Ontario's colour-coded system

In November last year, the Ontario government published a colour – coded framework to help Ontarians navigate the next phase of the pandemic. This framework outlines rules, restrictions, and zones for every region throughout the province based on how they are coping with the virus.

In the first instance, the colour-coded framework includes five different zones: Prevent-Green, Protect-Yellow, Restrict-Orange, Control-Red, and Lockdown-Grey.

On February 8, Premier Doug Ford announced that Ontario’s Stay at Home order for Toronto, Peel and York regions will be extended for a longer period of time until February 22. The orders will also continue to apply to 28 public health regions until Tuesday, February 16.

All Ontario residents are being asked to limit close contact to their immediate household, regardless of which zone they live in. The government says that people in the red or grey zones should only leave their homes for essential purposes, such as work, school, grocery shopping, exercise, and medical appointments, and should not be entering other zones.

The Green zone is the most open, with only the highest-risk operations remaining closed. The Yellow zone includes fines and enhanced targeted enforcement to limit further transmission of the virus. There are also public health measures for high-risk settings in place.

The Orange zone includes enhanced measures, restrictions, and enforcement while trying to avoid any unnecessary closures. The Red zone has broader-scale measures and restrictions across multiple sectors to forcefully control transmission.

The Grey zone is most similar to the mandated lockdown imposed at the beginning of the pandemic, and includes wide-scale measures and restrictions, including closures, in order to stop transmission of Covid-19.

Generally, under the grey category, no indoor organized public events or social gatherings will be allowed, except with members of the same household. Outdoor gatherings are limited to 10 people, as long as physical distancing is maintained.

Restaurants, bars, and food or drink establishments can only be open for takeout, delivery, and drive-through. Retail stores can only offer curbside pick-up and delivery.

Several industries are closed in the grey zone, including personal care services, casinos, bingo halls, cinemas, museums, sports and recreational and meeting and event spaces. Supermarkets, grocery and convenience stores, hardware stores, beer, wine, and liquor stores, pharmacies, and safety supply stores will remain open at 50% capacity.

As of February 8, the province is back using the colour-coded framework, although differently. According to the provincial government, “as local trends of key public health indicators improve, regions will be gradually transitioned back into this framework, with some new and modified measures in place.”

https://dailyhive.com/toronto/how-to-understand-ontario-colour-coded-covid-19-framework