KFL&A Public Health Issues Class Order to Address St. Patrick's Day Celebrations

Kingston—Today, Dr. Kieran Moore, Medical Officer of Health at KFL&A Public Health issued a Class Order pursuant to Section 22 of the Ontario Health Protection and Promotion Act, 1990 to proactively protect our community, keep our schools and economy safe and open, and prevent an impact on our emergency medical services and hospital resources within the City of Kingston during St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

This Class Order effective from 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, March 13, 2021 to Sunday, March 21, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. is issued to all persons in or present in the City of Kingston, along with businesses that serve alcohol in the City of Kingston.

In accordance with this Order, no person shall:

• Host or attend indoor or outdoor social gatherings with more than 5 persons.

Also, all businesses that serve alcohol shall:

• Be closed between 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
• Only sell and serve alcohol between 12:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. No consumption of alcohol is permitted in the business between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 12:00 p.m.
• Require all patrons to be seated when served. Pick up and take out is exempt.
• Require all patrons to seat only 5 persons to a table.
• Collect contact information from persons seated.
• Not allow dancing, singing and live performances of music. Volume of music must be low enough to allow for normal conversation.
• Ensure line up management follows the capacity limits, 2 metres physical distancing, and masking regulations.

“Given the increasing concerns of COVID-19 variants, and the risks of potential spread of COVID-19 related to St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, these measures are prudent and necessary to prevent illness and the spread of COVID-19,” said Dr. Kieran Moore. “I want to thank the community for their continued vigilance and support in keeping our community safe and want to emphasize the importance of continuing to adhere to public health measures.”

Any failure to comply with this Class Order can result in fines of up to $5000 for individuals, and $25 000 for corporations for every day or part of a day on which the offence occurs or continues.

For the most up to date information on COVID-19, visit www.Kflaph.ca/Coronavirus or www.Ontario.ca/coronavirus.