The Ontario government has unveiled its plan to gradually lift remaining COVID-19 public health and workplace safety measures by March 2022, beginning Monday (October 25) by removing capacity restrictions and physical distancing requirements in additional indoor settings where proof of vaccination is required, including restaurants, bars, gyms, casinos, indoor meeting and event spaces, and more.

On October 25, the government will also allow other indoor settings where proof of vaccination is not required — including personal care services, museums, galleries, real estate open houses, photography studios, and more — to lift capacity limits and physical distancing requirements if they choose to require proof of vaccination.

The government also announced it intends to allow for greater capacity at organized public events, such as Remembrance Day ceremonies and Santa Claus parades, with more details to be provided in the near future.

“We can see the end of this pandemic in sight, but it’s not over yet,” Premier Doug Ford said at a media conference at Queen’s Park on Friday (October 22). “We can’t get too comfortable or let our guard down, but we’re going to be able to begin getting back to the lives we want.”

During the reopening plan, the government says it will continue to monitor key public health and health care indicators — including any new COVID-19 variants, increases in hospitalizations and ICU occupancy, and rapid increases in transmission — to ensure that public health and workplace safety measures are lifted safely.

“While we are optimistic about the future, the province will continue to monitor the situation very closely, and we will respond quickly to protect Ontarians’ health should the need arise,” said Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health.

“To manage COVID-19 over the long term, local and regional responses will be implemented based on local context and conditions,” Dr. Moore added. “Public health measures would be applied provincially in exceptional circumstances, such as when the province’s healthcare system capacity is at risk of becoming overwhelmed, or if a vaccine-resistant COVID-19 variant is ever identified in the province.”

Additional lifting of restrictions would continue on November 15, when capacity limits will be removed in other indoor settings where proof of vaccination is required, including food or drink establishments with dance facilities (including night clubs and wedding receptions in meeting or event spaces where there is dancing), strip clubs, bathhouses, and sex clubs.

The province intends to lift additional restrictions beginning in the new year, unless there are “concerning trends” in public health and health care following the winter holiday months and after students return to in-class learning.

“If we do not see the numbers in a stable place, we just aren’t going to do it,” Ford said, with Dr. Moore adding the province will review the data for the previous two months before lifting additional restrictions beginning January 17.

As of that date, the province will begin lifting capacity limits in settings where proof of vaccination is not required, and may also gradually lift the proof of vaccination requirements for restaurants, bars, and other food and drink establishments, facilities used for sports and recreational facilities, and casinos, bingo halls, and other gaming establishments.

On February 7, the province will lift proof of vaccination requirements in high-risk settings, including night clubs, strip clubs, and bathhouses and sex clubs.

On March 28, the province will lift remaining public health and workplace safety measures, including wearing face coverings in indoor public settings, and will remove the proof of vaccination requirement for all remaining settings, including meeting and event spaces, sporting events, concerts, theatres and cinemas, racing venues, and commercial and film productions with studio audiences.

Full details of the province’s plan and milestone dates are provided below.

October 25, 2021

Efective October 25, 2021 at 12:01 a.m., Ontario will lift capacity limits in the vast majority of settings where proof of vaccination are required, such as restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments; indoor areas of sports and recreational facilities such as gyms and where personal physical fitness trainers provide instruction; casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments; and indoor meeting and event spaces. Limits will also be lifted in certain outdoor settings.

At this time, the government will also allow other settings to lift capacity limits and physical distancing requirements if they choose to require proof of vaccination, including:

• Personal care services (e.g., barber shops, salons, body art);
• Indoor areas of museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions;
• Indoor areas of amusement parks;
• Indoor areas of fairs, rural exhibitions, festivals;
• Indoor tour and guide services;
• Boat tours;
• Indoor areas of marinas and boating clubs;
• Indoor clubhouses at outdoor recreational amenities;
• Open house events provided by real estate agencies; and
• Indoor areas of photography studios and services.

Locations where a wedding, funeral or religious service, rite or ceremony takes place may also implement proof of vaccination requirements for services, rites, or ceremonies at the location.

This will not apply to settings where people receive medical care, food from grocery stores and medical supplies. In addition, the government intends to allow for greater capacity at organized public events such as Remembrance Day ceremonies and Santa Claus parades with more details coming in the near future.

November 15, 2021

The government intends to lift capacity limits in the remaining higher-risk settings where proof of vaccination is required, including food or drink establishments with dance facilities (e.g., night clubs, wedding receptions in meeting/event spaces where there is dancing); strip clubs, bathhouses and sex clubs.

January 17, 2022

In the absence of concerning trends in public health and health care following the winter holiday months and after students returned to in-class learning, the province intends to begin gradually lifting capacity limits in settings where proof of vaccination is not required. The Chief Medical Officer of Health will also lift CMOH directives as appropriate.

Proof of vaccination requirements may also begin to be gradually lifted at this time, including for restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments, facilities used for sports and recreational facilities and casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments.

February 7, 2022

The government intends to lift proof of vaccination requirements in high-risk settings, including night clubs, strip clubs, and bathhouses and sex clubs.

March 28, 2022

At this time, it is intended that remaining public health and workplace safety measures will be lifted, including wearing face coverings in indoor public settings. Recommendations may be released for specific settings, if appropriate.

In addition, the provincial requirement for proof of vaccination will be lifted for all remaining settings, including meeting and event spaces, sporting events, concerts, theatres and cinemas, racing venues and commercial and film productions with studio audiences.

