Eastern Ontario's top doctor recommends staying in Stage 3 with new restrictions for bars, restaurants and gyms - CTV Edmonton

Eastern Ontario's top doctor is no longer recommending his region move into a modified Stage 2 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Medical Officer of Health Dr.

Paul Roumeliotis is calling for stricter measures on bars, restaurants and fitness centres in Alexandria, Cornwall, Casselman, Hawkesbury, Clarence-Rockland and other areas of eastern Ontario to help control the spread of COVID-19.

Roumeliotis told CTV News Ottawa "we are likely going to or need to really look at over the next couple of days the possibility of us too in our area going into this modified Stage 2 type of restriction.".

Roumeliotis says with decreasing COVID-19 case numbers in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit region and the drop in cases in Ottawa, there is no need to move into a modified Stage 2.

"I recommended (Tuesday) that the Chief Medical Officer of Health recommends to cabinet that we not go into a modified Stage 2.

Roumeliotis told reporters that the regulations for bars and restaurants would mirror what's in place in Ottawa, including six people per table at a bar or restaurant and capacity limited to 100 people maximum.

The eastern Ontario medical officer of health says the Ontario cabinet will have the final say on whether to implement new restrictions on bars, restaurants and gyms to help limit the spread of COVID-19. 

Roumeliotis said there is no need to move eastern Ontario into a COVID-19 hot zone status, but added measures will help control the spread of the virus

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