THUNDER BAY - The majority of the province, including the Thunder Bay District, will remain under a lockdown and stay-at-home order for at least one more week as the provincial government prepares to institute a revised COVID-19 response framework for reopening.
Premier Doug Ford announced on Monday that the lockdown measures and the stay-at-home order will remain in effect for 28 public health regions until at least Feb. 16. The orders will remain in effect for the Toronto, Peel, and York regions until at least Feb. 22.
"Today we're seeing some sunlight between the clouds," Ford said. "But we're not clear of the storm just yet."
Only three regions are returning back to the green or prevent zone under the province’s COVID-19 response framework and include Hastings Prince Edward Public Health, Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox and Addington Public Health, and Renfrew County and District Health Unit.
“The measures are working,” Ford said. “Staying home is saving lives.”
Ford added that there is growing concern over new variants of COVID-19, which could lead to greater transmission.
“It is still up to each one of us. We are not out of the woods yet,” he said. “I am concerned about these variants. If we see the numbers spike again we are prepared to take further action as necessary.”
"While we have seen some progress, the risk remains high. COVID-19 variants are now spreading in Ontario and remain a significant threat to controlling the pandemic, in all areas of the province, including areas with low transmission," added Minister of Health Christine Elliott.
Elliott added the province is now screening all COVID-19 tests for the new variants. None of the variants have been detected in Northwestern Ontario but individuals testing positive for COVID-19 in Northeastern Ontario have been infected with a variant strain.
The provincial government is also releasing a revised COVID-19 Response Framework for Reopening, which will include a 25 per cent capacity for in-person shopping for businesses in Grey lockdown zones.
"It does allow and frankly acknowledges that we want small businesses to open," said Solicitor General Sylvia Jones. "We appreciate that they can do it safely with that 25 per cent limit. The ministry of labour will continue those workplace inspections to make sure the limits are adhered to, but we want to give people hope. We want to give people the ability to step up and be part of the solution. In this case it is to allow non-essential businesses to operation at 25 per cent limits to their businesses."
Under the revised framework, local health units, in consultation with the chief medical officer of health, will also have the ability to return to lockdown measures to slow the spread of new variants that may be detected.
"If a region experiences a rapid acceleration in COVID-19 transmission or if the health care system becomes overwhelmed, a new emergency brake can be implemented," Elliott said. "Should this occur, the chief medical officer of health in consultation with a local medical officer of health, may advise moving a region into grey lockdown immediately to interrupt transmission."
The region's COVID-19 numbers will be used to determine which colour zone Thunder Bay and other districts around the province return to next week if they are deemed OK to move back into the colour-coded framework.
At present there are two people in hospital in Thunder Bay, one in intensive care. There are 108 active COVID-19 cases.
Chief medical officer of health, Dr. David Williams, is warning that this is not a return to normal or a reopening and it is up to the people of Ontario to continue to practice all public health guidelines and stay home as much as possible.
"This is not a back to normal, this is not an opening up," he said. "This is stepping back into the framework and stepping up to even more personal care and precaution. The variants of concern, we are finding more and more that people who thought they were asymptomatic were actually spreading. So you have to be even more cautious than before when you do partake in some of these services when they become available and only when it is absolutely essential you do so."
