MOH warns Halton residents to take new restrictive COVID rules seriously
Published November 13, 2020 at 5:23 pm
Halton’s Medical Officer of Health (MOH) has laid out rules for residents now that the region falls under stricter COVID-19 guidelines.
Earlier today (Nov. 13) Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced Halton would move into the Red Control category beginning on Monday.
Being in the Control category means that social gatherings are set at 10 people indoor and 25 outdoor.
Restaurants can have limited indoor dining with only 10 people, but interior dining in malls will be shut down.
Gyms can continue to operate, but with only 10 people attending fitness classes. Where there is weight or exercise equipment only 10 people can be present.
Players involved in team sports can only train, there will be no games, scrimmages or practicing allowed. As well, in recreational facilities, only 10 per room will be allowed indoor, and 25 people outdoor.
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Movie theatres and performing arts venues must close (but socially-distancing rehearsals can take place). Casinos can remain open with limitations based on the size of the facility.
In her response to the Provincial announcement, MOH Dr. Hamidah Meghani had very blunt instructions for Halton residents to follow.
“I strongly recommend that all Halton Region residents: Stay home, except for essential purposes such as going to work or school, buying essentials such as groceries, and attending medical appointments; maintain a physical distance of two metres from those outside their household. Those that live alone may join one designated household; avoid all social gatherings such as play dates, birthday parties, and dinner parties with friends or family,” she said in a released statement.
She said Halton’s status has changed because Queen’s Park has lowered the thresholds for indicators associated within the framework levels announced previously. That comes in response to Halton’s weekly incidence rate being 54.9 confirmed COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people, for the week of November 5-11 and that testing positivity is 4.4 per cent.
The data shows that “we are headed in the wrong direction,” she said.
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