Municipal, provincial leaders clash over virus-surge action
TORONTO — Staggering daily case counts elicited stern warnings to immediately constrain social circles and limit outings in the nation’s COVID-19 hotspots, but also gave rise to a growing schism between municipal and provincial leaders who clashed Friday over how to tackle the second wave.
Medical officers in Toronto and Ottawa joined provincial associations representing registered nurses, hospitals and longterm care sectors in demanding Ontario significantly curtail nonessential businesses and the ability of people to socialize as daily case counts reached a record 732 infections.
Ottawa’s medical officer of health warned the entire healthcare system was on the verge of collapse if transmission was not contained, suggesting the escalating spike jeopardized the ability of schools to remain open.
“We’ve entered crisis territory,” Dr. Vera Etches said in a video teleconference Friday as 141 new cases were reported in Ottawa. “If we do not slow the transmission, it will lead to stricter lockdown, closure of businesses, public venues, even schools.”
Toronto’s medical officer of health also pressed for ramped up measures — including a fourweek halt to indoor restaurant service, an end to indoor gym classes, and an order that people only leave home for essential activities.
Dr. Eileen de Villa called it a “made-in-Toronto solution” that would prevent a broader lockdown, noting she did not have the authority to act on her suggestions.
“Without quick action to implement further public health measures, there is an acute risk the virus will continue to spread widely, which means spread more and further and eventually faster, stressing the health-care system and further straining Toronto’s economy,” de Villa said in her Friday briefing.
Community spread has been of particular concern in Toronto, where nearly half of 45 community outbreaks between Sept. 20 and 26 occurred in restaurants, bars and entertainment venues.
That included one downtown pub where up to 1,700 people may have been exposed last weekend, and another where 600 exposures may have taken place. Friday’s case count included 323 of them in Toronto and 111 cases in Peel Region.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford introduced measures Friday that limit restaurant capacity in Ottawa and Peel Region to 100 customers, while Toronto Public Health capped numbers in Toronto to 75. Tables will be limited to no more than six people.
The province also restricted COVID-19 testing to appointment only, ordered masks for all public indoor spaces, and told residents to restrict interactions to their immediate household.
Ford disagreed with suggestions his government failed to shield residents from a second wave, pointing to recent investments in the flu shot, contact tracing, and long-term care.
“It’s so easy when you aren’t in the trenches to sit back and be the armchair quarterback,” said Ford. “We’re doing good. Did everyone, you know, let their guard down a little bit when we we had under 100 cases, [when] everyone thought it was OK? Yes, some people did. And now we have to get through this again like we have with everything else, folks.”