Lockdown vs. lockdown 2.0: What you can and can't do in Windsor-Essex before Christmas and after

Just after midnight on Boxing Day, a province-wide shutdown intended to curb the spread ofCOVID-19 takes effect.

For all of the health units within Southern Ontario, aban on gatherings, indoor dining and non-essential retailwill be in place until at least Jan. 23.

While the changes will be dramaticfor some regions less affected by the pandemic, in Windsor-Essex the new lockdown will look a lot like the one that has been in place since Dec. 14.

Here's a look at what's changing and what's staying the same:

Gatherings before and after Christmas

Regardless of the holidays, thecurrent grey lockdown restrictions do not permit indoor social gatherings or events involving members of different households. Those who live alone and single parents are allowed to join one other household.

The limit for outdoor events is 10, as long as social distancing can be maintained.

Despite outdoor gatherings being allowed, health authorities have strongly discouraged people from doing so over the holidays.

Under the new shutdown framework, there are no changes to the rules on gatherings, so the same restrictions will apply after Boxing Day.

Schools

The biggest change the new lockdown brings is a bit morecertainty around the resumption of the school year.

All schools in Windsor and Essex County were ordered to shut down and pivot to online learning a week before the holiday break, with the potential for the switch to be in place longer.

Under the lockdownannounced on Monday, schoolwill resume online on Jan. 4. Elementary students will return to the classroom on Jan. 11, while secondary students will stick with online learning until Jan. 25.

Shoppingand dining

The rules for restaurants are the same after the new rules take effect they can only be open for pick up, drive-thru or delivery.

Many retailbusinesses were already banned from opening in Windsor and the rest of the region, but the rules around what can open and with how many patronshave been tweaked.

The current lockdownorder excludes essential businesses such as grocery stores, pharmacies, hardware and convenience stores. They are permitted to open at 50 per cent capacity.

There's no changefor grocery stores or pharmacies but big-box and discount stores that sell grocerieswere allowed to open at half capacity before, but that has been reduced to 25 per cent.

Stores that sell alcohol will also see a reduction in their allowed capacity, from half to a quarter.

While safety and medical supplystores were allowed to open for in-person shopping previously, as of Boxing Day it will be by appointment.

Hardware and pet supply stores, which were alsopermitted to remainopen, willonly able to offer curbside pickup or delivery as of Dec. 26.

Funerals, weddings and religious rites are limited to 10 people, either indoors or outdoors.

Ontarians are being told to stay home "to the fullest extent possible"and work should be taking place remotely in all industries as much as possible, the new restrictions state.

Activities and services

A long list of outdoor recreation facilitiessuch as ice rinks and baseball diamonds are allowed to remain open. Community centres are allowed to stay open to offer things like child care or addictions services.

When it comes to activities, pretty much everything else is closed.

That includes personal care services providers such as salons, cinemas, bingo halls, performing venuesand casinos. Indoor and outdoor recreation facilities are alsoclosed to the general public.

Ski hills, which were allowed to open with restrictionsunder the grey lockdown restrictions, have to close under the new province-wide framework.

Day camps, which were also allowed to operate, are will beshut down.

Entertainment venues and cinemaswere previously allowed to holddrive-in or drive-thruevents, which will no longer be permitted.

Under the new lockdown, there are tightened restrictions on veterinary care.

Vet offices can open for services "necessary for the immediate health and welfare of the animal only."

A complete list of the new restrictions taking effect in Ontario on Dec. 26 is available here.