It’s too early for Ontario to ease back restrictions

Re Stay at home in Toronto, Peel till March, Feb. 20

In the past 12 months, we have experienced the “reactive” response to COVID-19 instead of an active one. As a result, many more of our citizens have gotten sick or died than necessary.

Governments should not be listening to business people when making health decisions.

Most medical experts are predicting a resurgence of COVID-19 cases due to the new variants.

And, just like in the past, the government is going to wait to react to the resurgence, when it will already be too late.

As a result, many more people will get sick and die.

Toronto and Peel Region, in keeping their areas closed to nonessential business, are taking a somewhat active role, which is admirable.

On the other hand, York Region isn’t on the same page.

No doubt people from Toronto and Peel will be taking advantage of York Region’s ill-conceived reopening.

They say history is a wonderful teacher.

Will governments never learn? Ontario is still a COVID-19 hot spot and should remain totally closed until we have a much better control of the spread of this virus. A lot more vaccinations will need to be given before this occurs.

Bob Zeleny, Thornhill

Re Reality is closing in fast on Doug Ford’s virus plan, Feb. 20

Bruce Arthur is correct that reality is closing in fast.

Now that the residents and staff of long-term-care facilities have been vaccinated against COVID-19, the virus with its variants has turned its attention to apartment buildings.

These are filled with seniors that have not yet received COVID-19 vaccines.

Already residents of buildings in Collingwood, London, North Bay, Mississauga and Sudbury have become infected with COVID-19.

These outbreaks are just the beginning.

William Phillips, Toronto

Re Moving March break to April is the

best choice for Ontario, Feb. 11 Delaying March break might sound like a good idea, yet COVID-19 cases are still going to be on the rise as long as restrictions are eased and children go to school.

Changing the date so that fewer people choose to travel for the holiday makes sense, but people are still at school, work and in other public places. Going to school and being surrounded by other people whose family members go to different schools and various worksites is not safe if you are trying to prevent the spread of the virus.

Now that most of Ontario is in the red zone, not in lockdown, the cases are slowly increasing. The Ford government claims that there is no better place than school for children in a pandemic, but when cases were at an all-time low, it was when all people were at home.

The concerns of public health doctors about a third wave shows us that we should continue to stay in lockdown until cases are almost completely gone and hotspot regions are not showing any signs of an outbreak in cases.

Keeping the lockdown going for another few weeks makes more common sense than entering, down the road, another lockdown for two months again.

Adrienne Williamson, Ajax

Re Province delays March break as experts warn of third wave, Feb. 12

As a teacher I have no problem with March break being delayed a month until April. But already I am hearing rumours of families leaving during the week of March 15-19 to go skiing in Quebec, Alberta or B.C.

My question is what restrictions will be in place for when these families return to Ontario?

There shouldn’t be any travel yet, whether international or interprovincial.

Gordon Burke, Stratford, Ont.