Ontario is set to re-open in a three step process.

Each process could last as long as 2 – 4 weeks. Any concert goers and sports fans are in bad shape I’m afraid, as at the end of the third and final stage still has concerts and sporting events “to be restricted for the foreseeable future,”, which has mw thinking that I will have to wait to see the Maple Leafs lose. So what do these stages look like?

If you haven’t read any of the major newspapers or watched any media, this is how they have broken it down for us.

• Stage 1 – This stage will comprise of selecting workplaces to re-open, under the condition that they can immediately modify their current operations to meet social distancing requirements. This may include implementing a curbside pickup or having strictly delivery. Some parks and other outdoor spaces will be re-opened, as well as Hospitals may start to reschedule surgeries and other post postponed medical services. Also, the amount of people that will be allowed to gather together for events such as funerals.
• Stage 2 – This is just stage 1 with increased numbers, the selected workplaces to open will now extend to include retail businesses and offices.
• Stage 3 – will see all businesses reopen and public gathering rules relaxed further.

The Ontario Government set four pillars, or criteria, which they will evaluate the stages.

Virus Spread and Containment is just looking for the overall decrease in three categories: new cases, new untraceable cases, and new cases in the hospital.

Health System Capacity, which is just the overall evaluation of the equipment needed to handle a surge in cases, this includes such items as; Personal Protective Equipment, Beds and Ventilators.

Public Health System Capacity, which focuses on having enough public health officials to effective “contact tracing”, which is where they can identify cases of the virus and who was in contact with the virus. They want to have this method so airtight, that 90% of cases can be traced.

And the finally, Incidence Tracking Capacity, which is being able to identify new cases quicker; thus, to nullify potential outbreaks. This method will rely on maintaining a high rate of rigorous testing and “a shift to new types of testing and contact tracing methods” which wasn’t specified.  Officials said they are considering the idea of using cellphone location data to help.

There’s a joke to be made about “the shift tto new types of testing”, have you heard where the French put their thermometers?