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Ontario Enacts Provincial Emergency and Stay-at-Home Order

The provincial emergency will remain in effect for at least 28 days and will be extended as necessary. During this period, the government is issuing a Stay-at-Home order requiring everyone to remain at home with exceptions for essential purposes, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy, accessing health care services (including getting vaccinated), for outdoor exercise, or for work that cannot be done remotely.

The government is also introducing additional public health and workplace safety measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. These include:

• Limiting capacity limits in all retail settings, including supermarkets, convenience stores, indoor farmers’ markets, other stores that primarily sell groceries and pharmacies;
• Requiring all businesses to ensure that their employees work from home unless it is impossible to do so;
• Prohibiting social gatherings and organized public events;
• Closing all outdoor recreational amenities such as playgrounds, sports fields and basketball courts;
• Restricting in-person shopping in all retail settings between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.;
• Requiring face coverings in all indoor public spaces;
• Strengthening enforcement of public health measures by increasing fines up to $100,000 per day for those who violate orders under the Reopening Ontario Act; and
• Increasing access to testing across the province.

Premier Ford announced that the province is extending the stay-at-home order for another two weeks, until at least June 2. He also announced that the government will be introducing a new colour-coded framework to help guide public health measures and restrictions in different regions of the province. The framework will include four levels of restrictions: green, yellow, orange and red.

Deputy Premier Elliott provided an update on the province’s vaccination program, noting that over 8 million doses have been administered so far and that over 80% of Ontarians aged 18+ have received at least one dose. She also noted that all Ontarians aged 12+ are now eligible to receive their first dose of vaccine.

Solicitor General Jones discussed enforcement measures related to the stay-at-home order, noting that police officers across Ontario have issued more than 10,000 tickets since April 17th for violations of public health orders. She also noted that provincial offences officers have conducted more than 6,000 inspections since April 17th and issued more than 1,500 charges for violations of public health orders.

Finally, Dr. Williams provided an update on COVID-19 case numbers in Ontario, noting that while cases are still high in some parts of the province they are trending downwards overall. He also noted that hospitalizations and ICU admissions remain high but are slowly declining as well.

  • “The COVID-19 situation is at a critical stage and we must act quickly and decisively to stay ahead of these deadly new variants,” said Premier Ford.
    “By imposing these strict new measures we will keep people safe while allowing our vaccination program to reach more people, starting with our high risk population and identified hot spots. Although this is difficult, I urge everyone to follow these public health measures and together we will defeat this deadly virus.”

To help reduce the strain on the health care system, it is essential that everyone follows public health measures and continues to practice physical distancing, wear a face covering when in public, and wash their hands often.

The Stay-at-Home order will be in effect for at least four weeks. During this time, everyone must stay at home except for essential purposes, such as:

• Shopping for groceries and medication

• Accessing health care services, including getting vaccinated against COVID-19
• Going to work or school if you cannot do so remotely
• Outdoor exercise with members of your household or one other person from another household (maintaining a physical distance of two metres)
• Attending medical appointments and for compassionate reasons, such as to provide care for a loved one
• Childcare services that are permitted to operate under the Reopening Ontario Act

It is important to remember that all public health measures remain in place. This includes wearing a face covering when out in public, maintaining physical distancing of two metres from people outside your household and washing your hands often.

er

A retailer is a business that sells goods or services directly to consumers for their own use. Retailers are at the end of the supply chain and typically purchase products from wholesalers or manufacturers in order to resell them to customers. Examples of retailers include department stores, grocery stores, convenience stores, clothing stores, electronics stores, and online retailers.

-Limiting the number of customers in stores at any one time
-Requiring customers to wear face coverings
-Increasing physical distancing measures, such as floor markings and plexiglass barriers
-Ensuring frequent cleaning and disinfecting of high touch surfaces
-Providing hand sanitizer for customers and staff
-Encouraging contactless payment options where possible

