LAGGING BEHIND

Premier wants everybody examined, including those without symptoms

Ontario Premier Doug Ford asks health officials for new COVID-19 testing plan //

TORONTO—Premier Doug Ford said Thursday he has asked health officials to deliver a plan for expanded COVID-19 testing next week, after Ontario’s testing rates dropped in recent days and continue to lag well behind its capacity.

Ford said he wants as many people as possible to be tested, including those without symptoms. Until that is done, he said, Ontario can’t get a true picture of how many asymptomatic cases it has.

Ford said he wants to see truck drivers, taxi drivers, front-line health-care staff, autoworkers and those in food manufacturing facilities tested, as well as child-care and school staff once those facilities reopen.

He also mused about increased testing by postal code, in hot spots that are “glowing on the map like a lit-up Christmas tree,” even suggesting using mobile testing vans.

“There’s a difference between what I want and what’s going to happen,” the premier said. Ford vowed — as he has on several occasions in the past months — to ramp up Ontario’s testing levels.

“I’ll be like an 800-pound gorilla on their backs every single day if I have to until I see those numbers go up,” Ford said.

“It’s frustrating, believe me it’s frustrating. But in saying that, I do have confidence in Ontario Health and with the public health (officials).”

Ontario completed 10,506 tests in the previous day, marking a fourth straight day it fell short of its goal of doing at least 16,000, and well short of its capacity of more than 21,000.

A testing blitz of every longterm-care resident and staff member was finished over the weekend. Health officials have said they expected to see much more demand for tests under new criteria allowing any symptomatic person to be tested, but it didn’t materialize over the long weekend.

Ontario reported 413 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, and 31 more deaths. That brings the province to a total of 24,187 cases, which is an increase of 1.7 per cent over the previous day.

Ontario’s growth rate in cases has hovered between 1.5 and 1.9 per cent for 11 of the past 12 days.

Ford acknowledged the numbers are “concerning.” Health Minister Christine Elliott said the effects of Tuesday’s stage one reopening of retail and some other businesses wouldn’t be reflected in the numbers until next week.

But, she said, the chief medical officer remains satisfied the province is still on an overall downward trend.