The Northwestern Health Unit Region is one of 27 public health regions returning to the province’s COVID-19 Response Framework.
The region will move back into the Framework in the Yellow-Protect level on Tuesday February 16 at 12:01am and exit the Stay-at-Home order.
Restaurants, retail businesses, personal care services and sport facilities will be allowed to re-open with restrictions in place.
As for the Thunder Bay District Health Unit Region, they will enter the Red-Control Level on Tuesday.
Some restrictions in the Yellow-Protect level include a limit on social gatherings of 10 people indoors and 25 outdoors, only 6 people may be seated together at a restaurant, retail stores must have a safety plan in place, and personal care services must screen customers for COVID-19 symptoms.
“Case data from each health unit region will be reviewed by government officials on a weekly basis. Movement within the framework to higher or lower zones will be determined by case numbers and the related risk to the public,” explains Dr. Kit Young Hoon, Medical Officer of Health at NWHU. Health officials urge the public to continue to follow public health guidelines to help businesses stay open and to prevent future lockdowns.
The Yellow-Protect level of the framework requires all local businesses to:
- actively screen employees (using the COVID-19 Screening Tool for Workplaces)
post signs at all entrances informing people how to screen themselves for COVID-19 before entry - limit capacity so customers can stay at least 2 metres apart
- make sure anyone indoors wears a mask or face covering, including workers who have to come within 2 metres of anyone else (with some exceptions)
- make sure workers use personal protective equipment (PPE) that protects the eyes, nose and mouth when they must come within 2 metres of anyone who is not wearing a mask or face covering or is not separated by plexiglass
- clean and disinfect often-touched surfaces frequently, such as equipment, washrooms, locker rooms, change rooms and showers
- manage line-ups to make sure customers are at least two metres apart while also wearing face coverings or masks
- create a safety plan, post it in a place where workers and patrons will see it, and have it available upon request
There are some further requirements for certain types of businesses and the health unit will be communicating the new requirements with specific sectors, however, if local businesses
or workplaces have questions, they are encouraged to call the NWHU’s COVID-19 hotline at 1-866-468-2240 or visit www.nwhu.on.ca/covid19
Here is the entire breakdown of the province’s COVID-19 Framework for the Yellow-Protect level:
Organized public events, social gatherings and wedding, funeral and religious services, rites and ceremonies
- Limits for certain organized public events and social gatherings such as functions, parties, dinners, gatherings, barbeques or wedding receptions held in private residences, backyards, or parks, where physical distancing can be maintained:
- 10 people indoors
- 25 people outdoors
- Limits for organized public events and gatherings in staffed businesses and facilities, where physical distancing can be maintained:
- 50 people indoors
- 100 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
Restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments
- Require patrons to be seated; 2 metres minimum or impermeable barrier required between tables
- Limit of 6 people may be seated together
- No buffet style service
- Line-ups and patrons congregating outside venues managed by venue; 2 metres distance and face covering required
- Patron screening (passive)
- Require contact information for all seated patrons
- Face coverings required except when eating or drinking only
- Establishments must be closed from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m.
- Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- No consumption of liquor permitted between 12 a.m. to 9 a.m.
- Limit volume of music to be low enough that a normal conversation is possible
- Dancing, singing and performing music is permitted, with restrictions
- Karaoke permitted, with restrictions (including no private rooms)
- Personal protective equipment, including eye protection, required when a worker must come within 2 metres of another person who is not wearing a face covering
- Night clubs only permitted to operate as restaurant or bar
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Sports and recreational fitness facilities
- Maintain 2 metres physical distancing, unless engaged in a sport
- Increase spacing between patrons to 3 metres for areas of a sport or recreational facility where there are weights or exercise equipment and in exercise and fitness classes
- Capacity limits per venue, where physical distancing can be maintained:
- 50 people in indoor classes, however each indoor fitness or exercise class can only have a maximum of 10 people and must take place in a separate room or
- 100 people in outdoor classes, however each outdoor fitness or exercise class can only have a maximum of 25 people
- 50 people indoors in areas with weights or exercise equipment
- 50 spectators indoors or 100 outdoors
- Patron screening (passive)
- Capacity limits apply on a per-room basis if operating in compliance with a plan approved by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health (Guidance for Facilities for Sport and Recreational Fitness Activities During covid 19)
- 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
- Exemptions for high performance athletes and parasports
- 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 or playing sports
- Require contact information for all members of the public that enter the facility
- Require reservation for entry; one reservation for teams
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Meeting and event spaces
- Capacity limit for the venue, where physical distancing can be maintained:
- 50 people indoors or
- 100 people outdoors
- Booking multiple rooms for the same event not permitted
- Patron screening (passive)
- Maximum of 50 people per room indoors if venue operates in accordance with the approved plan from the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health (Guidance for Meeting and Event Facilities During covid 19)
- Limits for wedding, funeral and religious services, rites or ceremonies apply if held in meeting and event spaces:
- 30% capacity of the room indoors
- 100 people outdoors
- Establishments must be closed from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m.
- Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- No consumption of liquor permitted between 12 a.m. to 9 a.m.
- Require contact information for all seated patrons
- Limit of 6 people may be seated together
- Limit volume of music to be low enough that a normal conversation is possible
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
- Exceptions for court and government services
Retail
New for Yellow-Protect as of February 2021:
- Stores must have passive screening for patrons (for example, posting signs outside the store front about not entering if you have 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
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
- Fitting rooms must be limited to non-adjacent stalls
- Line-ups and patrons congregating outside venues managed by venue; 2 metres distance and face covering required
- Limit volume of music to be low enough that a normal conversation is possible
- For malls, a safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Personal care services
- Oxygen bars, steam rooms and saunas closed
- Require contact information from all patrons
- Patron screening (passive)
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments
- Maximum of 50 people per facility permitted, where physical distancing can be maintained
- Patron screening (passive)
- Table games are prohibited
- Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- No consumption of liquor permitted between 12 a.m. to 9 a.m.
- Require contact information from all patrons
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Cinemas
- Capacity limits per venue, where physical distancing can be maintained:
- 50 people indoors or
- 100 outdoors
- 50 people per indoor auditorium if cinema operates in accordance with the approved plan from the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health (Guidance for Movie Theatres During covid 19)
- Face coverings except when eating or drinking only
- Drive-in cinemas permitted to operate, subject to restrictions
- Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- No consumption of liquor permitted between 12 a.m. to 9 a.m.
- Patron screening (passive)
- Require contact information from all patrons
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Performing arts facilities
- Capacity limits per venue, where physical distancing can be maintained:
- 50 spectators indoors or
- 100 spectators outdoors
- Singers and players of wind or brass instruments must be separated from spectators by plexiglass or some other impermeable barrier
- Rehearsal or performing a recorded or broadcasted event permitted
- Performers and employees must maintain 2 metres physical distance except for purposes of the performance
- Drive-in performances permitted
- Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- No consumption of liquor permitted between 12 a.m. to 9 a.m.
- Patron screening (passive)
- Require contact information from all patrons
- A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request
Here is the entire breakdown of the province’s COVID-19 Framework for the Red-Control level:
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
Restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments
- Capacity limits, where physical distancing can be maintained:
- 10 patrons seated indoors
- 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
- 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
- Limit of 4 people may be seated together
- 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
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
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
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
- 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 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
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
- 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
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
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
