Ontario will begin lifting restrictions as early as this week

The Government of Ontario has announced that the province will move to the first phase of the lifting of restrictions on Friday, June 11 — ahead of schedule. This has been facilitated by successful vaccination of the population and a decrease in COVID-19 infections.

According to opening plan, 60% of the adult population needs to be vaccinated with at least one dose to move into the first phase. As of June 6, 72% of Ontarians over the age of 18 had been immunized, with more than 10 million doses of vaccines administered. Between May 25 and May 31, the province saw a 35% reduction in the incidence rate. The number of patients in intensive care units is 497, down from 687 a week earlier.

The epidemiological situation in Ontario is now more positive than predicted in a recent simulation that predicted the province would have fewer than 1,000 infections per day by June 30.

"Thanks to the tremendous efforts of everyone in Ontario, as of June 11, we will be able to cautiously reverse public health measures," said Health Minister Christine Elliott.

The first phase of the lifting of restrictions will be allowed:

• outdoor gatherings and organized social events with up to 10 participants;
• religious, wedding and funeral ceremonies in the open air with observance of the distance;
• religious, wedding and funeral ceremonies at venues with a limit of 15% of the venue capacity;
• opening of secondary retail stores with a limited capacity of 15%;
• operation of essential enterprises with a limited capacity of 25%;
• outdoor dining with a limit of 4 people per table, except for families with more people;
• outdoor sports activities with a limit of up to 10 people per group;
• operation of day camps with observance of safety measures;
• campgrounds, including overnight stays and parks, as well as short-term rentals;
• rehearsals, as well as concerts for video recording and broadcasting at concert venues, theatres and outdoor cinemas with a limit of 10 performers;
• operation of racecourses and motorways without spectators;
• opening of attractions, recreation areas, historic sites, zoos, botanical gardens with limited capacity and other safety measures;
• graduations and end-of-school-year celebrations outdoors.

The first phase will last for at least 21 days in Ontario. If at the end of this period, 70% of residents have been vaccinated with one dose and 20% with two doses, and the disease rate continues to decline, the province can move on to the second phase.

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