- Casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments can operate in accordance with a plan approved by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
- 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
Cinemas
- Maximum of 50 people indoors per facility (revoke OCMOH approved plan)
- 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
- Drive-in cinemas permitted to operate, subject to restrictions
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Performing arts facilities
- Maximum of 50 spectators indoors and 100 spectators outdoors
- Singers and players of wind or brass instruments must be separated from spectators by plexiglass or some other impermeable barrier
- Performers and employees must maintain 2 metre physical distance except for purposes of the performance
- 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
- Rehearsal or performing a recorded or broadcasted event permitted
- Drive-in performances permitted
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
