July 12, 2021

July 12, 2021 4:49 am Published by

July 12th is the 193rd day of 2021. There are 172 days remaining until the end of the year.

The province is speeding up its reopening plan; Premier Doug Ford announced Friday that Ontario will enter Step 3 ahead of schedule this Friday, July 16th.

That means indoor dining, gyms and movie theatres will be allowed to reopen. Outdoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 100 people will be allowed as well as indoor social gatherings and organized public events with up to 25 people.

Ontario will remain in Step 3 for at least 21 days and until 80% of the eligible population aged 12 and over has received one vaccine dose and 75% have received their second, with no public health unit having less than 70% of their population fully vaccinated.

What else is allowed under Ontarioโ€™s revised Step 3:

  • Personal care services, including services requiring the removal of a face covering, with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres;
  • Museums, galleries, historic sites, aquariums, zoos, landmarks, botanical gardens, science centres, casinos/bingo halls, amusement parks, fairs and rural exhibitions, festivals, with capacity limited to not exceed 50% capacity indoors and 75 per cent capacity outdoors;
  • Concert venues, cinemas, and theatres permitted to operate at up to 50% capacity indoors or a maximum limit of 1,000 people for seated events (whichever is less)
  • Up to 75% capacity outdoors or a maximum limit of 5,000 people for unseated events (whichever is less); and up to 75% capacity outdoors or a maximum of 15,000 people for events with fixed seating (whichever is less).
  • Real estate open houses with capacity limited to the number of people that can maintain a physical distance of two metres;
  • Indoor food or drink establishments where dance facilities are provided, including nightclubs and resto bars, permitted up to 25 percent capacity or up to a maximum limit of 250 people (whichever is less).

On Sunday Ontario reported 166 new cases of COVID-19.

That’s the lowest daily case count in the province since September. 278 new recoveries were reported, and there have been 6 additional deaths.

Chatham-Kent Public Health doesn’t update on the weekends. On Friday, there was one new case. The active case count locally is at 9. A weekend update will come between 10-11 this morning.

Italy is the Euro Cup champion.

Italy defeated England 3-2 on penalties at Wembley Stadium on Sunday to win EURO 2020, their second title at the continental tournament. It’s their first win since 1968.

England was trying to win their first international trophy since the 1966 World Cup.

The billionaire space race has been won by Richard Branson.

Branson took off into space aboard his own rocket ship on Sunday, beating out fellow billionaires Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.

Branson and a five-man crew went 53 miles above the Earth and achieved weightlessness for about three to four minutes. At 71, he’s the second-oldest man in space, after John Glenn, who went up in 1998 at the age of 77.

Canadian Blood Services needs more donors across Canada with COVID restrictions easing and more things opening up.

The reopening plans are resulting in an increased demand for blood products and hospitals ramping up surgical procedures that had been put on hold.

There’s a blood donor clinic tomorrow at the Chatham-Kent YMCA from 1-7.

Donations are by appointment only, no walk-in appointments are available. Book yours now at Blood.ca, use the Give Blood app or call 1-888-2-DONATE.

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This post was written by Chris McLeod