Province Announces Windsor Essex Is Moving To Yellow ‘Protect’ Status

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The province of Ontario announced Friday that Windsor Essex will be moving to Yellow, or “Protect” status under the province’s COVID-19 response framework.

The changes will come into effect on Monday, November 16th at 12:01am.

Speaking to the media Friday afternoon, Premier Ford called recently released modelling on COVID-19 alarming. He noted intensive care units in the province could be overwhelmed within six weeks, and said the impact on hospitals “could be devastating.”

“We’re staring down the barrel of another lockdown and I will not hesitate for a second if we have to go further,” Ford said.

Protect – Yellow status means the following, according to the province:

General public health measures (gatherings, workplace requirements and face coverings)

• Events and social gatherings (for example, barbeques):
  • 10 people indoors
  • 25 people outdoors
• Organized public events and gatherings:
  • 50 people indoors
  • 100 people outdoors
• Religious services, weddings and funerals:
  • 30% capacity indoors
  • 100 people outdoors
• Requirement for workplace screening
• Face coverings required in:
  • indoor workplaces
  • indoor public spaces, with limited exemptions
• Where patrons without face coverings are within two metres of workers, workers must use additional protections such as eye protection
• Workplaces must develop and implement a communication/public education plan (highlighting risk)
• Physical distancing must be maintained
• Non-essential travel from areas of high-transmission to areas of low transmission should be avoided

Restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments

• Require patrons to be seated; 2 metre minimum between tables
• Dancing, singing and performing music is permitted, with restrictions
• Karaoke permitted, with restrictions (including no private rooms)
• Require patron contact info (one per party)
• No buffet style service
• Night clubs only permitted to operate as restaurant or bar
• Line-ups and patrons congregating outside venues managed by venue; 2 metres distance and face covering required
• Face coverings except when eating or drinking only
• Eye protection where patrons without face coverings are within 2 metres of workers
• Limit operating hours, establishments must close at midnight
• Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• No consumption of liquor permitted between 12 a.m. to 9 a.m.
• Require contact information for all seated patrons
• Limit of 6 people may be seated together
• Limit volume of music (to be no louder than the volume of a normal conversation)
• A safety plan must be available upon request

Sports and recreational fitness facilities

• Capacity limits:
  • 10 people indoors (classes)
  • 25 people outdoors (classes)
  • 50 people indoors (area with weights or exercise equipment)
• Spectators allowed (50 indoors and 100 outdoors)
• Limit of 50 people per room basis if operating in compliance with a plan approved by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health (Guidance for Facilities for Sport and Recreational Fitness Activities During COVID-19)
• Team or individual sports must be modified to avoid physical contact; 50 people per league
• Exemption for high performance athletes and parasports
• Limit volume of music to conversation level and prevent shouting by both instructors and members of the public
• Face coverings required except when exercising
• Increase spacing between patrons to 3 metres for areas of a sport or recreational facility where there are weights or weight machines and exercise and fitness classes
• Require contact information for all patrons and attendance for team sports
• Require reservation for entry; one reservation for teams
• A safety plan must be available upon request

Meeting and event spaces

• Limits:
  • 50 people indoors
  • 100 people outdoors
  • exception for court and government services, weddings, funerals
• Booking multiple rooms for the same event not permitted
• 50 indoors per room, where physical distancing can be maintained if venue operates in accordance with the approved plan from the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health (Guidance for Meeting and Event Facilities During COVID-19)
• Limit operating hours, establishments must close at midnight
• Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• No consumption of liquor permitted between 12 a.m. to 9 a.m.
• Require contact information for all seated patrons
• Limit of 6 people may be seated together
• Limit volume of music (to be no louder than the volume of a normal conversation)
• A safety plan must be available upon request

Retail

• Fitting rooms must be limited to non-adjacent stalls
• Line-ups and patrons congregating outside venues managed by venue; 2 metre distance and face covering required
• Limit volume of music (to be no louder than the volume of a normal conversation)
• For malls, a safety plan must be available upon request

Personal care services

• Oxygen bars, steam rooms, saunas, and whirlpools closed
• Require contact information from all patrons
• A safety plan must be available upon request

Casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments

• Capacity cannot exceed 50 persons
• Table games are prohibited
• Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• No consumption of liquor permitted between 12 a.m. to 9 a.m.
• Require contact information from all patrons
• A safety plan must be available upon request

Cinemas

• Limit in facility and area:
  • 50 indoors
  • 100 outdoors
    or
  • 50 indoors per auditorium if cinema operates in accordance with the approved plan from the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health (Guidance for Movie Theatres During COVID-19)
• Face coverings except when eating or drinking only
• Drive-in cinemas permitted to operate, subject to restrictions
• Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• No consumption of liquor permitted between 12 a.m. to 9 a.m.
• Require contact information from all patrons
• A safety plan must be available upon request

Performing arts facilities

• Limits with 2 metre physical distance maintained:
  • 50 spectators indoors
  • 100 spectators outdoors
• Singers and players of wind or brass instruments must be separated from spectators by plexiglass or some other impermeable barrier
• Rehearsal or performing a recorded or broadcasted event permitted
• Performers and employees must maintain 2 metre physical distance except for purposes of the performance
• Drive-in performances permitted
• Liquor sold or served only between 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• No consumption of liquor permitted between 12 a.m. to 9 a.m.
• Require contact information from all patrons
• A safety plan must be available upon request