As of Wednesday, February 10th at 12:01 AM, the stay-at-home order will be lifted for Hastings-Prince Edward Counties.
The province says due to lower transmission rates of COVID-19 and rapid case and contact management, the order will no longer apply.
In addition, the Health Unit will move into the Green-Prevent level of restrictions, meaning restaurants and non-essential businesses can reopen. However, individuals must still physically distance and wear face-coverings in organized events and gatherings, with limited exceptions. With the stay-at-home order lifted, the Province is allowing residential evictions to resume in the Health Unit.
Despite the order ending in HPE Public Health, the government is asking people to continue to stay home, avoid social gatherings, minimize travel, and limit close-contacts to their personal household. They are also urging employers to make sure their employees can continue to work from home.
The province is also introducing an “emergency brake” for the region that will allow for an immediate reversal back into the Grey-Lockdown level of the reopening framework. That will be used if there is a rapid acceleration of COVID-19 transmission in the area or if the health care system risks becoming overwhelmed. The province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health along with local medical officers of health will make that decision according to Dr. David Williams, “While we are seeing our numbers trend in the right direction, our situation remains precarious as the variants of concern remain a serious risk. This is not a re-opening or a ‘return to normal’ and we must continue to limit close contact to our immediate households and stay at home except for essential reasons. By continuing to follow all public health and workplace safety measures, we can continue to reduce the number of new cases and the strain on our health system.”
Hastings-Prince Edward County was one of three health units to have restrictions eased. Other Health Units will continue restrictions until February 16th. Toronto, Peel, and York regions will continue until the 22nd.
Under Green-Protect Restrictions:
• Require businesses and organizations to screen in compliance with any advice,
recommendations and instructions issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health
or other public health official by, among other things:
o Posting signs at all entrances to the premises, in a location visible to the public, that
informs individuals on how to screen themselves for COVID-19 prior to entering the
premises;
o Actively screening every person who works at the business or organization before
they enter the premises; and
o Actively screening patrons entering indoor malls in the Orange-Restrict zone;
• Require passive screening except for indoor malls and other sectors required to screen in
accordance with advice, recommendations and instructions from the Office of the Chief
Medical Officer of Health as per the original Framework;
• Require all retailers and sectors to have safety plan and post it;
• Require individuals to maintain at least two metres of physical distance and wear a face
covering, including when attending organized public events and other gatherings, with
limited exceptions.