Grey Bruce loosens restrictions and enters Step 3

Barrie, Ont. -

Grey Bruce officially moved into Step 3 Wednesday.

Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ian Arra said the community has been successful in bringing down the number of COVID-19 cases.

While the rest of Ontario moved into Step 3 on July 15, Grey Bruce was placed in a modified Step 3 because of a spike in positive tests of the Delta variant.

Step 3 means the region can relax restrictions on gatherings to a maximum of 100 people outdoors and 25 people indoors.

Restrictions on outdoor dining are no longer in place. Indoor dining still has some restrictions in Step 3.

Personal care services and salons can provide services that require removing masks, as long as capacity is limited and physical distancing is in place.

Dr. Arra encourages people to continue to follow health measures when out in public, saying, "Our analysis shows the majority of transmission during the last surge was in individuals not fully vaccinated. An aggressive roll-out of vaccine, and the community support for that, will help to ensure it (COVID-19) does not return."

Fifty per cent of the eligible public, about 70,000 people have been vaccinated in Grey Bruce in the past four weeks.

The mass hockey hub vaccination operation, originated by Grey Bruce Public Health is winding down. Officials said the model would be shuttered by the end of next week. People wanting to get vaccinated can use the walk-in, pop-up and drive-through vaccine clinics in the region.