CORNWALL, Ontario – Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, Medical Officer of Health with the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) stated that the health unit region would be put into the Red Zone of the provincial COVID-19 response framework likely by Monday, March 29. The EOHU region currently is in the Orange Zone.
Dr. Roumeliotis made the announcement on Twitter Tuesday night.
Based on our 7 day-case rate, positivty rate, reproductive number and increasing variants, the @EOHU_tweet region will be moved to the red zone effective next Monday, March 29. The official announcement will come on Friday.#COVID19 https://t.co/CFI9aMDhio
— DR.PAUL Roumeliotis, MD,MPH (@thedrpaul) March 23, 2021
A region is put into the restrictive Red Zone if it has a seven day rolling average of 40 new COVID-19 cases. The EOHU region’s current seven day rolling average of new COVID-19 cases is 61.8.
The Red Zone has tighter restrictions around gatherings and for businesses, which are aimed at slowing the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the population.
Currently, there are 237 active COVID-19 cases in the region. There are 92 active cases in Cornwall, six in the Northern portion of Akwesasne, 15 in South Glengarry, 19 in South Stormont, 20 in South Dundas, 15 in North Dundas, six in North Stormont, four in North Glengarry, four in East Hawkesbury, 11 in Hawkesbury, two in Champlain, two in The Nation, 10 in Casselman, 14 in Russell, 11 in Clarence-Rockland, and six in Alfred and Plantagenet.
There are currently 27 individuals who are hospitalized with COVID-19 with six in an Intensive Care Unit.
While all residents at long-term care facilities have been vaccinated, there are outbreaks among staff members at the following eight facilities: Greenview Manor, Sandfield Place Retirement Home, Hawkesbury & District General Hospital – East Wing, Maxville Manor, Heartwood LTC, and Baldwin House.
The Red Zone enforces the following restrictions on public gatherings and businesses:
Gatherings and close contact
Limit close contact to your household (the people you live with) and stay at least 2 metres apart from everyone else.
Do not visit any other household or allow visitors in your home. If you live alone, you can have close contact with only one other household.
All events and social gatherings:
- Indoors: 5 people
- Outside: 25 people
Religious, wedding and funeral services:
- Indoors: 30% capacity
- Outdoors: 100 people
Only go out for essential reasons, such as:
- work
- school
- groceries
- pharmacy
- health care
- helping vulnerable people
- exercise and physical activity
Work remotely, where possible.
Rules for all businesses
All open businesses must:
- screen employees and customers (use 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 guests 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 their eyes, nose and mouth when they must come within 2 metres of anyone who is not wearing a mask or face covering or separated by plexiglass
- clean and disinfect often-touched surfaces, such as equipment, washrooms, locker rooms, change rooms and showers frequently
- manage line ups to make sure customers are at least two metres apart 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 (for example, to inspectors or law enforcement officers)
Restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments
Capacity limits:
- Indoors: the lesser of approximately 50% of indoor dining area or 50 people
- Outdoors: limited to allow physical distancing of 2 metres to be maintained
Guests must:
- for indoor dining, only be seated with members of their same households, with limited exceptions for caregivers and people who live alone
- sit with at least 2 metres between tables
- remain seated at all times (with some exceptions)
- wear masks or face coverings except when eating or drinking (with some exceptions)
- wear a mask or face covering and keep 2 metres apart when lining up and gathering inside or outside
- give their name and contact information
- answer screening questions about covid 19 symptoms and exposure
Not allowed:
- Buffets
- Dancing
- Singing
- Live music performance
- Strip clubs (can only operate as a restaurant or bar)
Time restrictions:
- Establishments must close by 10 p.m.
- Alcohol cannot be sold after 9 p.m.
- No one can drink alcohol after 10 p.m.
Sports and recreational fitness facilities
Capacity limits:
- Indoors:
- 10 people in classes
- 10 people in areas with weights or exercise equipment
- Outside: 25 people in classes
- No spectators, except for one parent or guardian per child
Team sports:
- must not be practiced or played except for training (no games or scrimmage)
- must keep 2 metres physical distance, no contact permitted
Everyone must:
- always wear a mask or face covering except when exercising (with some exceptions)
- stay 3 metres apart in classes or areas with weights or exercise equipment and 2 metres apart everywhere else
- make reservations (only one required per team)
- give their name and contact information
Time restrictions:
- 90-minute time limit for classes and working out (does not apply for sports)
Some exemptions apply for high-performance athletes and parasports.
Outdoor ski, ice and snow recreational amenities open for recreational purposes.
Meeting and event spaces
Capacity limits:
- Indoors: 10 people total
- Outside: 25 people total
- Per table: 4 people
- Religious, wedding and funeral services have different limits
Not allowed:
- Booking multiple rooms for the same event
Guests must:
- give their name and contact information
- wear masks or face coverings except when eating or drinking (with some exceptions)
Time restrictions:
- Establishments must close by 10 p.m.
- Alcohol cannot be sold after 9 p.m.
- No one can drink alcohol after 10 p.m.
Stores
Capacity limits:
- supermarkets and other stores that primarily sell groceries, convenience stores, pharmacies: 75%
- all other retail (includes discount and big box retailers, liquor stores, cannabis stores, hardware stores, garden centres): 50%
Curbside pick-up and delivery permitted, including for cannabis stores.
Fitting rooms cannot be right next to each other.
Guests must:
- wear a mask or face covering (with some exceptions) and keep at least 2 metres apart inside and when lining up and gathering outside
- answer screening questions about covid 19 symptoms and exposure before they come into malls
Personal care services
Closed:
- Oxygen bars
- Steam rooms
- Saunas
- Sensory deprivation pods (except for therapeutic purposes)
- Bath houses
- Other adult venues
Guests must:
- give their name and contact information
Not allowed:
- services that need guests to remove their mask or face covering
Casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments
Capacity limits:
- Indoors: 10 people total
- Outside: 25 people total
Not allowed:
- Table games (for example, poker, blackjack, roulette)
Guests must:
- wear masks or face coverings except when eating or drinking (with some exceptions)
- give their name and contact information
Time restrictions:
- Alcohol cannot be sold after 9 p.m.
- No one can drink alcohol after 10 p.m.
Cinemas
Closed (with some exceptions)
Only drive-ins allowed.
Performing arts facilities
No audiences allowed.
Rehearsing, recording or broadcasting an event or performance is allowed (for example, streaming a performance to an online audience).
Everyone must stay 2 metres away from each other, except when needed for the performance.
There must be a barrier (for example, plexiglass) between singers and wind- or brass-instrument players and other performers.
