On July 21st, 2020 the government of Ontario enacted the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, which included Regulation 364/20: Rules for Areas in Stage 3. Regulation 364/20 set out various rules which businesses must follow to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Primarily, the regulation requires businesses to limit the amount of people allowed to enter the place of business as needed to ensure those who are not within each other's social circles are socially distanced by 2 metres, and that businesses adequately clean and sanitize their facilities. There are additional rules specific to certain industries.
However, the regulation did not require businesses to ask COVID-19 screening questions to people entering the place of business, until now. On September 25th, 2020, Regulation 364/20 was amended to include Regulation 530/20. Regulation 530/20 now requires businesses to follow the recommendations of the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health on screening individuals entering the place of business.
An outline of screening recommendations has been released by Ontario's Ministry of Health and can be found at the following link:
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/publichealth/coronavirus/docs/workplace_screening_tool_guidance.pdf
Ontario's Ministry of Health recommends businesses screen workers and essential visitors (but not customers) when the workers or essential visitors first arrive at the workplace by asking series of questions. If a worker or essential visitor answers "yes" to any of the recommended questions, then they ought to leave the workplace immediately and self-isolate.
Given the amendment, businesses are advised to comply with the screening requirements outlined by the Ministry of Health.
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