A person enters Copernicus Lodge in Toronto on Dec. 30, 2021.CARLOS OSORIO/Reuters
Ontario is easing visitor restrictions at long-term care homes as the government says public health indicators are starting to improve.
Starting on Monday, the number of designated caregivers per resident will increase from two to four, though only two can visit at a time.
Residents who have had at least three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine will be allowed to resume social day trips.
The restrictions, including a pause on access to long-term care facilities for general visitors, took effect in late December as a response to a COVID-19 surge caused by the highly transmissible Omicron variant.
General visits from people five years and older who have had at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine will be allowed to resume on Feb. 21.
On that day, residents will be allowed to have three visitors at a time, all residents can go on social day trips regardless of their vaccination status, residents who have had at least three doses can go on overnight absences, and day programs as well as entertainer visits and personal care services can resume.
On March 14, kids under five can visit again, residents can have four visitors at a time and all residents regardless of vaccination status can go on overnight absences.
Meanwhile, Ontario is reporting 2,634 people are hospitalized with COVID-19 and 517 people in intensive care.
That’s down from 2,797 people in hospital with COVID-19 yesterday and 541 in ICU.
The province is also reporting 58 more deaths from the virus.
There were 4,047 new COVID-19 cases reported but Public Health Ontario has said the true number is likely higher because of changes to the province’s testing policy.
Ontario isn’t sharing data on virus cases and outbreaks in schools but 13 schools were reported closed for operational reasons as of Friday.
Half of the province’s long-term care homes were experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks as of Friday and 14 resident deaths were reported the previous day.
As of Friday, 84 per cent of Ontarians aged five and older had two COVID-19 vaccine doses, 89 per cent had at least one shot and 46 per cent had received booster doses.
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