Toronto y Peel pasaron al nivel de “bloqueo”, cierran negocios no esenciales solo atenderán pickup en la acera

REDACCION ST.- El gobierno de Ontario  está colocando a Toronto y la Región de  Peel en la categoría de “bloqueo” en el marco escalonado para las restricciones de COVID-19, ordenando el cierre de gimnasios, instalaciones recreativas y servicios de cuidado personal, al tiempo que limita todas las tiendas minoristas no esenciales a entregar sus pedidos  en la acera únicamente.

Las nuevas restricciones fueron anunciadas por el premier  Doug Ford durante una conferencia de prensa en Queen’s Park este viernes por la tarde.

A partir del lunes 23 de noviembre a las 12:01 a.m., las compras en persona estarán prohibidas en Toronto y la Región de Peel, con excepciones para minoristas esenciales como supermercados, ferreterías, grandes almacenes, tiendas de conveniencia, farmacias y tiendas de cerveza y licores.

Sin embargo, esas tiendas esenciales tendrán que adherirse a un límite estricto de capacidad del 50 por ciento, lo que podría significar un retorno de las líneas que eran comunes fuera de muchos minoristas en la primavera.

Mientras tanto, se continuará permitiendo que los bares y restaurantes brinden servicios de comida para llevar o de entrega a domicilio en aquellas regiones bajo bloqueo, pero ya no se les permitirá atender a los clientes en sus instalaciones, incluso si es en un patio.

El gobierno de Ford también prohíbe todas las reuniones organizadas y eventos sociales en el interior “excepto con miembros del mismo hogar”. El límite de reunión para eventos al aire libre se reducirá de 25 a 10 para las regiones en el nivel de bloqueo.

Qué está permitido y qué no está en el nivel de bloqueo

“La situación es extremadamente grave y se requieren más acciones para evitar el peor de los casos”, dijo Ford al hacer el anuncio. “No podemos poner en riesgo el aprendizaje en clase, no podemos arriesgarnos a brotes generalizados en nuestros hogares de cuidados a largo plazo, no podemos arriesgarnos a abrumar nuestros hospitales. Para proteger a los más vulnerables y proteger lo que más importa, tenemos que controlar la propagación en la comunidad”.

La decisión del gobierno de Ford de trasladar a Toronto y Peel a la categoría de bloqueo se produce una semana después del lanzamiento del nuevo modelo, que sugería que Ontario podría ver 6,500 nuevos casos por día a mediados de diciembre.

También se produce un día después de que el número de pacientes con COVID en las unidades de la UCI de Ontario llegara a 150, un punto crítico que, según muchos funcionarios de salud, resultará en que algunos hospitales cancelen cirugías y procedimientos electivos.

“Como hemos visto en todo el mundo, los bloqueos son un paso difícil pero necesario para prevenir brotes de COVID-19 y doblar la curva en el número de casos nuevos”, dijo la ministra de Salud, Christine Elliott, durante la conferencia de prensa del viernes. “Sé que este no es el lugar donde queríamos estar, pero nuestro gobierno y los habitantes de Ontario ya se han enfrentado al desafío antes y sé que podemos hacerlo de nuevo”.

Las nuevas restricciones que se implementarán en Toronto y Peel requerirán que la gran mayoría de las empresas cierren o modifiquen significativamente sus operaciones, lo que recuerda a la primera ola de la pandemia la primavera pasada.

Los concesionarios de automóviles pueden abrir para compras en persona, pero solo con cita previa, mientras que las bibliotecas solo pueden ofrecer entrega y recogida sin contacto, con algunas excepciones para los clientes que necesitan acceder a computadoras, fotocopiadoras y otros servicios similares.

Los zoológicos y acuarios también tendrán que cerrar, al igual que los casinos y establecimientos de juego.

El gobierno de Ford también prohibirá cualquier nuevas reservas de alquiler a corto plazo a partir del lunes, excepto para las personas que necesiten vivienda.

The Ontario government announced that Peel and Toronto are moving into the grey or lockdown zone of the province’s framework for COVID-19 restrictions.

