Already struggling with the impact of the pandemic, restaurants and bars in the Peterborough region have received another hit.
In the wake of an COVID-19 outbreak among some Fleming College and Trent University students and an increase in variants of concern, Peterborough Public Health has implemented additional public health measures that require residents who dine out at restaurants and bars to only do so with members of their own household, unless they are an essential caregiver for someone in that household or if they live alone and are joining one other household.
“Dining out with only with household members is essential in order for all individuals to comply with provincial legislation requiring all of us to maintain two metres distance from anyone we don’t live with,” says medical officer of health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra. “We urgently need residents to adhere to this requirement immediately and to be prepared to attest that they are following it when going out to local restaurants and bars.”
On Monday (March 1), Dr. Salvaterra issued a letter of instruction to all food premises, requiring them to collect and record the following information for every patron seated in an indoor or outdoor eating or drinking area:
- First and last name.
- Telephone number of alternate contact information, such as an email address or physical address.
- Date of attendance, including time of arrival and time of departure.
- Table number, or the specific location of the patron’s table at the establishment.
- Verbal attestation from each patron that they are not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms (this does not include symptoms related to a chronic condition).
- Verbal attestation that the patron is sitting with household members only, is an essential caregiver for that household, or lives alone and is joining that household.
If patrons refuse to provide this information, the health unit is instructing restaurants not to serve, seat, or permit them to enter dining areas. Patrons who provide false information to a restaurant may be subject to fines under the Reopening Ontario Act, according to the health unit.
The new measures, which take effect on Friday, March 5th, are in addition to existing provincial requirements for restaurants in regions in the “Yellow-Protect” level of Ontario’s COVID-19 response framework. These include seating a maximum of six people at a table and configuring tables so that each table is a minimum of two metres from another or is separated by an impermeable barrier (such as plexiglas).
The new public health measures come days after a large COVID-19 outbreak at the privately owned Severn Court Student Residence near Fleming College in Peterborough. As of March 2, there are 34 cases including 29 Fleming College students and five Trent University students. Three of the cases have tested positive for a COVID-19 variant of concern.
The health unit also says that contact tracing has revealed non-household close contacts related to local food establishments since dining areas were permitted to reopen on February 16.
For more information, including a copy of the letter of instruction to food premises and templates restaurants can use to collect required information, visit peterboroughpublichealth.ca/public-health-orders/.
PDF: Peterborough Public Health Letter of instruction to food premises (March 1, 2021)
Peterborough Public Health Letter of instruction to food premises (March 1, 2021)
