Ontario is reintroducing capacity limits in restaurants, bars and shops, and limiting social gatherings indoors to 10 people in an effort to slow the spread of the Omicron variant.
The province also outlaws outdoor gatherings of more than 25 people and bans the consumption of food and drink in arenas, cinemas and other large venues.
The new rules take effect Sunday morning and do not apply to facilities hosting weddings, funerals or religious services.
Premier Doug Ford has said reintroducing these restrictions is the best thing the province can do to prevent in-person learning schools from closing after the holiday break.
He also said it was still too early to determine whether it will be safe to reopen schools given the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.
Mr Ford made the announcement a day after the province’s science advisers said an accelerated booster campaign would not be enough to mitigate the effects of the new variant.
The panel said the province must put in place restrictions to reduce contact by 50% and warned that without action, daily cases could exceed 10,000 by Christmas.
The Omicron is estimated to be four to eight times more transmissible than the Delta variant that fueled the fourth wave of the pandemic.
Ontario will launch a blitz on Saturday at businesses to ensure they are complying with public health measures as COVID-19 cases increase.
The Ministry of Labor said 150 provincial offenses officers would be deployed across the province.
They will focus their efforts on big box stores, bars, hair salons and other places with significant risk of transmission, ensuring that companies enforce distancing requirements, verify vaccination certificates and keep track of others. health rules.
The province says data from recent inspections shows most companies are following public health rules.
Over 3000 cases
The new wave continues to gain momentum in Ontario as the province climbed above 3,000 new cases on Friday.
Specifically, 3,124 new cases have been reported, in addition to five additional deaths linked to the virus. This is the largest number of cases detected in a single day since the beginning of last May.
Health Minister Christine Elliott points out that 874 cases involve people who were not adequately vaccinated. Another portion of 130 cases involves people whose vaccination status is unknown.
There are 358 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, Minister Elliott said, including 273 patients who were not previously vaccinated at two doses or whose status is unknown. There are 157 patients in intensive care units.
Many Ontarians flocked to vaccination centers and rapid test distribution locations, two key parts of the Omicron variant control plan. Unfortunately, demand greatly exceeded supply in both cases.
If pharmacies have been able to start offering a third dose to all adults who want it, the pharmacists’ association has called on the population to review their expectations since it is not certain that everyone will actually be able to receive their dose in passing. the door of a pharmacy.
Supply problems have also prompted several pharmacists to vaccinate only by appointment in order to avoid the chaos of long queues.