Ontario to continue restricting large public gatherings for "foreseeable future"
It looks like there will be no concerts or sports gatherings in Ontario for a while.
The Government of Ontario released its framework to reopen the economy, which is broken down into three stages.
The gradual approach will be monitored by health officials for two to four weeks to assess the evolution of the COVID-19 outbreak, and to determine if it needs to change course to maintain public health.
Allowing large public gatherings are in the third, and last stage, of the framework.
The first stage includes select workplaces and businesses to open, along with the reopening of outdoor spaces like parks. This stage also allows for more people to attend “some events.”
The second stage will open more workplaces, and at this stage, some larger public gatherings will be allowed.
And if the loosening of public health measures continues to be successful, then the province moves into the third stage which includes “further relaxing the restrictions on public gatherings.”
It is in this stage that the province adds, “large public gatherings such as concerts and sporting events will continue to be restricted for the foreseeable future.”
According to the province, “this ongoing, gradual assessment of public health measures will continue until the post-pandemic period when a vaccine or treatment for COVID-19 is available. This staged approach reflects Ontario’s ‘new normal.'”
At this time, there are no confirmed dates of when any of these stages will take place, not even an estimate.
On Monday, Premier Doug Ford said this is a roadmap and not a calendar.
“It lays out the threshold and targets we need to work toward,” Ford said. “As long as the virus remains a threat we will continue to take every precaution necessary. No one wants to open up the economy more than I do. But all it takes is one person to spread the virus to hundreds.”
Earlier today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that getting life back to normal is “something that’s a long way off for all of us” emphasizing that reopening society and the economy will happen over months.
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