BARRIE, ONT. -- Simcoe County and Muskoka will move to the red zone under Ontario's colour-coded COVID-19 framework when the lockdown ends on Tuesday.
The region has seen a gradual downward trend in COVID-19 infections in recent weeks. There were a total of 136 cases listed this week, down from 284 the week before and 307 the week before that.
The health unit listed two more deaths Friday, marking 173 people who have died with the virus.
The number of variant cases has jumped to 150 with 17 more infections. There are 86 possible variant cases waiting for confirmatory testing.
According to a recent study, Simcoe Muskoka has the most variants cases in the province, with confirmed cases in three institutions.
It's the threat of transmission that has Simcoe Muskoka's medical officer of health, Dr. Charles Gardner, urging residents to take a "stay at home approach" as the economy reopens.
It's a sentiment the province's Minister of Health, Christine Elliott, echoed, saying in a release on Friday that the shift out of lockdown doesn't mean it's time to let your guard down.
"Until vaccines are widely available, it remains critical that all individuals and families continue to adhere to public health measures and stay home as much as possible to protect themselves, their loved ones and their communities," Elliott said.
The province's reopening plan moves ahead despite scientific modelling revealed Thursday that predicts a third wave of infections, which could be prevented by continuing the lockdown measures.
On Tuesday, Gardner said in a virtual news conference that the province's "emergency brake" could apply to the region. It allows the government to immediately shutdown regions if infection rates rise.
"I think we need to be ready to move right back again into shutdown and the stay-at-home order if the numbers start to go up," the region's top doctor said.
The province's red/control zone allows indoor dining with a limit of 10 people indoors and gatherings of five people indoors and 25 outdoors.
Trips outside the home should only be for essential reasons, and families should not visit other households or allow visitors into their home. Social gatherings should be avoided.
In this category, hospital and ICU capacity are at risk of being overwhelmed.
Premier Doug Ford advised people to avoid travelling and to stay home as much as possible to keep infections low.
Ontario reported 1,076 COVID-19 infections Friday, and 18 deaths.