  • Limiting the majority of non-essential retailers to only operate for curbside pick-up and delivery, via appointment, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., with delivery of goods to patrons permitted between 6:00 am and 9:00 pm, and other restrictions;
  • Restricting access to shopping malls to limited specified purposes, including access for curbside pick-up and delivery, via appointment, with one single designated location inside the shopping mall, and any number of designated locations outside the shopping mall, along with other restrictions;
  • Restricting discount and big box stores in-person retail sales to grocery items, pet care supplies, household cleaning supplies, pharmaceutical items, health care items, and personal care items only;
  • Permitting the following stores to operate for in-person retail by appointment only and subject to a 25 per cent capacity limit and restricting allowable hours of operation to between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. with the delivery of goods to patrons permitted between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.:
    • Safety supply stores;
    • Businesses that primarily sell, rent or repair assistive devices, aids or supplies, mobility devices, aids or supplies or medical devices, aids or supplies;
    • Rental and leasing services including automobile, commercial and light industrial machinery and equipment rental;
    • Optical stores that sell prescription eyewear to the public;
    • Businesses that sell motor vehicles, boats and other watercraft;
    • Vehicle and equipment repair and essential maintenance and vehicle and equipment rental services; and
    • Retail stores operated by a telecommunications provider or service, which may only permit members of the public to enter the premises to purchase a cellphone or for repairs or technical support.
  • Permitting outdoor garden centres and plant nurseries, and indoor greenhouses that engage in sales to the public, to operate with a 25 per cent capacity limit and a restriction on hours of operation to between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.

1. All businesses must ensure that all employees wear face coverings while at work, and customers must wear face coverings when entering the premises.

2. All businesses must limit the number of people in their establishments to 50% of their maximum capacity, or a maximum of 10 people, whichever is lower.

3. All businesses must maintain physical distancing measures between customers and employees, including maintaining a minimum distance of 6 feet between individuals at all times.

4. All businesses must provide hand sanitizer for use by both customers and employees, and regularly clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces such as door handles, countertops, and bathrooms.

5. All restaurants must close indoor dining areas and offer takeout or delivery services only.

6. Bars, nightclubs, movie theaters, gyms, fitness centers, bowling alleys, arcades, amusement parks, water parks and other recreational facilities must remain closed until further notice.

7. Non-essential travel should be avoided whenever possible; those who do travel should follow public health guidance on self-quarantine upon return from out-of-state trips or international destinations.

The town is served by the following schools:
* St. Mary’s Catholic School (PK-8)
* North Lamar High School (9-12)

External links

* City of Blossom official website (http://www.cityofblossom.com/)
Category:Cities in Lamar County, Texas
Category:Cities in Texas

This includes physical distancing, enhanced cleaning and disinfecting, mandatory mask use for students in Grades 4 to 12, and screening protocols.

Schools and child care will also remain open in public health regions where they are subject to additional restrictions due to high levels of community transmission. In these regions, schools and child care will continue to provide in-person learning and care with additional safety measures in place. These measures may include cohorting (grouping children together), reducing class sizes, or limiting the number of people on school premises at any one time. Schools and child care providers must also ensure that all staff members are trained on proper infection prevention and control practices.

In addition, the government is providing funding for mental health supports for students in all publicly funded schools across Ontario. This includes access to mental health professionals such as psychologists, social workers, and other mental health professionals who can provide support to students who need it.

We are also working with the federal government to ensure that all education workers in hot spot areas have access to rapid testing.

The safety of our students and staff is our top priority, and we will continue to take every step necessary to protect them. We will provide more information on these measures as it becomes available.

  • “While our government took decisive action by implementing the provincewide emergency brake, more needs to be done to protect against the threats to our health system resources and the continued health and safety of individuals and families across the province,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health.
    “By further strengthening public health and workplace safety measures, we can work to reduce transmission of the virus while we work to rollout Phase 2 of our vaccine distribution plan, and put more needles in the arms of Ontarians.”
    “The rapid and increasing spread of COVID-19 and the variants of concern pose significant threats to our health care system and the well-being of Ontarians, requiring immediate and decisive action,” said Solicitor General Sylvia Jones. “The declaration of a third provincial emergency is necessary to provide the government with the tools needed to help protect the public, reduce the spread of the virus and save lives.”

Vaccinations are a type of preventive medicine that help protect people from serious illnesses and diseases. Vaccines work by introducing a weakened or killed version of a virus or bacteria into the body, which stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies that will fight off the disease if it is encountered in the future. Vaccines are typically administered through injections, but can also be given orally or nasally. Vaccination is widely considered to be one of the most effective public health interventions available, as it has been credited with saving millions of lives worldwide.

In addition, the government will prioritize access to vaccines for those who are most vulnerable to severe illness and death from COVID-19, including seniors, long-term care residents and staff, Indigenous peoples, and other high-risk populations. Vaccines will also be made available to essential workers in health care, education, transportation, food production and distribution, public safety and other critical services.

The province is also working with local public health units to ensure that all Ontarians who are eligible for the vaccine can access it. This includes expanding the number of pharmacies offering vaccines, as well as increasing the number of primary care providers and family health teams offering vaccines. The province is also working with community partners to provide additional support for those who may need help accessing a vaccine appointment.

