Ontario Accelerates Plan to Lift COVID-19 Restrictions

Strategic Insights -

Premier Doug Ford and Chief Medical Officer of Health Kieran Moore announced on Monday that the province will scrap its vaccine-certificate system in two weeks and end capacity limits for restaurants, bars, and gyms in days. Masking rules will remain in place for now. The decision comes as hospital admissions decline steeply and the vaccination rate is high enough to allow the province to speed up its previously announced timeline for lifting restrictions.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Ontario government plans to scrap its vaccine-certificate system in two weeks, with capacity limits for restaurants, bars, and gyms set to be lifted in days.
  • Masking rules will remain in place for now, with the province's Chief Medical Officer of Health, Kieran Moore, saying hospital admissions and testing results will be monitored closely before any decisions are made about masking.
  • The vaccination rate in Ontario is high, with 92% of Ontarians aged 12 and over having at least one vaccine dose, and almost 6.8 million receiving booster doses.
  • The Ontario government's previous timeline wouldn't have further eased its pandemic rules until February 21 but would have phased out all capacity limits March 14, while leaving vaccine certificates in place.
  • Regional public-health units will be able to impose their own restrictions if needed to "manage COVID-19 over the long term."
  • The province's Science Advisory Table has supported the accelerated easing of restrictions, citing data indicating that Ontarians have developed a "strong wall of immunity against Omicron."
  • Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath has criticized the Premier's decision, saying he is "caving" to "anti-vaxxers," while Ontario Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca has supported the easing of restrictions.

Statistics:

  • 1,369 hospital admissions were reported on Monday in Ontario, down from a peak in the latest wave of over 4,000 patients.
  • 394 COVID-19 patients are in intensive care in Ontario.
  • 92% of Ontarians aged 12 and over have at least one vaccine dose.
  • Almost 6.8 million Ontarians have received booster doses.
  • Ontario's total population is 14.57 million.
  • The province's hospital admissions have declined from over 4,000 to 1,369 in the latest wave.
  • The vaccination rate in Ontario is high enough to allow the province to accelerate its previously announced timeline for lifting restrictions.
  • 50% capacity limits will be maintained for sports arenas, concert venues, and theatres.
  • 25% capacity limits will be maintained for nightclubs and similar venues.
  • By March 1, all capacity limits will be lifted - along with the province's mandatory vaccine-passport system.

Sources:

  • JEFF GRAY; Staff Ontario plans to scrap its vaccine-certificate system in two weeks and end capacity limits for restaurants, bars and gyms in days, in a significant acceleration of plans to remove COVID-19 restrictions.
  • Reports from Eric Andrew-Gee in Montreal and Bill Curry in Ottawa.