INCREASING NUMBERS FORCE CHANGES IN ONTARIO

Ontario Premier Doug Ford met with his cabinet yesterday (January 2) to determine next steps in the province's fight against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant.

In response to recent trends that show an alarming increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations, the Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, is temporarily moving the province into Step Two of its Roadmap to Reopen with modifications that take into account the province’s successful vaccination efforts. These time-limited measures will help blunt transmission and prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed as the province continues to accelerate its booster dose rollout. As part of the province’s response to the Omicron variant, starting January 5, students will pivot to remote learning with free emergency child care planned for school-aged children of health care and other eligible frontline workers.

Included in these measures:

  • Delaying the return of in-class learning for students for two weeks, switching to online learning again. During this period of remote learning, free emergency child care will be provided for school-aged children of health care and other eligible frontline workers.

  • Reducing gathering to 5 people indoors and 10 outdoors informal gathering

  • Indoor facilities like theatres, cinemas and museums will close

  • Indoor sports facilities including gyms will be closed

  • Non-essential workers work from home

  • Non-emergency procedures at hospitals postponed until at least January 26

More information about the measures and what's next, visit www.ontario.ca.


COVID-19Deb Crossen