The government is also expanding the eligibility criteria for booking appointments at mass immunization clinics to include individuals aged 18 and over who live in high-risk neighbourhoods, as identified by postal code. This expansion will allow more people to access COVID-19 vaccines in areas where there are higher rates of infection.

In addition, the government is expanding the eligibility criteria for booking appointments at pharmacies to include individuals aged 40 and over. This expansion will help ensure that more people can access COVID-19 vaccines in areas where there are higher rates of infection.

The government is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to a safe and effective vaccine as soon as possible. The provincial booking system is an important tool in helping us reach our goal of vaccinating 70% of Ontarians by the end of 2021.

Workplace inspections are an important part of any safety program. They help to identify potential hazards and ensure that the workplace is safe for employees. Inspections should be conducted regularly, and should include a review of all areas of the workplace, including equipment, materials, processes, and personnel. Inspectors should look for any potential hazards or unsafe conditions that could lead to injury or illness. They should also check for compliance with applicable regulations and standards. After the inspection is complete, corrective action should be taken if necessary to address any issues identified during the inspection.

Inspectors and officers will continue to focus on essential businesses in regional hot zones, including those in the manufacturing, construction, health care, long-term care and retail sectors. They will also be increasing their presence at workplaces where there are known outbreaks or clusters of cases.

Inspectors and officers will be looking for compliance with public health measures such as physical distancing, masking requirements, screening protocols and other safety measures. They will also be ensuring that employers are providing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to workers when required. If any violations are found, inspectors and officers have the authority to issue orders or tickets under the Occupational Health and Safety Act or the Provincial Offences Act.

Rapid testing is a type of medical testing that is used to quickly diagnose a condition or disease. It typically involves the use of a simple test kit that can be administered in minutes and provide results within hours. Rapid tests are often used for infectious diseases, such as HIV, hepatitis, and influenza, as well as for other conditions like pregnancy and drug abuse. They are becoming increasingly popular due to their convenience and speed.

The Province is also providing rapid testing to long-term care and retirement homes, as well as other congregate settings such as shelters, homeless encampments and group homes. To date, over 1.2 million tests have been provided to these settings.

  • “As we continue to see COVID-19 variants of concern drive this third wave of COVID-19, it is evident stronger public health and workplace measures are needed to help interrupt the spread of the virus,” said Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health.
    “By all of us staying at home, while still taking some time to enjoy the outdoors with the people we live with in our local neighbourhoods and maintaining two metres physical distance from others, we can reduce our mobility, minimize transmission, protect our loved ones and our communities, safeguard health system capacity, and save lives.”

Quick Facts

  • Over the past week, the province’s positivity rate is 5.1 per cent, well above the high-alert threshold of 2.5 per cent, and as of April 6, 2021, there has been a total of 2,483 cases with one of the three variants of concern (VoC). The percent of cases in the last week that tested positive for a mutation or VOC was 63.1 per cent.
  • On Saturday April 3, 2021, in response to an alarming surge in case numbers and COVID-19 hospitalizations across the province and in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the government imposed a provincewide emergency brake, implementing additional time-limited public health and workplace safety measures, including encouraging remote work in all industries to the greatest extent possible and the closure of additional workplaces, further capacity limits on some essential businesses which are able to remain open, and strengthened advice on limiting trips outside of the home for essential reasons.
  • On the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, all Ontarians are asked to limit trips outside the home to necessities such as food, medication, medical appointments, supporting vulnerable community members, or exercising outdoors with members of their household in our their communities. Individuals should remain in their local communities and avoid all non-essential travel – even within the province – and to stay home when ill even with mild symptoms. Employers in all industries should make every effort to allow employees to work from home.Â
  • To ensure that every person who requires care in a hospital can access a bed, the government has invested more than $5.1 billion to support hospitals since the start of the pandemic, creating more than 3,100 additional hospital beds and 500 critical care and high intensity medicine beds. This includes $1.8 billion in 2021–22 to continue providing care for COVID-19 patients, addressing surgical backlogs and keeping pace with patient needs through its Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy.
  • The Ontario government continues to implement its High Priority Communities Strategy to provide targeted supports to communities hardest hit by COVID-19. In these communities 1,000 Community Ambassadors have been mobilized, 30 community testing sites have been opened and nearly 36,000 PPE kits have been distributed to community members.
  • Get tested if you have COVID-19 symptoms, or if you have been advised of exposure by your local public health unit or through the COVID Alert App. Visit Ontario.ca/covidtest to find the nearest testing location.Â

Additional Resources

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