Updated: Public Health Sudbury and Districts moving to Grey-Lockdown on March 12

Public Health Sudbury and Districts is moving into the Grey-Lockdown level effective March 12 at 12:01 a.m.

The decision was made due to the concerning trends in public health indicators and in consultation with the local medical officer of health, said a press release issued Thursday by the province.

From March 3 to 9, the region's case rate increased by 54.1 per cent to 75.9 cases per 100,000 people.

"Implementing an emergency brake to immediately interrupt transmission of COVID-19 is a key component of our government's plan to safely and gradually return public health regions to the framework," said Christine Elliott, deputy premier and minister of health.

"We have seen a rapid rise in the case rate in the Sudbury area, and swift action is needed to protect individuals, families and businesses and save lives."

"As a result of the rapid deterioration of trends in key indicators, the emergency brake is being applied to move Public Health Sudbury and Districts to Grey-Lockdown to help reduce further spread of the virus in the region," said Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health. "We must remain vigilant in adhering to all public health and workplace safety measures to combat the threat posed by variants of concern."

The Chief Medical Officer of Health will continue to consult with public health and other experts, review data, and provide advice to the government on the appropriate and effective measures that are needed to protect the health of Ontarians.

Here's what the lockdown means in terms of what's open and what's closed:

Organized public events, social gatherings and weddings, funeral and religious services, rites and ceremonie

-No indoor organized public events and social gatherings, except with members of the same household.

-Individuals who live alone, including seniors, may consider having exclusive, close contact with another household to help reduce the negative impacts of social isolation

-Limit for outdoor organized public events and social gatherings, physical distancing can be maintained: 10 people outdoors.

-Limits for religious services rites or ceremonies, including wedding services and funeral services, where physical distancing can be maintained (applies in any venue other than a private dwelling): 10 people indoors, 10 people outdoors.

-Virtual and drive-in events and religious services, rites or ceremonies permitted

Retail

New to Grey-Lockdown as of February 2021:

In-person shopping permitted for all retail, subject to capacity limits of:

-50% for supermarkets and other stores that primarily sell groceries, convenience stores and pharmacies.

-25% for all other retail, including discount and big box retailers, liquor stores, cannabis stores, hardware stores and garden centres.

-Curbside pick-up and delivery permitted.

-Stores must post capacity limit publicly.

-Stores must have passive screening for patrons (for example, posting signs outside the store front about not entering if you have COVID-19 symptoms). This does not apply to indoor malls, which are required to actively screen their customers before they enter the mall. Malls can use the patron screening tool to help meet this requirement.

-Individuals must physically distance and wear a face covering, with some exceptions.

-No loitering in shopping malls, and stores within the malls subject to appropriate retail measures.

Restaurants, bars and food and drink establishments

-Indoor and outdoor service prohibited.

-Take out, drive through and delivery permitted, including alcohol.

Sports and recreation fitness facilities

-Facilities for indoor or outdoor sports and recreational fitness activities are closed except for the sole use of high performance athletes including parasport athletes, and specified professional leagues (for example, NHL, CFL, MLS, NBA), as well as for specified purposes (for example, day camps, child care).

-Outdoor recreational amenities (for example, ice rinks, ski hills, snow trails) open with restrictions (for example, no team sports)

-Community centres and multi-purpose facilities (for example, YMCA) allowed to be open for permitted activities (for example, child care services, day camps, social services)

Meeting and event spaces

-Closed with limited exceptions for child care and day camps for children, court services, government services, mental health and addiction support services (for example, Alcoholics Anonymous) permitted to a maximum of 10 people, and provision of social services.

Personal care services

-Closed

Casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments

-Closed

Cinemas

-Closed, except for drive-in cinemas, rehearsal or performing a recorded or broadcasted event, with restrictions, which include performers and employees must maintain two metres physical distance except for purposes of the performance, singers and players of brass or wind instruments must be separated from any other performers by plexiglass or other impermeable barrier.

