Thunder Bay’s Medical Officer of Health feels the time may be right to look at further reducing COVID-19 restrictions.
Dr. Janet DeMille sees the frustration Canada-wide, adding “I think it’s very appropriate that we examine the public health measures that are in place and reduce them when it is safe to do that. If it’s (okay to do that before the dates set out by the province) then we should do it.”
While announcing the resumption of high contact sports and choir in schools, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore was asked whether the province will follow Alberta and Saskatchewan in doing away with almost all COVID-19 measures, including masking.
“We will follow Ontario data, we will make Ontario-based plans, we will continue to follow our gradual phased plan which has worked so well for us,” Moore said Thursday. “(That said) we do want to be transparent to Ontarians on what can be expected in terms of the timelines. We made the best estimates on February 21st and March 14th based on modeling, but now our situation has improved.”
Moore did say guidance would be coming to government officials in the next week.
Reports earlier Thursday indicated that Premier Doug Ford is looking at new regulations to fast-track reopening schedules, which are set for Monday, February 21st and Monday, March 14th.
DeMille does support the return of extracurricular activities that were paused due to the risk of COVID-19.
“(Kids) have been significantly impacted by the pandemic right from the beginning, and through the waves, that has caused some consequences for them,” DeMille said. “Normalizing the school experience and eventually opening up activities for children will help going forward.”
Currently, social gatherings are limited to 10 people indoors and 25 outdoors until at least February 21st.
The province will enact more re-opening measures on the following dates:
February 21, 2022
- Social gathering limits to 25 people indoors and 100 people outdoors
- Removing capacity limits in indoor public settings where proof of vaccination is required, including but not limited to restaurants, indoor sports and recreational facilities, cinemas, as well as other settings that choose to opt-in to proof of vaccination requirements
- Permitting spectator capacity at sporting events, concert venues, and theatres at 50 per cent capacity
- Limiting capacity in most remaining indoor public settings where proof of vaccination is not required to the number of people that can maintain two metres of physical distance
- Indoor religious services, rites or ceremonies limited to the number that can maintain two metres of physical distance, with no limit if proof of vaccination is required
- Increasing indoor capacity limits to 25 per cent in the remaining higher-risk settings where proof of vaccination is required, including nightclubs, wedding receptions in meeting or event spaces where there is dancing, as well as bathhouses and sex clubs
March 14, 2022
- Lifting capacity limits in all indoor public settings (proof of vaccination will be maintained in existing settings in addition to other regular measures)
- Lifting remaining capacity limits on religious services, rites, or ceremonies
- Increase social gathering limits to 50 people indoors with no limits for outdoor gatherings
