The Waterloo region could switch Monday to the orange “restrictions” category: officials

CUISINE – Public health officials said Friday that the region has now reached indicators that would place it in the province’s orange “restrictive” category, while officials in the region expect the region to be placed there on Monday.

During a virtual media briefing, Dr Julie Emili said the Waterloo Public Health Region would ask the province to reassess the region and consider escalating its control measures.

This would mean further restrictions for bars, restaurants, fitness facilities and gyms, with additional measures in place for other activities.

READ MORE: Here’s what will change if the Waterloo region enters the orange “restrictions” category

He said the region’s weekly accident rate reached 46 cases per 100,000 people – above the yellow indicator of 40 – and the local mobile positivity rate reached 3.6 percent. This is well above the yellow indicator ranges of 1 to 2.5%.

Dr Emili also said the actual COVID-19 reproduction rate in the region had reached 1.5. The maximum reproductive rate in the yellow category is one.

Regional President Karen Redman said she supported the move and expressed it to the office of Health Minister Christine Elliott. He said he expected the region to switch to the orange category on November 16, pending provincial approval.

Ontario’s tiered system unveiled by the government on November 3, 2020.

The change speaks to the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the Waterloo region, which has reported 40 or more new cases in each of the past four days. When the province first unveiled its new tiered lockdown system, the region was originally in the lowest tier, the green “prevention” category.

If the transition to the orange category is approved by the province, it will be the second escalation from 3 November.

During Friday’s press conference, Dr Emili said there have been nearly 300 new cases in the Waterloo region in the past week.

“We see that the spread of COVID-19 often begins at meetings or social events,” he said. “This is leading to more case groups and outbreaks in various contexts in our community.”