Ontario is strengthening public health measures and putting in gathering limits ahead of Christmas.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says it's to slow the highly transmissible variant Omicron to allow more times for shots to get into arms. The new measures take effect Sunday, Dec. 19.
Capacity limits at indoor public settings are being reduced. It affects restaurants, bars, gyms, pharmacies, grocery stores, shopping malls and personal care services and more.
The limits don't apply to areas of the business being used for a wedding, funeral, or a religious service, rite or ceremony.
Other changes that go into effect this weekend are:
- The number of people who can sit together at restaurants or meeting and event spaces is limited to 10 per table.
- Food and drink services will be prohibited at sporting events, concerts, theatres, cinemas, casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments.
- People are required to remain seated at restaurants, bars, and other food and drink establishments, meeting and event spaces and strip clubs.
- Dancing and singing are prohibited except for workers or performers.
- Alcohol sales will be restricted after 10 p.m.
For informal social gatherings, there's a limit of 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.
Today, Ontario reported 3,142 new COVID-19 cases.
In response to the Omicron variant, Ford announced on Tuesday that booster shots will be rolled out to all people 18 years and old who received their second dose at least three months (84 days) ago.
Since then, the Ontario Science Table released new projections, saying a "circuit breaker" is needed to blunt the impact of the Omicron variant.
