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Public life in Canada’s largest city was set to grind to a near-total halt Monday after Toronto’s top health official issued what amounted to an order that bars, nightclubs, theatres and dine-in restaurants close by the stroke of midnight.

The “strong recommendation” from Toronto’s medical officer of health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, came as jurisdictions across the world continued Monday to entertain increasingly drastic measures to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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In Ontario, the chief medical officer of health pushed for a sweeping set of voluntary shutdowns. Dr. David Williams said all private schools, daycares, libraries, churches and other houses of worship should be closed immediately. Only those bars and restaurants that can pivot to take out or delivery should remain open, he said.

He also urged everyone in the province to practise social distancing, to work from home wherever possible and to avoid close contact with anyone outside their immediate family. He advised anyone over 70, anyone immunocompromised, or anyone who has recently returned from another country to self-isolate — to avoid leaving home or seeing other people unless absolutely necessary — for 14 days. He also asked anyone who comes down with a fever, difficultly breathing or a new cough to immediately return home, self-isolate and seek a medical assessment by phone from TeleHealth Ontario (1-866-797-0000) or their primary care physicians.