Canada Is Starting to Reverse COVID-19 Reopening Plans as Cases Rise

British Columbia’s top doctor has ordered nightclubs and banquet halls to close and has imposed new restrictions on restaurants and bars following a spike in COVID-19 cases in the province.

It’s just one example of reopening plans across Canada now at risk as the country grapples with a “concerning” rise of the daily rate of new COVID-19 cases, which increased by 25 percent last week. 

In B.C., the sale of alcohol must end at 10 p.m., and all restaurants must close at 11 p.m., unless they are serving food, Dr. Bonnie Henry said.

B.C. establishments must also keep TV and music volume down to prevent people from shouting, which increases the likelihood of spreading germs, she said.

Henry announced the public health order changes as the province recorded 429 new cases of the coronavirus and two deaths over the long weekend. The new total confirmed cases of the virus in B.C. is 6,591.

"We recognize that these venues have tried. We've made adjustments but there are still exposures happening," Henry said, noting that the new changes to her public health orders are a “last resort.”

Ontario hasn’t scaled back any health order yet, but has opted to pause further reopening of the economy. The province recorded 190 new cases of the virus on Monday, 185 on Tuesday, and 149 on Wednesday—a significant increase considering the daily rate of new cases hovered in the double digits at the end of August. Ontario has recorded a total of 43,536 cases, with 1,527 active right now.

The pause in Ontario’s reopening plan, which will last for at least a month, means social gatherings and sports event attendance won’t increase for now, Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott said.  

“Taking a pause in further re-opening will help avoid broad-scale closures and shutdowns,” Elliott said on Twitter. 

Elliott added that the slowdown in reopening will help protect children who are currently going back to school. “On the first day of school for many students, we need to do everything we can to limit the spread of COVID-19,” Elliott said. “The best way to keep our schools safe is to keep our communities safe.”

In Ontario, Premier Doug Ford’s back-to-school plan has been heavily criticized, in particular, for not mandating smaller class sizes. Four major teachers’ unions have filed complaints with the province’s labour board against the Ford government, alleging that the current school reopening plan fails to uphold workplace safety laws, CBC News reported. 

Schools across the country are already reporting cases of COVID-19. Alberta is sending hundreds of students home to self-isolate after potential exposure to the virus, the Globe and Mail reported. Ottawa’s Catholic school board is sending about 200 students and staff home after possible exposure on school buses, and 46 Quebec schools already have reported COVID-19 cases.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer, said it’s too early to tell whether the province’s back-to-school plan is effective. In Alberta, physical distancing is not mandatory in schools. Students also don’t need to wear face masks while at their desks if they’re not facing others.

The province currently has the second highest number of active virus cases in Canada with 1,692.

Canada has confirmed a total of 133,748 COVID-19 cases and 9,153 deaths. Almost 88 percent of infected Canadians have recovered.

Follow Anya Zoledziowski on Twitter.