THUNDER BAY - In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 as the province reopens, additional safety measures are being put in place on bars and restaurants across Ontario.
The new measures include requiring all patrons to be seated at all times, both indoors and outside, with limited exceptions. Bar and restaurant owners will also be required to keep client logs for a 30-day period and disclose these logs to the medical officer of health or inspector.
"Protecting the health and well-being of all Ontarians has always been our top priority," said Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Christine Elliott. "These additional measures will help reduce close contact between individuals in these settings, and support case and contact tracing, thereby limiting the spread of COVID-19."
Most of the province entered stage three of reopening earlier this month, which included permitting indoor dining at bars and restaurants.
The amended measures are part of the provincial government’s Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020.
The decision to implement the new measures was done so in consultation with the chief medical officer of health and are meant to help limit the spread of COVID-19 and assist in contact tracing for any possible outbreaks.
Public health experts will continue to monitor the situation in the province to determine if public health measures can be loosened or need to be tighter.
There have been fewer than 100 daily new cases of COVID-19 reported in the province over the last two days.
