COVID-19 Safety Plans Now Required by Multiple Sectors in Yellow-Protect Zone
Written by Communications, November 24, 2020
Public Health Inspectors to Enforce Tighter Public Health Measures
Public Health Inspectors will be ensuring local business owners and operators have developed and made available their COVID-19 Safety Plans following yesterday’s move for the area into the Yellow-Protect zone of the provincial COVID-19 response framework.
“Businesses have until next Monday to complete their Safety Plans and we will use this coming week as an opportunity to educate local operators and the public that these are now required,” said Julie Ingram, Manager of Environmental Health Programs which includes inspection services. “These new regulations are not intended to suggest their past efforts have lacked diligence, but instead are designed to heighten everyone’s attention on ensuring public health measures are practiced in settings where COVID-19 is known to spread easily. Our actions matter.”
Ms. Ingram noted the sectors requiring a COVID-19 Safety Plan include:
- Meeting & Event Spaces
- Food and Drink Establishments (including Supermarkets)
- Personal Care Services
- Shopping Malls
- Facilities for Sports & Fitness
- Cinemas
- Facilities for Performing Arts
- Casinos, Bingo Halls & Gaming Establishments
A summary of the implications of the new regulations and provincial safety plan template is available on Peterborough Public Health’s COVID-19 framework response webpage.
In addition to the requirement for a Safety Plan, all operators responsible for stores, restaurants, bars and other establishments must manage entrance line-ups by ensuring that patrons in line are physically distanced and wearing a mask or face covering. Inside the establishment, the volume of music must not exceed that of normal conversation.
As public health measures tighten, the use of face coverings and masks continues to be an important measure to help prevent and control the spread of COVID-19. There are enhanced requirements for the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including a medical-grade mask and eye protection for anyone providing service, if they come within two metres of those who are not wearing a mask or face covering and are not separated by a barrier. This may include professions such as athletics instructors, coaches, bartenders and restaurant serving staff.
Other noteworthy changes for sector-specific businesses in the Yellow-Protect zone include:
- Restaurants, Bars and Meeting/Event facilities:
- must restrict the number of people seated together at one table to a maximum of six
- must be closed by midnight (with the exception of take out) and may only sell or serve liquor between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. (consumption after midnight on the premises is prohibited)
- require contact information for all seated patrons
- Sports and Fitness Facilities:
- Limit the number of attendees in each class to 10 (indoors) and 25 (outdoors)
- Increase spacing between patrons to three metres where there are weights, weight machines, and exercise and fitness classes
- Require contact information for all patrons and attendance for team sports
- Require a reservation for entry
- Casinos, Bingo Halls, Gaming Establishments, Cinemas and Performing Arts Venues:
- Liquor must only be served/sold between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m.
- Consumption of liquor is prohibited between 12 a.m. and 9 a.m.
- Require contact information for all patrons
Peterborough Public Health will remain in the Yellow-Protect zone for at least 28 days, unless COVID-19 indicators require a further escalation to the Orange-Restrict zone, which could be implemented sooner if deemed necessary.
Further information is available at www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca.
-30-
For further information, please contact:
Brittany Cadence
Communications Manager
705-743-1000, ext. 391