BREAKING: Ontario now allowing social circles of the same 10 people
- Michael Kras
- 12 Jun 2020
If you’ve been dying to hug your favourite people after three straight months of COVID-19 lockdown, now’s your chance: Ontario has officially announced that social circles of up to the same 10 people are now allowed province-wide, effective immediately.
These social circles – or social bubbles, as they’re also known – will allow Ontarians to build a group of 10 people maximum outside of their households that can get together socially and in close contact with one another; something that hasn’t been allowed since March in the era of social distancing.
Premier Doug Ford cites the gradual improvement of the province’s COVID-19 case numbers as a key reason for easing this restriction.
NEW: As of today, you can now create a household social circle and merge it with another household social circle.
You will be able to welcome that group into your household + hug them.
Premier Ford calls this an "exciting day" in Ontario. #onpoli pic.twitter.com/0qIQfQ2PIU
— Colin D'Mello | Global News (@ColinDMello) June 12, 2020
But how do we build these social circles safely and under provincial guidelines? A few steps must be taken.
First, count the number of people already in your household and those who regularly come in close contact with those people, such as caregivers. From there, if the circle is under 10 people, you can add up to that maximum number in family and friends as long as everyone agrees to be part of it.
However, if there are additional people in the households of your family and friends – even if they are people you never see or socialize with – they must be counted as part of your 10 people maximum in your social circle.
Ontario’s vulnerable residents, such as people over the age of 70, are able to participate as well at their own discretion.
Ontarians are advised to be part of only one dedicated social circle, and are also urged to continue following proper social distancing guidelines and public health protocols with people outside of the circle.
Not only will the social circle concept allow Ontarians to finally see – and hug- their family and friends again, it will also allow for efficient contact tracing if positive cases continue to pop up.
Comments 0
There are no comments
Add comment