Premier Ford to Discuss COVID Restrictions with Cabinet Today

Monday, 14 February 2022 at 06:59

The Toronto Sun is reporting that Dr. Kieran Moore will recommend lifting all COVID restrictions on March 31st, as long as we don't have any spikes in case counts which could threaten hospital capacity.

ONTARIO - Premier Doug Ford will be meeting with his cabinet today to discuss COVID-19 restrictions, including the mask mandate and the vaccine passport.

According to a report in the Toronto Sun, they're going to talk about how the province should go about lifting all of the restrictions and what the timeline could be. It says that Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore will suggest that all restrictions end on March 31st, as long as we don't see any spikes in case counts that could threaten hospital capacity.

He's also going to suggest that we enter the next stage of reopening this weekend, removing the capacity limits for rec centres, movie theatres and restaurant dining rooms. We're currently scheduled to enter the next stage of reopening on Monday February 21st and you can find more details below.

- Increasing social gathering limits to 25 people indoors and 100 people outdoors.
- Removing capacity limits in indoor public settings where proof of vaccination is required, including but not limited to restaurants, indoor sports and recreational facilities, cinemas, as well as other settings that choose to opt-in to proof of vaccination requirements.
- Permitting spectator capacity at sporting events, concert venues, and theatres at 50 per cent capacity.
- Limiting capacity in most remaining indoor public settings where proof of vaccination is not required to the number of people that can maintain two metres of physical distance.
- Indoor religious services, rites or ceremonies limited to the number that can maintain two metres of physical distance, with no limit if proof of vaccination is required.
- Increasing indoor capacity limits to 25 per cent in the remaining higher-risk settings where proof of vaccination is required, including nightclubs, wedding receptions in meeting or event spaces where there is dancing, as well as bathhouses and sex clubs.
- Enhanced proof of vaccination, and other requirements would continue to apply in existing settings.

Premier Ford will be holding a press conference at 9:30 a.m. today and he will be joined by Dr. Moore and Health Minister Christine Elliott.