Hamilton moves into red zone next week allowing some businesses to reopen

More businesses in Hamilton will be allowed to open as the city moves into the red-control" zone next week, the province confirmed Friday.

The shift into the second-highest tier of the colour-coded framework takes effect Tuesday. Hamilton was last in the red zone in December, though the city moved into the grey-lockdown phase, the most restrictive of the colour-coded tiers, just days prior to the current and more-restrictive stay-at-home order, which came into effect across the province on Boxing Day.

Halton will also move into red, while Haldimand-Norfolk moves into orange.

The Niagara region is the only health unit moving into lockdown - from stay-at-home"- next week. The remainder will start off in less-restrictive colour zones, while four regions - North Bay Parry Sound District, Peel Public Health, Toronto Public Health and York Region Public Health - will see their stay-at-home order extended until at least Feb. 22.

Hamilton's medical officer of health, Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, meanwhile, said she remains very concerned" about new COVID-19 variants, warning it is just a matter of time until one is confirmed here." She previously raised the alarm about the province's decision to lift the stay-at-home order.

To avoid a third wave, Richardson urged residents to continue to stay at home, avoid social gatherings, limit close contact to their household and avoid non-essential travel between regions.

In the red zone, the following rules apply:

• Just five people can gather indoors and 25 people outdoors;

• At weddings and funerals, where physical distancing can be maintained, 30 per cent of capacity of the room is allowed indoors and 100 people are allowed outdoors;

• In restaurants and bars, 10 people can be seated indoors though just four can sit together;

• Bars and restaurants must close at 10 p.m. and can open at 5 a.m. and liquor can only be served between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.;

• At gyms, a maximum of 10 people are allowed in indoor areas with weights and exercise machines, and people are required to maintain two metres of physical distancing at all times, increased to three metres in areas where weights or exercise equipment are present;

• A maximum of 10 people are permitted in indoor fitness classes, increasing to 25 people in outdoor classes, and three metres of physical distancing must be maintained at all times;

• In grocery stores and pharmacies, new as of this month, capacity limits are at 75 per cent and for all other retail, including discount and big-box retailers, liquor stores, hardware stores and garden centres, just 50 per cent capacity is allowed;

• Personal care services can reopen, but no services requiring clients to remove masks are allowed.

Hamilton, meanwhile, is approaching a COVID milestone - 10,000 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began 11 months ago. As of Friday, the city had 9,661 cases, of which 93 per cent of cases are resolved.

On Friday, the city recorded 27 new COVID cases and no new deaths. The weekly rate of cases per 100,000 people has dipped to 43, down from the peak of 164. That 40-case mark is what contributed to Hamilton's move into the red zone Nov. 16.

Haldimand-Norfolk reported one new death Friday, bringing the region's death toll to 39. A total of 272 people have died with COVID in Hamilton.

Five outbreaks in Hamilton are now over, including: Chartwell Willowgrove long-term-care home, which had just one case; St. Joseph's Healthcare West 5th Campus, which had three cases; Hamilton Health Sciences' 2nd floor Alternate Health Facility, which had 41 cases and two deaths; Blackadar Continuing Care Centre, which had 14 cases and one death; and Hamilton General Hospital's 5 West Unit, which had 17 cases.

Two new outbreaks include Inasmuch House Mission Services women's shelter with one case in a client, and Wentworth Lodge with one case in a staff member.

Katrina Clarke is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: katrinaclarke@thespec.com