To manage COVID-19 over the long-term, local and regional responses by public health units will be deployed based on local context and conditions. Public health measures that may be applied locally could include reintroducing capacity limits and/or physical distancing, reducing gathering limits and adding settings where proof of vaccination is required, among others. Public health measures would be implemented provincially in exceptional circumstances, such as when the province’s health system capacity is at risk of becoming overwhelmed or if a vaccine resistant COVID-19 variant is identified in the province.

A combination of the highly transmissible delta variant and unvaccinated people is behind a substantial increase in COVID-19 cases compared to the same time last year, according to Peterborough Public Health.

During a media briefing by the health unit held Thursday (October 21), Donna Churipuy, the director of public health programs and COVID response incident commander, revealed the number of new cases reported in September and in October to date is substantially higher than during the same two months of 2020, at the beginning of the second wave.

During those two months last fall, when vaccines were not yet available, 43 news cases were confirmed locally — much lower than the 199 new cases reported last month and so far in October.

While that comparison is discouraging on the surface, acting medical officer of health Dr. Ian Gemmill said there’s a simple reason: the emergence and continued presence of the highly contagious delta variant and the number of people who remain unvaccinated.

“While the vaccines have been very helpful, there’s still that 10, 15, 20 per cent who are eligible (for immunization) that has not been immunized,” he said. “There are still the 9,000 kids below (age) 12. That represents another 13 per cent of the population. We still have a lot of susceptibles out there, and this virus will go where there are susceptibles.”

With about 5,000 local residents eligible for a vaccine not yet having begun the immunization process, Dr. Gemmill said he’s disappointed, adding “It’s almost a duty” to get vaccinated.

“There are many interventions out there to try to get this (immunization) rate as high as possible. It’s not mandatory. Nobody has to get vaccinated but perhaps as people see that their activities are severely restricted, that may them the impetus to get immunized.”

Despite the number of local residents who are not yet immunized, Peterborough-area vaccination rates continue to climb slowly but surely.

As of late Wednesday afternoon (October 20), 86.1 per cent of eligible residents aged 12 and up have received one dose while 82.3 per cent have received two doses — slightly below the provincial full vaccination rate of 83 per cent of all eligible Ontarians.

In the 12 to 17 age group, 85.3 per cent have received one dose, while 78 per cent are now fully immunized — higher than the 76.6 per cent provincial full vaccination rate for that age group.

Ahead, pending Health Canada approval, is the immunization of children aged 5 to 11. Churipuy said Peterborough Public Health is working on an immunization plan for that age group so that it will be on go when word is received to proceed. She said the plan includes clinics in elementary schools and a return to a booking system for vaccinations.

“That allows us to plan longer appointment times for children and their parents … we’re planning for a child-friendly experience,” Churipuy said.

“It will be a pediatric dose. Staff will need to be trained and we will need the most up-to-date information for parents so they can discuss the vaccine with their children.”

Despite the revelation that the year-over-year numbers show more new cases now as opposed to last year, the current status of the pandemic is encouraging.

As of late Wednesday afternoon, there were 18 active cases in the region with 132 close contacts of cases being monitored. Both these numbers are down substantially from the last briefing two weeks ago. In addition, there are no current outbreaks.

Since Monday this week, seven new local cases have been detected, an encouraging downward trend from the 26 new cases reported the week of October 4 and the 18 new cases confirmed the week of October 11. Still, Dr. Gemmill warns this is not time for complacency.

“The thing about this virus is it can turn on a dime and turn things dramatically worse,” said Dr. Gemmill, pointing to the sizable uptick in new cases being experienced in Saskatchewan and New Brunswick.

“I think people in Saskatchewan have been very surprised. They thought that they were out of this and stopped using their masks. The next thing you know people are being transferred to Ontario ICU units.”

“It (COVID-19) will keep popping up all over the place until we have full control,” he added. “We’re way better than we were this time last year. We’ve got great vaccine compliance. We have policies in place that protect the population but this thing will pop up wherever we let our guard down. I can’t wait for the day when we can say ‘It’s all over, take off your masks’ — but that day is not here yet.”

Also on Thursday’s call was Julie Ingram, Peterborough Public Health’s environmental health manager. She spoke to awareness and enforcement of the regulations around the mandated checking for proof of vaccination by businesses, especially restaurants.

“Last week, our inspectors were at 26 food premises in relation to proof of vaccine inquiries and complaints received and about 50 per cent were fully compliant with the requirement,” she says.

“While I’d like to see that number higher, we’ll get there, especially with the rollout out of the app that businesses can use. That will make things easier for them.”

To date, just one Peterborough business — Peterburgers on George Street North — has been charged with failure to comply with proof of vaccination checks. Asked if the owners are now complying, Ingram would only say the investigation is “continuing.”

“If additional enforcement action is taken, whether that’s further charges or additional orders on the business, it will be disclosed.”

“We have a variety of (investigative) techniques that we use,” Ingram explained. “We use secret diners. We watch social media. We conduct surveillance. Any one of those could be used as part of an investigation.”

With this being the last media briefing before Halloween, Dr. Gemmill offered guidance for children who will be out trick or treating, and for those handing out candy.

That includes children wearing face masks underneath costumes and, for those answering the door, washing their hands regularly before distributing wrapped goodies.

Also in attendance for Thursday’s media briefing were Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien and Board of Health chair and Selwyn mayor Andy Mitchell.