-A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request

Performing arts facilities

-Closed to spectators.

Rehearsal or performing a recorded or broadcasted event permitted, with restrictions, which include performers and employees must maintain two metres physical distance except for purposes of the performance, singers and players of brass or wind instruments must be separated from any other performers by plexiglass or other impermeable barrier.

-Drive-in performances permitted.

-A safety plan is required to be prepared and made available upon request.

Amusement parks, water parks

-Closed.

Animal services

-Services that are permitted include veterinary services and other businesses that provide for the health and welfare of animals, including farms, boarding kennels, stables, animal shelters and research facilities.

-Businesses that provide services for the training and provision of service animals.

-Businesses that provide pet services, including pet grooming services, pet sitting services, pet walking services and pet training services.

Bathhouses and sex clubs

-Closed

Boarding kennels and stables

-Permitted to open for animal’s owner, or their representative, to visit the animal, assist in the care or feeding of the animal or, as applicable, ride the animal.

Campgrounds

-Available for trailers and recreational vehicles that are used by individuals who are in need of housing, or are permitted to be there by the terms of a full season contract.

-Only campsites with electricity, water service and facilities for sewage disposal may be provided for use.

All recreational facilities in the campground and all other shared facilities in the campground, other than washrooms and showers, must be closed.

-Short-term campground rentals that were reserved on or before Nov. 22, 2020 are permitted; no new reservations after Nov. 22, 2020 permitted, except for individuals who are in need of housing.

Driving instructions

-In-person driving instruction is not permitted.

-Virtual permitted.

Household services

-Domestic and cleaning and maintenance services permitted, including:

housekeepers, cooks, maids and butlers
personal affairs management
nanny services and babysitters
other domestic personnel
house cleaning

-Outdoor cleaning and maintenance services permitted, including:

indoor or outdoor painting
pool cleaning
general repairs

Horse racing

-Training only, no races, no spectators.

Hotels, motels

-Permitted to operate except for any pools, fitness centres, meeting rooms and other recreational facilities that may be part of the operations of these businesses.

Libraries

-Open for curbside, delivery and pick-up.

-Patrons permitted to enter libraries for contactless drop-off and pick-up, and to access computers, photocopiers, or similar services.

-May open for permitted services (for example, day camp, child care services, mental health and addiction support services to a limit of 10 persons [AA meetings], provision of social services)

-No classes

Marinas, boating clubs, golf courses and driving ranges

-Marinas and boating clubs permitted

-Clubhouses, restaurants, pools, meeting rooms, fitness centres or other recreational facilities on the premises closed to the public, with limited exceptions

-Golf courses and driving ranges: Outdoors permitted, indoors closed

-Indoor shooting ranges closed

Media industries

-Sound recording, production, publishing and distribution businesses

-Film and television production, including all supporting activities such as hair, makeup and wardrobe, are permitted to open if they meet the following conditions:

No studio audiences may be permitted to be on the film or television set
The set must be configured and operated in such a way as to enable persons on the set to maintain a physical distance of at least two metres from other persons, except where necessary for the filming of the film or television production
Persons who provide hair or makeup services must wear appropriate personal protective equipment
Singers and players of brass or wind instruments must be separated from any other performers by plexiglass or some other impermeable barrier

-Film and television post-production, visual effects and animation studios are permitted

-Book and periodical production, publishing and distribution businesses are permitted

-Interactive digital media businesses, including computer system software or application developers and publishers, and video game developers and publishers are permitted

Motorsports

-Closed

Museums and other cultural amenities (for example, art galleries, science centres)

-Closed (indoors) to members of the public

-Drive-in or drive through only

Nightclubs

-Only permitted to open if they operate as a restaurant, bar, or other food and drink establishment (take-out, drive-through and delivery service only)

Personal services

-In-person personal services not permitted, including personal shoppers, party and wedding planners, personal organizer services, personal physical fitness or sports trainers, house sitters.