KITCHENER -- The Region of Waterloo has moved into the province's yellow "protect" tier under the province's new COVID-19 response framework.
Premier Doug Ford announced a finalized list of health units at each level at a press conference in Ottawa on Friday afternoon.
Region of Waterloo and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph have both moved into the protect tier. Brant County is also listed in the yellow zone.
There are five total categories: prevent, protect, restrict, control, or lockdown. A full list of where each region stands can be found here.
When the province released its first draft of the new tiered restriction system, Waterloo Region was listed as one of the municipalities in the green "prevent" tier.
During a media briefing on Friday morning, Regional Chair Karen Redman applauded the province's new system, and suggested that the region would be put in a higher category.
"We have received indication from the province that Waterloo Region will likely move to the 'protect' category, effective midnight on Saturday," Redman said during Friday's briefing.
"By implementing these measures, we will prevent spread and further closures."
She said that the initial plan was for Waterloo Region to remain in that tier for two incubation periods, or 28 days, but that could change depending on the state of the pandemic in the region.
During the same briefing, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang noted that the region exceeds the green tier's incidence rate of fewer than 10 cases per 100,000 people per week.
On Friday, she said that the region's incidence rate had risen since October to between 15 and 20 cases per 100,000 people per week.
Dr. Matthew Tenenbaum, Associate Medical Officer of Health with Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, said they're not surprised that the region is listed in the yellow tier.
"We know the provincial framework unveiled Tuesday had a number of indicators," he told CTV News on Friday. "We expected this coming."
WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE REGION
The yellow "protect" tier is meant to help the region protect the gains already made against COVID-19.
Restaurants, bars, cinemas, bingo halls and sports and recreation facilities are affected under the new measures.
Limits to the number of people to a table, allowed time of liquor consumption and proximity in fitness classes would all be affected under that tier.
You can see a detailed break-down of the province's new system below:
