OTTAWA -- As Ottawa's key COVID-19 indicators continue to move in the wrong direction, businesses are bracing for more strict measures meant to curb the spread of COVID-19.

On Tuesday, medical officer of health Dr. Vera Etches said Ottawa will soon be moving into the red zone, which would impose new restrictions on social gatherings, bars, restaurants and gyms. On Thursday, Ontario announced Ottawa Public Health will move into the red-control zone at 12:01 a.m. Friday. 

"Deflating, frustrating," that’s how Gregory Aboukheir, owner of Reynold’s Restaurant, describes the news Ottawa will be moving into the red zone.

"It just seems that no matter how much protocol is put into place, the end result is a shutdown, so it’s frustrating. We can’t sustain the lockdowns all the time. We just can’t survive, it’s impossible."

While a move to red wouldn’t mean a full lockdown, for restaurants like Abouklheir’s it would mean a major reduction in capacity. From 50 people inside the restaurant right now down to 10 in the red zone.

"Where do you go from here? I don’t know. Again, we can’t sustain this. It’s unjust, I need people in my restaurant, if we’re going to survive here I need people in there," he said.

On Wednesday, Ottawa's COVID-19 incidence rate was at 48.8 cases per 100,000, well past the threshold of 40 for the red zone. The positivity rate is 2.7 per cent.

"I really do think we're getting closer to the finish line, but I think we really need to double-down in the next couple of weeks to get there," said Dr. Alex Mackenzie of the CHEO Research Institute.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues in Ottawa, with appointments available for anyone over the age of 80. On Wednesday, a second mass-vaccination clinic opened in the city at the Ruddy Family YMCA in Orleans.

"We won't see the impacts of the vaccine quickly, early on, but as more of the population gets the vaccine we're going to see it for sure," said Mackenzie.  "So this is a tough one, but hang in there Ottawa. Another four to six weeks or so, we're out the other side."

For many small businesses that wait isn't easy — and leaves them with more questions.

"It doesn’t really make any sense to me to be moving to the red zone for small businesses, we haven’t been able to see proof that restaurants or gyms are causing numbers to spike," said Domenic Santaguida, owner of Vittoria Trattoria.

Small business advocate Michael Wood spoke with Ottawa Public Health and Ontario government officials to ask that Ottawa remain in the orange zone a bit longer to lower COVID-19 levels.

"We are sitting in a situation where rent is going to be due at the end of the month, mortgages and so on," said Wood. "I do think we're not that much more into the red zone, we just need more time."

The province has not yet officially announced whether Ottawa will see further restrictions imposed. 

It’s expected that announcement will come by the end of the week and the move to the red zone in Ottawa could happen as soon as Monday.