Eastern Ontario Health Unit imposes new COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants, gyms, fitness centres

New COVID-19 restrictions are in place for restaurants, gyms and fitness centres in areas under the Eastern Ontario Health Unit. 

Starting Monday, those businesses in Clarence-Rockland, Casselman, Alexandria, Cornwall, Hawkesbury and more, are under new restrictions that will remain in place for 28 days, Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, medical officer of health at the unit, said in a Facebook Live post Friday. 

“I am issuing a section 22 and that will affect some businesses,” Roumeliotis said. “There will not be closures…The last thing I want for businesses in our community is to shut their doors again as they did in the spring.”

The restrictions include limiting the number of people who can be seated at a table in restaurants and bars — that maximum is now capped at six. 

The total number of people in the establishment, however, — both indoor and outdoor — cannot be any more than 100.

Indoor dining, though, is still allowed. 

Banquet halls cannot exceed more than 50 people indoors or 100 outdoors. 

These places must also conduct COVID-19 screening on every person, record their name and get their contact information. 

By putting these restrictions in place, Roumeliotis says he's hoping the unit can stop the rising number of infections and prevent another shutdown that would ultimately hurt their economy.

According to the health unit’s numbers, there were 60 new cases of COVID-19 in the region over the weekend.