New restrictions coming for COVID-19 hot spots

Virus spread in Toronto, Peel and York regions ‘alarming’, Ford says

Toronto and two other COVID-19 hot spots in Ontario will face new restrictions later this week, Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday.

Ford said the new measures, which will be announced on Friday, are necessary because the case counts in Toronto, Peel and York regions are rising and hospitals are reaching capacity.

“The virus is spreading at alarming rates in these areas,” the premier told a news conference. “Right now, we’re staring down the barrel of another lockdown in these regions.”

Ford issued the stark warning after Ontario reported 1,417 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, and 32 new deaths due to the virus.

The province said 463 new cases are in Peel Region, 410 cases are in Toronto, and178 are in York Region.

Ford expressed frustration with people he claimed were flouting public health rules and holding social gatherings.

“I just see it out there, some people are just throwing up their hands and saying, ‘If I get it, I get it,’” he said. “Well, that doesn’t cut it any more.”

Meanwhile, Ontario students won’t have a longer winter break after all, as the province said Wednesday that its COVID-19 protocols for schools are enough to keep kids safe at this time.

The decision was announced one day after the government said it was considering a prolonged break or starting the new year with a stretch of online learning,

“We will continue to consider any option and take decisive action to ensure we deliver on this shared priority of keeping schools open in January and beyond,” Education Minister Stephen Lecce said in a statement.

Lecce said the government consulted the province’s top doctor before making the decision.

Some education administrators have called for a delayed return to in-class learning in January, noting it’s likely students and staff will have had increased social contacts over the holidays.