Restaurants, cinemas, bars and gyms go from Monday to half capacity

The smell of popcorn will greet moviegoers when movie theaters reopen Monday after January’s COVID-19 closing.

Theater concession stalls will equate to indoor restaurant and bar dining at 50 percent customer capacity, government sources in Ontario have confirmed.

More details about the nuts and bolts of the reopening, which also includes half-capacity gyms, were announced Thursday afternoon by Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kieran Moore expects.

The proof of vaccination system remains in place.

While the downturn for high-risk sectors of the economy only took effect on January 5, concession stalls were closed in mid-December to halt the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant.

Prime Minister Doug Ford said last week that next Monday would be the start of a “cautious” reopening at three-week intervals until mid-March.

It continues as planned with hospitalizations and intensive care unit admissions stabilizing, although they remain on plateaus and have not declined significantly. Hospital staffing for COVID remains near record highs, but is expected to decline in the coming weeks.

Non-emergency surgeries, including heart and cancer surgeries, remain pending.

Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie told a news conference on Thursday that “we need to make sure this reopening holds” because of the damage to businesses that have been shut down or severely curtailed many times in the pandemic.

Also on Monday, meeting and event spaces can return up to 50 percent capacity, as can museums, galleries, aquariums and similar attractions, casinos and bingo halls and religious services.

Limits for private gatherings increase to 10 people inside and 25 outside. Leafs and Raptors games, for example, will be limited to 500 spectators.

The following changes are planned for February 21, when those event limits will increase to 25 indoors and 100 outdoors.

Capacity restrictions will be removed in restaurants, pubs and other indoor public establishments such as gyms where proof of vaccination is required, although concerts and major sporting events such as Leafs and Raptors games, as well as concerts, face 50 percent capacity constraints.

From March 14, provided positive trends continue, indoor capacity constraints will be lifted in all public environments and up to 50 people will be allowed to socialize indoors without outdoor restrictions.

The government says local public health units will have the power to change any limits based on local needs, as in the case of outbreaks.

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Reference-www.thestar.com

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