SHADES OF GREY: Outdoor dining at Brampton, Caledon, Mississauga restaurants allowed as Ontario eases COVID-19 rules
Outdoor dining at food and drink establishments is coming back in Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga after months of takeout and delivery only.
The province announced that Grey-Lockdown restrictions in Peel Region would now allow members of the same household to eat outside at restaurants starting Saturday, March 20.
Caregivers and those living alone would also be permitted to dine outside restaurants.
In a release from the province, Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health advised that while some restrictions are loosening, it’s important to continue to adhere to public health and workplace safety rules.
“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,” he said.
The easing of rules comes as Peel Region has seen a recent spike in COVID-19 cases, including variants of concern, in recent weeks.
According to the province, between March 10 and 15, Peel’s case rates increased by 8.6 per cent, to 103.6 cases per 100,000 people in the region, well above the Ontario average.
As of March 16, there were 2,365 variant COVID-19 cases across Brampton, Caledon and Mississauga, according to Peel Health’s latest report. That’s an increase of 814 variant cases since March 8, according to numbers from the regional health authority.
Reopenings for personal care services, such as hair and nail stylists and indoor fitness facilities were not included in the province’s March 19 announcement.
Peel Region moved to the grey-lockdown zone in the province’s COVID-19 reopening framework, ending months of stay-at-home orders, March 8.
The province’s grey zone permits up to 10 people gathering outside and stores deemed non-essential were allowed to open to 25 per cent capacity.
Dr. Lawrence Loh hinted during a news conference at Brampton council Wednesday that modifications to the grey zone were being considered for the community.
“We also know that the weather is improving and that these climatic changes would allow us to make the most of outdoor spaces, where we know that strict adherence to precautions would further reduce the diminished risk of transmission in the outdoors,” he said.
Click here for the article.