Eastern Ontario & Ottawa Now in Orange Zone After Ford Presser – Still no Mandatory Mask Wearing. By Jamie Gilcig

NOVEMBER 13, 2020 – It’s like telling a kid that if they don’t do what you tell them ABSOLUTELY nothing will be done to them.

A stern looking Premier Ford and a scared in the headlights Christine Elliot finished their live press conference.

There was much rending of garments, warnings, and stern verbiage, but no real action sadly. No call for mandatory wearing of masks. No penalties for those clearly not caring a whit for what is suggested or given as guidelines.

Nada, zip, as our numbers grow in Ontario.

Cornwall, which is in Eastern Ontario is now an Orange zone, but essentially that means one more Friday Night fire with #covidots not wearing masks and we’re in the Red Zone.

It’s that easy sadly. From the Province:

Modelling Shows New Thresholds Needed to Bend the Curve and Keep People Safe. In consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and the Public Health Measures Table, the Ontario government is taking immediate action to respond to the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases and is updating the Keeping Ontario Safe and Open Framework, by lowering the thresholds for each level in the framework. These necessary updates will help limit the spread of COVID-19 while keeping schools open, maintaining health system capacity, protecting the province’s most vulnerable, and avoiding broader lockdowns.

Details were provided today by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, and Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health.

The latest modelling shows that if the number of new cases continues to grow at its current rate, the province could register up to 6,500 new cases per day by mid-December. Within the next two weeks the province will likely exceed its intensive care threshold of 150 beds, under any potential scenario.

The framework changes are in response to the current data and trends, and will lower the threshold for each of the five levels for: weekly incidence rates, positivity rate, effective reproductive number (Rt), outbreak trends and the level of community transmission.

Based on these new thresholds, the following public health unit regions would be moved to the following levels in the framework:Red-Control:Hamilton Public Health ServicesHalton Region Public HealthToronto Public Health York Region Public Health

Orange-Restrict:Brant County Health UnitDurham Region Health DepartmentEastern Ontario Health UnitNiagara Region Public HealthWellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public HealthRegion of Waterloo Public Health

For long-term care homes, visitor restrictions will apply to public health regions within the Orange-Restrict and Red-Control levels in the framework. This will go into effect on Monday, November 16, 2020 at 12:01 a.m.”Over the last week we have seen an alarming shift in the trends of key public health indicators in regions across the province,” said Minister Elliott. “The COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, and our government’s response must evolve with it. These updates to the COVID-19 Framework will ensure that the necessary targeted measures are in place in hotspots to help stop the spread of the virus and keep our schools and businesses open. Protecting the health and well-being of Ontarians remains our top priority.


Today more than ever, it is critical for everyone to follow public health advice and strictly comply to the restrictions applied in their regions, especially when connecting with others. The following recommendations apply to all public health unit regions in the province: Avoid social gatherings and limit close contacts to your household or the people you live with; Adhere to the restrictions in your region on public and private gatherings; Maintain two metres of physical distancing from everyone else; Wear a face covering indoors and wear one outdoors if physical distancing may not be maintained or if wearing one is required; Wash your hands thoroughly and regularly; Stay home if you have COVID-19 symptoms, even if they are mild; Cover your cough; Get tested if you have symptoms compatible with COVID-19, or if you’ve been advised of exposure by your local public health unit or through the COVID Alert mobile app;

Individuals and families from higher transmission regions should avoid travel to lower transmission regions, except for essential reasons.
Please sign our petition below asking Premier Ford to make wearing of masks mandatory.

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