OTTAWA - After the lifting of numerous COVID-19 public health measures, including capacity limits in most public settings, wastewater surveillance shows a possible resurgence in cases, but Premier Doug Ford said the province will continue its cautious approach to reopening.
“I will always be the cautious one,” Ford said during a media conference in Ottawa. “We built up resilience, we built up immunity. We have the highest vaccination rates in the entire world. Everyone in Ontario pitched in and we are doing well.”
Ontario lifted capacity limits in indoor public settings on March 14 and mask mandates on March 21 in most public settings, with the exception of health care and long-term care facilities. This followed several other provinces having already lifted such mandates previously.
According to wastewater surveillance, cases of COVID-19 appear to be on the rise in many parts of the country, including Ontario. It is too early for any impact from the lifting of mask mandates to be included in the wastewater data in Ontario.
Minister of Health Christine Elliott said chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore suggested there could be a rise in cases following the lifting of some public health measures.
“Dr. Moore indicated that as we reopen Ontario up we will see high levels in the wastewater surveillance,” she said. “We are confident we have the capacitiy in our hospitals to take care of anyone who needs a hospital bed or intensive care. This is something that was suggested we would see in any event so it is not surprising.”
Elliott added that Ontario also has a high rate of vaccination, having administered more than 32 million vaccines as of March 24.
“With the rates of immunity, we have and the antiviral drugs we have now, we are protected,” she said.
Ford echoed Elliott’s comments, saying the health care system is in a much better position to handle more cases than it was at the start of the pandemic.
“We have a stronger, more stable health care system, more capacity in the hospitals, and we learned a lot in the last little while,” he said. “We have the antiviral pills and we have the immunity across the province. We will always be cautious and I will always listen to the advice of Dr. Moore and other doctors across the province.”
The province has been slowly lifting public health measures related to COVID-19 in the last two months and the plan is to lift all remaining measures and directives by April 27, 2022.
When asked if a surge in cases across the province could result in public health measures returning, such as masking in public settings or closures, Ford said such measures will be talked about if and when that happens.
“Let’s continue being cautious, let’s continue to make sure we move forward in a cautious way,” he said. “Let’s talk about that if god forbid that happens at the time. We are prepared.”
