MASKS MANDATORY INDOORS IN PUBLIC EFFECTIVE SATURDAY
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
MUSKOKA — Don’t leave home without one.
Masks are now mandatory in all public indoor spaces, effective Saturday.
And all Ontarians are advised to allow close contact only with people living in their own household and maintain two metres physical distancing from everyone else.
As well, assessment centres will be by appointment only.
Premier Doug Ford made the announcements Friday as COVID-19 cases continue to soar.
He said Ontario is “expanding the masking policies already in place in many communities to the entire province.”
Masks will be mandatory throughout the province in all indoor public areas, on transit, and in workplaces where physical distancing isn’t possible, effective at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 3.
Other measures announced today by the province:
- Transitioning to appointment-based testing at Ontario assessment centres beginning Tuesday, October 6, 2020, providing certainty to patients as to when they can receive a test during the cold winter months and allowing assessment centres to conduct enhanced screening to ensure adherence to the guidelines released on September 24, 2020;
- Beginning on Sunday, October 4, 2020, assessment centres will discontinue walk-in testing services, so the province’s lab network can make significant progress in processing tests and to allow assessment centres the necessary time to reset, deep clean and ensure preparedness for the new appointment-based model;
- Continuing mobile testing and pop-up testing centres to reach vulnerable populations and provide targeted testing for long-term care, congregate care, and other vulnerable populations;
- Expanding the number of pharmacies where people with no symptoms within provincial testing guidance can get tested;
- Implementing updated testing guidance for children to help parents determine when it is most appropriate for students, children and their families to seek a test for COVID-19.
- Ontario is also taking longer-term actions to increase the province’s test processing capacity so people can get their results faster, including increasing testing and processing capacity to 50,000 tests per day by mid-October and 68,000 tests per day by mid-November;
- Pausing social circles and advising that all Ontarians allow close contact only with people living in their own household and maintain two metres physical distancing from everyone else. Individuals who live alone may consider having close contact with another household;
- Pausing social circles and advising that all Ontarians allow close contact only with people living in their own household and maintain two metres physical distancing from everyone else. Individuals who live alone may consider having close contact with another household;
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