'Youaredoingwhatnow?!': Doctors and residents confused, concerned after Ontario eases COVID-19 restrictions
Ontario is easing restrictions for restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments in the province's Grey-Lockdown, Red-Control and Orange-Restrict regions.
Effective Saturday, March 20, the new rules will be as follows:
Grey-Lockdown regions: Indoor dining prohibited, outdoor dining permitted with physical distancing and other place safety measures
Red-Control regions: Indoor dining limited to 50 per cent capacity but cannot exceed 50 patrons, with physical distancing measures in place, outdoor dining also permitted
Orange-Restrict regions: Indoor dining limited to 50 per cent capacity but cannot exceed 100 patrons, with physical distancing measures in place, outdoor dining also permitted
Some of the rules that must be followed in all regions include:
Limiting tables for indoor dining to members of the same household (exemptions individuals who live alone and caregivers)
Limiting tables for outdoor dining in Grey-Lockdown to members of the same household (exemptions individuals who live alone and caregivers)
Each establishment must post a sign visible to the public that states the maximum capacity they are permitted to operate under
"While some regions are proceeding to levels with less restrictive measures and adjustments are being made to dining capacity, everyone must continue to adhere to all public health and workplace safety measures," a statement from Dr. David Williams, Ontario's chief medical officer of health reads.
"We have entered the third wave of the pandemic and the rates of variants of concern continue to rise so it is important that people remain cautious and vigilant in order to minimize the transmission of COVID-19 and protect themselves and their communities."
Following this announcement, many people in Ontario took to social media to share their thoughts on these eased restrictions, with many concerned that this is a step too far while the province enters the third wave of the pandemic and cases of more transmissible COVID-19 variants are on the rise.
1. Outdoor dining allowed: Fine - we know a year in to this mess that outdoor settings are much safer. Let's avoid indoor settings. Harm reduction is a thing.
2. Increasing # of people for indoor dining: Youaredoingwhatnow?!?!— Isaac Bogoch (@BogochIsaac) March 19, 2021
Why are we relaxing restrictions at the same time as cases rise exponentially?
That sends all the wrong messages.#ThirdWave— Irfan Dhalla (@IrfanDhalla) March 19, 2021
Welcome to Ontario: Where we open indoor dining while we open field hospitals during a pandemic. #COVID19
— Naheed Dosani (@NaheedD) March 19, 2021
imagine someone told you they were building a field hospital to respond to Covid pressures while also opening up indoor dining — this is the policy paradox that’s killing us.
— Andrew Boozary, MD, MPP (@drandrewb) March 19, 2021
Ontario's Vaccine roll out is at a snails pace, hospitals and our health system are completely overwhelmed and yet we've got #Ontario out there loosening restrictions at restaurants / opening up outdoor patios. #onpoli pic.twitter.com/gitBB8pNpf
— Mimi ميمي (@Mimi_088) March 19, 2021
Sure feels like the Ontario government cares more about restaurants than they do about everyone else! #COVID19 https://t.co/eG7GoLdpi4
— Doug Michaelides (@DougMichaelides) March 19, 2021
If people can dine outdoors then kids should be able to play sports outdoors as well in Grey lockdown smh
— Sylvia Forbes (@sylsyl10) March 19, 2021
So can someone explain to me the logic in 50-100 maskless people indoors with "deadly variants" in a restaurant north of Steeles but I can't visit 2-3 friends, get a haircut, or gym with 10 other people south of Steeles? This is science?
— Moe Hammoud (@hammoudmo2) March 19, 2021
Easier spreading variants, Hamilton is already heading way up with 100 cases a day & Oakville has JUST declared an outbreak of a variant at a steakhouse but sure....let's shove 50% into restaurants with no masks, this won't have a good outcome. Shameful @fordnation
— Lisa (@lisamarieLML) March 19, 2021
Does “grey lockdown zone” really mean anything anymore if they keep making additional provisions to allow things to open? I mean, sure you can debate the merits of what should or should not be open, but this seems like a tactic to have it both ways.
— Feyd-Rautha Dunaway ☭ (@marcd84) March 19, 2021
