Due to the Omicron spread, the Ford government is considering capacity constraints and collecting limits. Premier Doug Ford’s cabinet will meet Thursday afternoon to discuss new steps to combat the Omicron variant’s spread, such as lower capacity and gathering restrictions.
CP24 and CTV News Toronto have learned from multiple sources that the government is considering cutting capacity limitations to 25% in some industries and lowering the maximum permissible social gathering size from 25 to 10 inside.
The government is indeed considering revising the definition of completely immunised to three doses as it pushes up its attempt to get everyone 18 and up a booster injection, according to the sources. However, when such a modification might take effect is unknown.
Ontarians aged 18 to 49 will only be able to book a third dosage appointment starting Monday morning, and the demand for shots is likely to outstrip the province’s capacity to administer them, at least at first.
The cabinet meeting this afternoon comes a day after Ontario’s science advisory committee revealed updated modelling warning that without urgent indoor capacity restrictions and a rapid expansion of the third dose deployment, the province may see more than 10,000 COVID-19 cases per day by January.
“We’re going to see some very, very high case counts,” infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch told CP24 on Friday morning. “Of course, that will translate into hospitalizations, ICU stays, and ultimately deaths.”
Premier Doug Ford and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore are set to make a united statement following today’s cabinet meeting. At 3:30 p.m., they will hold a press conference at Queen’s Park. According to the science table, cases containing the Omicron strain are currently multiplying twice every 2.8 days in Ontario.
Source: CP24
