Regions could face stricter shutdown measures if COVID cases climb 'rapidly'

The emergency brake used by the province and local health units to send a region into a lockdown just got stickier. 

The Ontario government announced today it will be using the emergency brake to put regions back under the same shutdown measures used this January for the province-wide shutdown, which is stricter than the current grey/lockdown measures. 

Dr. David Williams, chief medical officer of health for Ontario, said the ability to immediately implement the shutdown measures in regions seeing a rapid increase in transmission will “provide an extra layer of protection.” 

The emergency brake was created by the province as it lifted the stay-at-home orders and ceased the provincial shutdown this February. The provision allowed for a region’s medical officer of health to ask the province for more restrictions. 

In the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit region, Dr. Charles Gardner pulled the emergency brake at the end of February as he noted a 30 per cent jump in cases and a spike in variant cases in the area. The province took his advice and put the region into the grey-lockdown zone for a week. 

The emergency brake was applied for the Thunder Bay District Health Unit at the same time.

Based on today’s announcement, regions could be shut down through the same process. 

It’s not clear what metrics will exactly constitute a rapid increase in transmission, but the shutdown emergency brake requires consultation between the provincial and the regional medical officer of health. 

“While adjustments are being made to the emergency brake and certain public health measures, the latest data continues to show some worrying trends throughout the province, and variants of concern remain a significant threat to public health,” stated Williams in a news release from the province. 

Ontario reported more than 2,000 new COVID cases both today and yesterday. It’s the first time the province has seen daily case counts that high since January. 

The shutdown measures only retail stores that primarily sell food to stay open (including supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, big box stores that sell food and indoor farmer’s markets). Pharmacies and liquor stores may also stay open during a shutdown with reduced capacity. 

Restaurants and cannabis stores can only offer curbside pickup, take out, drive-thru, or delivery service. 

For a full list of shutdown measures, click here.