Province goes into lockdown

A provincial wide lockdown comes into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 26.
The restrictions will remain in effect in many health units, including Simcoe-Muskoka, until at least Jan. 23.
During the lockdown Ontarians are being told to stay home to the fullest extent possible. Trips outside of the home should be limited to essential purposes such as accessing health care, medication, grocery shopping, child care, and physical activity.
Close contact should be limited to the immediate household. Families should not visit any other household or allow visitors in their homes. Individuals who live alone and single parents may consider having exclusive, close contact with another household to help reduce the negative impacts of social isolation. Travel outside the region should be limited to only essential purposes.
Indoor organized public events and social gatherings are not allowed, except with members of the same household, and outdoor organized public events and social gatherings, are limited to 10 people outdoors.
Restaurants are still able to provide take-out, drive-through, and delivery, including the sale of alcohol.
Supermarkets, convenience stores, indoor farmers’ markets and other stores that primarily sell food, pharmacies, and alcohol retail stores are permitted to open. Other retailers are allowed to provide curbside pick-up or delivery only.
Ski hills will be closed but outdoor ice rinks, snowmobile, cross country skiing, ice-skating and snow-shoe trails, playgrounds, tobogganing hills and skating trails are permitted to stay open.
Instead of returning to school after the Christmas break as planned, elementary and secondary school students at publicly-funded schools will participate in remote learning from Jan. 4-8. Elementary school students could return to school on Jan. 11, but high school students will continue learning remotely until Jan. 25. Child care will remain open.