New COVID restrictions come into effect Wednesday. What does that mean for Hamilton?

Yet again, the rules are changing.

On Monday, Premier Doug Ford announced new COVID-19 restrictions are coming into effect first thing Wednesday. Most new rules will remain in effect for 21 days, ending Jan. 26 at the earliest.

Here's what Hamiltonians need to know:

Schools: All public and private schools will be online-only from Jan. 5 until at least Jan. 17. School buildings can open for child care operations, for in-person instruction for students with special education needs who cannot be accommodated remotely and for staff who can't deliver quality instruction from home. Free emergency child care will be available for school-aged children of health care and other eligible front line workers.

Social gatherings: A maximum of five people can gather indoors and 10 outdoors.

Work: Employees must work from home unless the nature of their work requires them to be on-site.

Weddings, funerals, ceremonies: Capacity at weddings, funerals and religious services is limited to 50 per cent capacity of the particular room. Outdoor services are limited to the number of people that can maintain two metres of physical distance. Social gatherings associated with these services must adhere to the social gathering limits - five people indoors and 10 outdoors.

Retail: All retail settings, including shopping malls, are limited to 50 per cent capacity. At malls people must physically distance in lineups, loitering is banned and food courts must close.

Personal care services: Businesses providing personal care services are limited to 50 per cent capacity. Saunas, steam rooms, and oxygen bars closed.

Libraries: Libraries can remain open but are limited to 50 per cent capacity.

Dining: Indoor dining is closed at restaurants and bars. Outdoor dining can continue, with restrictions. Takeout, drive-through and delivery is allowed.

Gyms: All gyms and sports facilities must close, with exceptions allowed for centres where athletes training for the Olympics and Paralympics and select professional and elite amateur sport leagues. Outdoor facilities can remain open but the number of spectators must not exceed 50 per cent capacity.

Other: Places that must close include: museums, galleries, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions, tour and guide services and fairs, rural exhibitions, and festivals. Outdoor establishments can remain open with restrictions and with occupancy limited to 50 per cent capacity. In Hamilton, museums, botanical gardens and city buildings closed in late December as the city reassigned staff to focus on vaccination efforts.

More to come ...

Katrina Clarke is a reporter at The Spectator. katrinaclarke@thespec.com