The Ontario government has announced that gyms will be reopening next week, along with indoor dining and other previously closed businesses, to kick off "the process of gradually easing restrictions."
Gyms will be able to open at 50% capacity as of January 31 at 12:01 a.m., so if you've been missing your daily hit, your muscles won't have to wait much longer, according to a government news release.
"The evidence tells us that the measures we put in place to blunt transmission of Omicron are working," said Premier Doug Ford.
"We can be confident that the worst is behind us and that we are now in a position to cautiously and gradually ease public health measures. While February will continue to present its own challenges, given current trends these are challenges we are confident we can manage."
Indoor gyms were closed down on January 5 as part of the Ontario government's move back to a modified Step Two in response to the quickly spreading Omicron variant and rapid increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations.
Along with gyms closing down, restaurants saw stricter rules with no indoor dining, and capacity and gathering limits were also slashed.
As of January 31, indoor dining for restaurants will also open back up at 50% capacity. Proof of vaccination will continue to apply in these settings.
Capacity limits will remain at 50% in retail, personal care and other settings. However, gathering limits will increase to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors on January 31.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
