Ontario Ups Restrictions, Limits Testing As Ontario COVID-19 Cases Climb
TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced new restrictions in regions hit hard by COVID-19 Friday, but resisted calls from some local officials to go further.
“Earlier this week, we received a real wake-up call,” Ford said at his daily Queen’s Park press conference. “We saw from the modelling update that if we don’t act now to halt these trends, we could see 1,000 new cases a day by mid-October.”
Ontario reported 732 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, a new record. There are active outbreaks in 318 schools and 44 long-term care homes.
Ford said that masks will be mandatory on public transit, in stores and at workplaces where social distancing isn’t possible, everywhere in Ontario starting Saturday.
He also said there would be new restrictions on areas with high numbers of COVID-19 cases: Ottawa, Toronto and Peel Region.
In Ottawa and Peel, restaurants and bars must seat no more than six people to a table and serve a maximum of 100 customers at a time. Toronto has already said it will limit restaurants and bars to serving a maximum of 75 customers at a time with six to a table, Ford noted.
Banquet halls must also sit no more than six people to a table and limit the number of people in the facility to 50. Gyms will have to limit occupancy to 50 people and 10 per fitness class.
“These measures will help us protect each other. There is a lot at stake,” Health Minister Christine Elliott said.
There is a lot at stake.Health Minister Christine Elliott
Public health officials in Ottawa and Toronto have asked for stricter rules, however.
Ottawa’s medical officer of health Dr. Vera Etches said the city has “entered crisis territory,” at a video teleconference Friday.
“This is our warning bell ... and if we do not slow the transmission, it will lead to stricter lockdown, closure of businesses, public venues, even schools.”
She said Ottawans should only have close contact with people in their household and one or two other “essential” people...
