TORONTO – Ontario announces that some operations suspended due to an increase in COVID-19 cases will begin resuming on Monday.
Non-urgent surgery was stopped in early January to preserve the hospital capacity, affecting an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 procedures per week.
A spokeswoman for Health Minister Christine Elliott said today that some surgeries and procedures will resume in phases from next week as the province begins to lift some public health restrictions on businesses and social gatherings.
Alex Hilkene says the first phase will include pediatrics, diagnostic services, cancer screenings, some outpatient clinics, private hospitals and independent health facilities.
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3,645 people in Ontario hospitals with COVID, 599 in intensive care
Prime Minister Doug Ford announced last week that with public health indicators starting to show signs of improvement, some COVID-19 restrictions will be eased from Monday.
The limits for indoor social gatherings will increase from five to 10, and restaurants will be able to reopen their dining rooms with a capacity of 50 percent.
Theaters will also be able to reopen, and “spectator areas” such as arenas and concert halls will be able to welcome back up to 500 guests, with smaller venues limited to half the capacity.
Initially, guests at such venues would not be allowed to eat food or beverages until the next phase of restriction relief, currently set for February 21, but now the government allows food and beverage services at venues, including indoor sporting events, concert venues, theaters, theaters.
Cineplex said it was working closely with the province on the change.
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“Movies and popcorn go hand in hand and we are so pleased that our guests in Ontario will be able to enjoy the full-screen experience when our theaters reopen Monday,” Sarah Van Lange, vice president of communications, said in a statement.
The province also removes a requirement for most businesses to collect customer information for contact tracing purposes, as well as the removal of a legal requirement for employees to work from home whenever possible. The chief medical officer of health still recommends doing so.
There were 3,645 people who were in hospitals on Thursday with COVID-19, and 599 in ICU. That is down from 4,016 people admitted to the hospital and 608 in intensive care units the previous day.
The province also reported another 70 deaths due to the virus.
There were 5,852 more COVID-19 cases reported on Thursday, but Ontario Public Health said the actual number of cases is likely to be higher due to changes to the province’s test policy.
Fifty-seven percent of the province’s long-term care homes are experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks.
Ontario does not report data on COVID-19 cases in schools, but there were seven schools closed due to COVID-19 operational impacts and 370 schools with student and staff absenteeism rates of 30 percent or higher.
– With files from David Friend
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