All 24 regions in Ontario that are permitted to move onto stage 2 of reopening of the economy take a step forward — but not us, York Region.
However, many local citizens will no doubt welcome the ability to double the number of people we can gather with socially from five to 10. The Ontario government has increased the limit on social gathering for all regions in the province, including those who have yet to be approved for stage 2.
Also, all places of worship across Ontario are permitted to open with physical distancing in place and attendance limited to no more than 30 per cent of the building capacity.
The Ontario government today announced public health unit regions that have flattened the curve of coronavirus infection can, as of Friday, June 12 at 12:01 a.m. reopen businesses and services such as outdoor patio eating and drinking, personal care services, including hair salons, barber shops and tattoo parlours, shopping malls under existing restrictions, and more.
The vast majority of new cases in Ontario — nearly 90 per cent — continue to be from Toronto, Peel Region and York Region.
York Region's new cases have been on the decline in recent weeks, with the occasional spike. The daily case increases have yet to dip into single-digits, but the 12 new cases reported today are the lowest number since 10 were reported April 6. However, of its 2,628 confirmed cases today, 445 cases are active, with 75 per cent resolved.
Institutional outbreaks, particularly outbreaks at long-term care homes, have fuelled many of the case spikes in York Region, accounting for 36 per cent of the total cases. Close to 1,200 residents and health-care workers have been infected in an outbreak, however, only 13 of 65 outbreaks are currently active.
The majority of regions that get the nod to reopen are outside of the Toronto-GTA-Hamilton area, including Bradford in neighbouring Simcoe County.
In consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and local health officials, the government is easing restrictions in communities where it is safe to do so, based on trends of key public health indicators such as lower rates of transmission, increased capacity in hospitals, and progress made in testing.
Check back for more on this developing story.
These are the public health units not moving to Stage 2:
- Durham Region Health Department
- Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit
- Halton Region Public Health
- Hamilton Public Health Services
- Lambton Public Health
- Niagara Region Public Health
- Peel Public Health
- Toronto Public Health
- Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
- York Region Public Health
