The head of the Hastings Prince Edward Public health will be implementing extra precautions as the Quinte area reverts to Green Green-Prevent level of the COVID-19 provincial reopening Framework

Dr. Piotr Oglaza, Medical Officer of Health and CEO at HPEPH said in a statement Tuesday afternoon the ongoing perseverance and efforts of local residents and businesses have been critical to lower rates of COVID-19 in the region. However, COVID-19 rates remain high in other regions of Ontario and emerging variants pose an ongoing risk.

Dr. Piotr Oglaza, Medical Officer of Health at Hastings Prince Edward Public Health. (HPEPH photo)

In order to provide enhanced protection to the local community as the region returns to the Green-Prevent Zone, Dr. Oglaza is implementing additional precautions to supplement provincial Green Zone restrictions:

• Bookings for accommodation, personal service settings, and dine-in food services shall be accepted only for individuals residing in regions where Stay at Home Order has been lifted (exceptions will include booking accommodation for individuals who are travelling to our region for essential reasons as defined by the Ontario’s Stay at Home Order).
• Dine-in services shall be limited to 6 people per table.
• Contact information shall be required for all patrons attending local food service establishments and personal service settings.
• Retail businesses shall be required to maintain/post a safety plan. Employees and patrons shall wear appropriate face coverings or PPE.
• Retail businesses shall not play music at a volume any louder than a normal conversation.
• Patrons shall not be permitted to line up inside a retail setting, or to line up/congregate outside a retail setting unless they are wearing a face covering and able to maintain 2 metres of distance.

These additional restrictions have been put in place through a Class 22 Order. HPEPH will continually monitor the status of the provincial Stay at Home Order, which remains in place across much of Ontario until February 16, 2021 at 12:01am. HPEPH will also monitor provincial rates of COVID-19 and restrictions in other regions, and will review and update this Class 22 Order as needed to protect local residents.

“We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing work and sacrifices being made by local residents, businesses, and other establishments to protect one another and keep case rates low in our region,” said Dr. Piotr Oglaza. “While many businesses and establishments will reopen tomorrow, we must remember this is not a return to normal. In order to maintain our progress, all residents are asked to remain thoughtful about daily choices, as our actions can have a huge impact on efforts to stop the spread of illness.”

While small gatherings, limited to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors, are permitted while HPEC is in the Green-Restrict zone, all residents are asked to continue to limit close contacts to those within their household.  Physically distance with all others, and wear a mask when physical distancing is not possible. In addition,

• Avoid travelling to, or hosting guests from, other regions, in particular regions where a Stay at Home order is in effect.
• Stay home when ill and get tested if you have symptoms (even if mild).
• Wash your hands often, and clean frequently touched surfaces.
• Download the COVID-19 app to protect yourself and others.

HPEPH will continue to update hpePublicHealth.ca to include information for local businesses and residents. Local business owners/operators who are unable to find answers to their questions on our web page are invited to complete our online inquiry form. For complete details regarding restrictions and precautions applicable to the Green-Prevent level of the province’s reopening Framework, please visit Ontario.ca.

-Jason Parks, Staff