Thanks to adjustments in the Ministry of Health's COVID-19 reporting protocol, local eateries can resume normal hours.
The province of Ontario has released updated guidelines for handling COVID-19, using a colour-coded system. With the Windsor-Essex region in the least serious "green" category, local restaurants and bars can resume regular hours immediately.
The framework was released last week, and there are five categories of responses, four of them represented by colours. In order of severity from least to most, green represents prevent, yellow for "protect", orange for "restrict", and red for "control". The most serious category is "lockdown", and currently there are no lockdown protocols in effect in Ontario.
Local restaurants and bars can resume serving alcohol until 2 a.m. Previously, liquor sales had to stop at 11 p.m., and establishments had to close between midnight and 5 a.m.
Other highlights of the current protocol include the ability for restaurants to seat customers at least two metres apart, allowing dancing, singing, and performing of music; and karaoke in open settings only. Masks or face coverings are required except when eating or drinking, and physical distancing applies.
However, steam rooms, saunas, and oxygen bars must remain closed. Casinos are limited to 50 people at a time, for slot play only. Bingo halls and other adult gaming establishments may operate under guidelines from the Ministry of Health.
Complete information on the colour-coded system can be found on the province's official website.