Ontario could see well over 18,000 new daily COVID-19 infections — despite continuing vaccinations — if current trends continue, government source.
New modelling details show additional public health measures could bring that number down closer to 10,000, sources say, however those measures would have to be considerably more restrictive to curb the rate of infection.
The modelling also shows up to 1,800 patients in intensive care by the end of May, according to the sources.
- Closing all non-essential retail, no curbside pick-up or delivery.
- Further restricting retail hours of operation.
- Restricting curbside pick-up (only permit non-essential retail to deliver).
- Shutting down non-essential construction, warehouses and manufacturing not related to health, food or automotive.
- Prohibiting all outdoor gatherings for non-family members in the same household.
- Tightening capacity of indoor events like places of worship, weddings and funerals.
- Increasing fines, increase policing powers.
Sources say Premier Doug Ford asked Alberta Premier Jason Kenney to send health-care workers to Ontario to help. Alberta has not yet made any commitments, the sources say.
Premier Ford has said from the very beginning of this pandemic, that all options are on the table,” Solicitor General Sylvia Jones said Thursday. “And that continues to be our philosophy as a cabinet and a caucus.”
Jones, however, acknowledged the challenges a curfew would present in Ontario, pointing to the anti-curfew protests in Quebec.
“I think the Montreal riots speak to the challenge of both enforcing, and people’s willingness to do a curfew,” she said.
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) said a curfew would not help the public health crisis, and urged the government not to go down that road.
“Imposing a curfew is an admission that the government has run out of ideas,” said Cara Zwibel, director of fundamental freedoms at the CCLA. “It is an unnecessary and disproportionate measure that is likely to do more harm than good.”
All-time high
Ford’s cabinet met Thursday as the province reported a record 4,736 new cases of COVID-19 and 29 more related deaths.
Meanwhile, the coronavirus has sent 1,932 people to the province’s hospitals despite a stay-at-home order. There are 659 patients in intensive care and 419 on ventilators.
Hospitals have been ramping down non-essential and non-urgent medical procedures this week to ensure they have the capacity to care for COVID-19 patients.
The government said a COVID-19 field hospital could be opened in Toronto later this month.
The Ministry of Health said a mobile health unit at Sunnybrook Hospital, set up in the facility’s parking lot, is expected to take patients in the coming weeks.
It is one of two field hospitals in the province designed to help address growing capacity challenges.
The province said the temporary beds will provide increased capacity to the health system as a whole by freeing up acute and critical care capacity within hospitals.