The Porcupine Health Unit region is moving to Step Two of the provincial reopening this week.
Most of the region entered Step One on Friday, June 25, two weeks behind the rest of the province. The exception is Moosonee, where enhanced restrictions are still in place.
Medical officer of health Dr. Lianne Catton confirmed this afternoon that Timmins and area will be in Step 2 on Wednesday, June 30. Enhanced restrictions will remain for Moosonee.
She said the positive trends of declining case rates, declining outbreaks (there are none active), and declining hospitalizations have continued in the region.
Because the region is a delta B 1.617.2 variant hot spot, second doses of the vaccination were sped up.
So far, there have been 32 confirmed delta cases — 30 in Timmins, one in Iroquois Falls and one in Smooth Rock Falls.
For vaccination, she said 74.3 per cent of local adults 18 years and 46.6 per cent of people 12 to 17 years have received their first doses. For second doses, 54.4 per cent of adults have received both doses and 17.8 per cent of 12 to 17-year-olds have both doses.
Catton's letter of instruction issued June 25 for businesses and organizations will still be in effect until she rescinds it. It includes enhanced rules for collecting contact information from staff and visitors, rapid testing, and isolating requirements for people with COVID-19 or who have symptoms.
Step Two further allows for hair cuts, malls can open and the social gathering numbers increase outdoors. It focuses on reopening indoor spaces with small numbers and face coverings and expands outdoor activities.
For the second step, the key provincial vaccination rate target is 70 per cent of adults with one dose of the vaccine and 20 per cent fully vaccinated.
Step Two permits:
- Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events for up to 25 people
- Indoor social gatherings and organized public events for up to five people
- Outdoor dining for up to six people per table. Karaoke is allowed outdoors with restrictions.
- Essential and other select retail may open at 50 per cent capacity
- Non-essential retail capacity can operate at 25 per cent capacity
- Stores in shopping malls can open with restrictions
- Indoor religious services, rites or ceremonies — including wedding and funeral services — can be held with 25 per cent capacity. Outdoors, the cap is at the number of people that can maintain two metres of physical distance.
- Overnight camps can reopen
- Person care services can open at 25 per cent capacity and face coverings must be worn
- Outdoor fitness classes are capped at the number of people who can maintain three metres of distance
- Public libraries can open at 25 per cent capacity
- Outdoor meeting and event spaces can open at 25 per cent capacity
- Outdoor amusement and water parks can open at 25 per cent capacity
- Outdoor sports games, leagues and events are capped at 25 per cent capacity
- Outdoor cinemas, performing arts, live music events and attractions can open at 25 per cent capacity
Closed activities include casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments, indoor cinemas, and indoor gyms or fitness classes.
A full breakdown of the Roadmap is available here.
