Hamilton, Niagara and surrounding areas are 'yellow' in province's new COVID-19 system

Hamilton, Haldimand-Norfolk, Niagara, Brant County, and Halton will all be designated as 'yellow-protect' as the province shifts to a colour-coded framework to track how restrictive the COVID-19 rules get. 

The restrictions get stricter as a region moves up the five levels. Here's it how it escalates:

• Green-Prevent.
• Yellow-Protect.
• Orange-Restrict.
• Red-Control.
• Lockdown.

The framework goes into effect Saturday. 

The restrictions stack on top of each other. If your region falls into the yellow category, then the restrictions from the green level will apply too. 

The province says the green level restrictions "reflect [the] broadest allowance of activities in Stage 3" such as certain places staying closed (e.g. saunas) and unstaffed social gatherings being limited at 10 people inside and 25 outside. 

A region can move up or down levels based on the "local situation," said Dr. David Williams, chief medical officer of health in a media release. Trends in public health data will be reviewed weekly, and the province will assess the measures' impact for 28 days, or two COVID-19 incubation periods, to decide if regions should be at a different level.

The province said the goal is to get all regions at the green level. There is one region in red, two in orange, 10 in yellow, and 20 in green. Toronto will stay in a modified Stage 2 until Nov. 14.  

What the yellow level means

According to the province's framework, yellow includes targeted enforcement, fines, and education to limit transmission. There are also "public health measures for high risk settings" and requirements to have a safety plan available upon request. 

Here are some of the restrictions for regions in the yellow level. 

Restaurants, bars, food/drink establishments 

These businesses have to run limited hours, close at midnight, and are only allowed to serve liquor between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. These rules have been in place since Sept. 26. 

Only six people at maximum can be seated together at a table, and contact information for anyone seated is required. 

Music also can't go louder than the volume of a "normal conversation."

All of the above rules also apply to meeting and event spaces. The music restriction also applies to retail stores. 

Casinos, movie theatres, performing arts: 

Casinos, bingo halls, and gaming establishments have to follow the same restricted liquor rules as restaurants. Movie theatres and performing arts spaces in yellow have to follow this too. 

Personal care services: 

Contact information needs to be collected from guests. 

Sport and recreation:

In a sport or recreational facility where there are weights and fitness classes, people will need to be spaced out from each other by three metres.

Appointments to enter are required, and contact information must be collected. Attendance from team sports has to be taken. 

Recreational programs are limited at 10 people indoors, and 25 people outdoors.

Hamilton

As of Friday, there are 251 active cases of the virus in Hamilton, which is up 27 new cases since yesterday. 

Public health has reported a total of 1,999 cases of COVID-19, of which 1,695 people have recovered and 51 people have died. 

An outbreak at Roma Bakery & Deli was declared on Nov. 5. There are two total confirmed cases, both of which are staff members. 

Hamilton Health Sciences is caring for five COVID-19 patients, and St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton has no patients with the virus as of Thursday.

Brant

Brant County has reported 323 confirmed cases of COVID-19 during the pandemic. 

Of those, 244 are resolved and 74 are active. There were 15 new cases were recorded on Friday.

Five people with the virus have died, and three people remain in hospital.

There are two active outbreaks affecting retirement homes.

The outbreak at Brucefield Manor Retirement Home has reported 16 residents and two staff with the virus.  

At Riverview Terrace Retirement Home, 10 residents have been infected with the virus, as well as three staff. 

Six Nations

An update from Six Nations of the Grand River shows seven active cases as of 6 p.m. on Thursday.

There have been 93 cases on Six Nations territory since the pandemic began, including 87 that are resolved.

One person has died.

Halton

Statistics for Halton Region on Friday showed a total of 2,468 cases, including 333 that were active and 2,097 that were resolved.

It's an increase of 57 cases compared to Thursday. 

Seventeen of those cases were in Burlington, where 15 people have died. There are currently 70 active cases in the city. 

Niagara

There have been 1,584 cases of COVID-19 reported in Niagara, which is an increase of 29 since Thursday. 

Data on the region's website says that 1,305 of those cases are resolved and 203 are active.

Two more people have died, bringing the total to 76. There are now 20 active outbreaks, up two since Thursday. 

Haldimand Norfolk

Haldimand and Norfolk have seen 561 positive cases of the virus since the pandemic began.

On Friday, 28 of those cases were active, while 496 were resolved.

Thirty-two deaths in the counties are considered COVID-related.

Kristal Chopp, Mayor of Norfolk County and chair of the Haldimand-Norfolk board of health, said the community must stay "vigilant." There are outbreaks in the city, she said in a media release, with many of them linked to Thanksgiving-related travel and gatherings. 

"I know fatigue is starting to set in, but it's imperative that we all continue to follow the advice of our public health professionals," she said. 

She also added that the lack of notice from the province on the new measures was "not nearly enough time" for businesses to prepare for the changes.