The Middlesex-London Health Unit will be moving to the orange-restrict level of the province’s COVID-19 framework exactly three weeks after moving to the yellow-protect tier.
The province made the announcement Friday afternoon, with changes coming into effect on Monday.
The region has been in the less-restrictive yellow-protect level since Nov. 16, but a recent surge in cases driven in part by a large and deadly outbreak at University Hospital has led the region to push past the orange-restrict threshold.
As of Friday afternoon, the UH outbreak had resulted in 12 deaths and more than 110 cases.
The move from yellow to orange will come into effect at 12:01 a.m. Monday, Dec. 7 and includes additional measures on top of measures from the previous levels.
Additional measures will be in place for: food or drink establishments, sports and recreational facilities, meeting and event spaces, retail, personal care services, gaming establishments like casinos and bingo halls, cinemas, and performing arts facilities.
In all of those sectors, the orange level will result in a requirement for screening of patrons “in accordance with instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health.”
Additionally, wherever relevant, liquor will only be allowed to be sold or served between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
A cap of 50 people indoors per facility will also be in place for: food or drink establishments, fitness areas with weights and exercise machines as well as fitness classes, meeting and event spaces, and cinemas.
More sector-specific regulations will also be introduced.
For sports and recreational fitness, patrons can only be in a facility for 90 minutes unless they are “engaged in a sport.” Spectators will not be allowed, with the exception of parents or guardians supervising children.
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For food or drink establishments and for meeting and event spaces, there will also be limits of four people seated together and establishments must be closed between 10 p.m. and 5 p.m. The orange level also means that strip clubs must close, or operate as a restaurant or bar.
For personal care services, services that require the removal of face coverings will be prohibited. Bathhouses, other adult venues, and sensory deprivation pods will be closed with some exceptions.
Full details for measures in effect under the orange level can be found on the province’s website.
The measures will be in place for at least 28 days.
–With files from Global News’ Matthew Trevithick
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