TORONTO – Thunder Bay will not move to the Red-Control zone under Ontario’s COVID-19 framework.
However, seven other districts of the province will see their status change, starting in Windsor-Essex Country and York Region, which are moving from Red to Grey-Lockdown status.
Middlesex-London, Simcoe-Muskoka and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph are moving into Red, while Eastern Ontario is headed to Orange and Leeds, Grenville and Lanark moves into Yellow.
The Northwestern Health Unit will stay in the Yellow-Protect zone.
Dr. David Williams said adding two more districts into lockdown wasn’t an easy decision, but it was the right one to make.
"Over the last week, public health indicators in the York and Windsor regions have continued to trend in the wrong direction and it is evident additional measures are needed to help limit the spread of the virus," said Williams, the province’s chief medical officer of health, in a release issued on Friday afternoon by the Ontario government.
"By making this difficult but necessary decision we can help to ensure that hospitals in these regions can work to provide patients with the care they need when they need it, including the performing of scheduled surgeries and other important procedures."
Public health units will remain in their new levels for a minimum of 28 days, or two COVID-19 incubation period, at which time the province will reassess the situation.
Thunder Bay moved to Orange-Restrict last Monday. Any new restrictions come into effect on Monday.
