The Province of Ontario presented new possible projections for the spread of Covid-19 if no changes are made in both peoples behaviour and the restrictions in place across the Province. They show that there could be 10,000 cases per day by Mid-February growing to 25,000 or 40,000 per day if infection rates don’t decrease.
Ontario Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Barbara Yaffee put it bluntly when questioned.
“The number of cases is going up, the number of hospitalizations, ICU beds. We are in a serious situation so we need more serious measures put in place”
The more serious measures were announced earlier this afternoon. The Premier and the Provincial Government announced stay-at-home order starting Thursday morning at 12:01 am. The order will last at least 28 days and will require everyone except essential workers to stay at home.
The key changes the new rules bring into effect:
All non-essential construction must stop. Health care, long-term care, schools and transit as well as manufacturing projects that are due to be completed by July may continue. Residential builds that have their footing permits and have started construction before today may continue.
Gatherings are now limited to those in the same household. Outdoor gatherings are restricted to 5 from 10. Masks are recommended even outdoors when physical distancing is not possible reliably.
Non-essential stores (does not include grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants offering take out or delivery) must open no earlier than 7 am and close no later than 8pm. This replaces previously where there was no restriction.
In-person classes will stay suspended until February 10th in Toronto, Peel, York, Hamilton and Windsor-Essen. This includes before and after school programs. Elsewhere in-person classes will be subject to new rules, including masks for Grades 1 to 3 as well as the requirement to wear masks outdoors as well as increasing screening protocols at schools. Emergency child care will remain open in the regions that schools remain closed.
Workplaces must ensure that anyone that can work from home does.
Enforcement will be in the form of enforcement officers – police, by-law and provincial workplace inspectors. They will have the authority to disperse people including on private property. They will also be able to close a business or workplace as necessary.
Full details available at the Province of Ontario website:
