The provincial shutdowns will impact local businesses and families. Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MPP and Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, John Yakabuski, says it’s going to be a tough for everyone. Yakabuski says he will not be seeing his four children or 11 grandchildren for the holidays this year to do his part to stop the spread of the virus.
The local Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) says the message from Premier Doug Ford was clear that our area is in for a 28-day lockdown. Yakabuski says while health experts will reevaluate the situation after two weeks, he wants residents to be prepared to be locked down the whole time.
Yakabuski says there’s a number of health and workplace safety measures that have been implemented. He adds they will be will be limiting the number of people allowed in large box stores that are allowed to stay open. Yakabuski encourages everyone to support local businesses.
Yakabuski says they hope with the lockdown that people stop travelling to slow the spread of the virus.
On the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, all Ontarians are advised to stay home as much as possible with trips outside the home limited to necessities such as food, medication, medical appointments, or supporting vulnerable community members.
Employers in all industries should make every effort to allow employees to work from home.
Health Minister Christine Elliott says by implementing a Provincewide Shutdown, we can work to stop the virus in its tracks, safeguard hospital capacity, and save lives.
Measures include, but are not limited to:
- Restricting indoor organized public events and social gatherings, except with members of the same household (the people you live with). Individuals who live alone may consider having exclusive close contact with one other household.
- Prohibiting in-person shopping in most retail settings – curbside pickup and delivery can continue. Discount and big box retailers selling groceries will be limited to 25 per cent capacity for in-store shopping. Supermarkets, grocery stores and similar stores that primarily sell food, as well as pharmacies, will continue to operate at 50 per cent capacity for in-store shopping.
- Restricting indoor access to shopping malls – patrons may only go to a designated indoor pickup area (by appointment only), essential retail stores that are permitted to be open (e.g. pharmacy, grocery store), or, subject to physical distancing and face covering requirements, to the food court for takeout purchases. Shopping malls may also establish outdoor designated pickup areas.
- Prohibiting indoor and outdoor dining. Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments will be permitted to operate by take out, drive-through, and delivery only.
The current COVID-19 Response Framework will be paused when the Provincewide Shutdown comes into effect on December 26th, 2020. The impacts of these time-limited measures will be evaluated throughout the 14 days in Northern Ontario and 28 days in Southern Ontario to determine if it is safe to lift any restrictions or if they need to be extended. The Chief Medical Officer of Health will assess and apply lessons learned thus far to the COVID-19 Response Framework to ensure appropriate and effective measures are in place to protect the health of Ontarians and enable economic recovery after the Provincewide Shutdown ends. This will include an assessment of how a revised approach for the safe reopening of retail may be operationalized, according to the latest available evidence.