Here’s a list of what’s allowed and what’s prohibited:

Organized Public Events, Social Gatherings, and Religious Services, Rites and Ceremonies

• No indoor organized public events and social gatherings, except with members of the same household.
• Limit for outdoor organized public events and social gatherings, physical distancing can be maintained: 10 people outdoors
• Virtual and drive-in gatherings and events permitted.
• Weddings, funerals and other religious services, rites or ceremonies where physical distancing can be maintained: 10 people indoors;10 people outdoors
• Virtual and drive-in services, rites or ceremonies permitted

The province also amended indoor social gathering limits in the red zone from 10 people to 5.

Schools, Childcare, and Post-Secondary Institutions

• Schools, child care centres remain open
• Post-secondary institutions open for virtual instruction, with exemptions where in-person instruction is required (e.g. clinical training, trades)

Restaurants, Bars and Food or Drink Establishments

• Indoor and outdoor service prohibited
• Take out, drive through, and delivery permitted, including sale of alcohol

Sports and Recreational Fitness

• Closure of all indoor facilities, including indoor courts, pools, and rinks
• Community centres and multi-purpose facilities (e.g., YMCA) allowed to be open for permitted activities such as child care services
• Indoor individual and team sports (including training) not permitted with exemptions for high performance, including parasport athletes, and professional leagues (e.g., NHL, CFL, MLS, NBA)
• Outdoor sports, classes, and use of amenities, limited to 10 people
• Other measures from previous level

Meeting and Event Spaces

Closed with limited exceptions for:

• Court services
• Government services
• Mental health and addictions support services (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous) permitted to a maximum of 10 people

Retail/Garden Centres/Outdoor Markets

– retail permitted to be open for curbside pick-up or delivery only (in-person retail shopping not permitted) with some exceptions:

• Supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, hardware stores, discount and department store-type retailers, beer and wine and liquor stores, pharmacies and safety supply stores permitted to be open for in-person shopping
• 50% capacity limits in retail outlets permitted to open for in-person shopping

– Motor vehicle sales permitted to be open for in-person shopping by appointment only and other safety restrictions

– Garden centres, plant nurseries: indoor by appointment. Permitted if public remains outdoors or by curbside pick-up or delivery

– Outdoor markets permitted

– Retail outlets in malls permitted to be open for curbside pick-up or delivery only (in-person retail shopping not permitted); full access to businesses and organizations permitted to be open (e.g., pharmacy, dentist); food court open for take-away.

– Requirement to maintain 2m while standing in line

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 remains permitted
• Singers and players of brass or wind instruments must be separated from any other performers by plexiglass or other impermeable barrier

Performing Arts Facilities

– same as previous level:

• Closed to spectators
• Rehearsal or performing a recorded or broadcasted event remains permitted
• Singers and players of brass or wind instruments must be separated from any other performers by plexiglass or other impermeable barrier

Amusement Parks, water parks

• closed

Bathhouses and sex clubs

• closed

Boarding kennels and stables

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

Campgrounds

• Existing bookings as of November 22, 2020 honouredregardless of when the camping occurs.
• No new bookings after November 22, 2020 permitted, except for individuals who are in need of housing
• Washrooms/showers permitted to be open

Cannabis

• permitted by curbside pickup

Driving instruction

• in-person driving instruction not permitted, virtual permitted

Film and television production:

• permitted with restrtictions in red control; post-production permitted

Household services including domestic services such as housekeepers, cooks, maids, butlers, personal affairs management, nanny services, babysitters, other domestic personnel and cleaning and maintenance services such as house cleaning, indoor/outdoor painting, cleaning, pool cleaning, general repairs.

• permitted

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 contactless 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 (e.g., child care services, AA meetings)
• No classes

Marinas and boating clubs

• Permitted to operate for fuel supply, watercraft repair and servicing, watercraft docking, and watercraft launching services for essential purposes
• 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

Motorsports

• closed

Museum, galleries, science centres

• closed

Nightclubs and strip clubs

• 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 including personal shoppers, party and wedding planners, personal organizer services, personal physical fitness or sports trainers and house sitters

• in-person personal services not permitted

Photography studios, and services

• closed

Real estate agencies

• Permitted to operate; open houses permitted by appointment only

Short-term rentals

• Existing bookings as of November 22, 2020 honouredregardless of when the rental occurs.
• No new bookings after November 22, 2020 permitted, except for individuals who are in need of housing.

Tour and guide services

• closed

Veterinary services

• permitted

Zoos and aquariums

• Closed to the public.
• Permitted to operate for the care of animals