The Province has issued safety guidelines for Ontarians for the upcoming holidays.
Premier Doug Ford urges everyone to follow them and says we can’t take any chances during the second wave.
They include only celebrating with our own households and he says if you live alone, you can join one other household so you aren’t alone during the holidays.
“Please don’t have big holiday parties, don’t have large gatherings and most importantly, follow the guidelines for your region as outlined in the Province’s covid-19 framework,” he said.
Non-essential visits with others, along with overnight stays with others are being advised against.
While public health measures to keep Ontarians safe may differ in communities across the province, the following is some general advice to consider when planning your holiday season:
Safer Holiday Activities
Virtual holiday gatherings or events with family, friends or co-workers.
Outdoor holiday activities such as building a snowman or going on a sleigh ride with members of your household.
Visiting Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus or their elves outdoors and taking photos while keeping two metres apart.
Attending a drive-in or drive-through event.
Watching holiday or other movies with your household.
Decorating your doors and putting up lights around your home.
Lighting your menorah.
Baking holiday treats with your immediate household.
Donating to your favourite holiday charity or toy drive.
Riskier Holiday Activities
In-person holiday gatherings or events, particularly gatherings where masks or face coverings must be removed to eat or drink.
Indoor holiday activities such as having overnight guests or sleepovers with friends or people outside your household.
Visiting Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus or their elves indoors and taking photos without being two metres apart. Children are not permitted to sit on Santa’s lap this year.
Visiting family and friends for non-essential reasons.
Individuals and families in higher transmission areas should avoid going to lower transmission areas, except for essential reasons.
Hosting or attending social gatherings or organized public events that do not adhere to provincial or local requirements.
“The holidays are a special time of the year for many people, and while we all want to spend time with family and friends, we must celebrate safely to stop the spread of COVID-19,” says Ontario Health Minister Elliott. “With the recent news about several vaccines, there’s light at the end of the tunnel. I realize that it won’t be easy, but we must continue to follow public health advice and look for new and creative ways to celebrate this year.”
Social Gathering Limits by Level under the Regulations
- In all levels, people are required to comply with public health guidance on physical distancing;
- Indoor and outdoor limits can not be combined to increase the applicable limit;
- The specified limits apply to gatherings even if in a private dwelling, including houses, apartment buildings, condominium buildings and post-secondary student residences;
- The limits do not apply to a gathering of members of a single household.
Green-Prevent, Yellow-Protect and Orange-Restrict:
- The limit for indoor social gatherings is 10 people;
- The limit for outdoor social gatherings is 25 people.
- The limit for indoor social gatherings is five people;
- The limit for outdoor social gatherings is 25 people.
- Indoor social gatherings are not permitted, except for a gathering of members of a single household, or a gathering that includes members of a household and one other person from outside that household who lives alone;
- The limit for outdoor social gatherings is 10 people.
General Covid-19 Safety Advice To always Follow:
- Stay home if you have COVID-19 symptoms, even if they are mild;
- Avoid social gatherings and limit close contacts to your household or the people you live with;
- Maintain two metres of physical distancing from everyone else;
- Adhere to the restrictions in your region on public and private gatherings;
- Wear a face-covering indoors and wear one outdoors if physical distancing cannot be maintained or if wearing one is required;
- Wash your hands thoroughly and regularly;
- Cover your cough;
- Get tested if you have symptoms compatible with COVID-19, or if you’ve been advised of exposure by your local public health unit or through the COVID Alert mobile app;
- Individuals and families from higher transmission regions should avoid travel to lower transmission regions (e.g., from Red level to Orange level), except for essential reasons; and
- Download the COVID Alert mobile app.
“We understand the traditional importance of visiting family and gathering during the holiday season, but as we are continuing to live in unprecedented times, we need to look at new ways of celebrating and marking special occasions,” says Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Williams. “Everyone has a role to play in stopping the spread of Covid-19 and by strictly following these measures we can all plan for a healthy holiday season while keeping our loved ones safe.”
As we begin to prepare for the holiday season, I want to emphasize that the safest way to spend the holidays this year is by only celebrating in-person with those you live with & virtually with everyone else.
These next few weeks will be critical to flatten the second wave. pic.twitter.com/qRDVT62JQa
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) November 25, 2020
To have a safe and healthy #holiday season, our government is advising all Ontarians to only celebrate in-person with those you live with & virtually with everyone else. If you live alone, consider exclusively celebrating with one additional household. https://t.co/By8Acb4UXp pic.twitter.com/DGx1nTiL0K
— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) November 25, 2020
To watch the full November 25th Provincial address, see below.