With a long weekend on the way, Ontario Premier Doug Ford alluded to further announcements regarding COVID-19 restrictions in today's update on the provincial vaccine rollout.
Ford said he's "extremely concerned" about the number of COVID-19 cases going up in the province.
"I’m also very concerned about seeing the age group — the younger people now — in ICUs. Everything’s on the table right now. So folks, be prepared. I’m asking you, don’t make plans for Easter," he said.
"I won’t hesitate to lock things down if we have to, I did it before I’ll do it again. Nothing’s more important than our health. Economy, yes it’s important, but that can wait. Without people’s health we won’t have an economy."
While the number of new cases announced Tuesday generally dips due to lower testing numbers on the weekend, 2,336 new cases were reported by Public Health Ontario today. There were also 84 new hospitalizations since yesterday, and 11 new admissions of COVID-19 patients to intensive care units.
In Ontario, this morning's report included 1,090 hospitalizations in the province, up from 841 reported yesterday.
On Boxing Day 2020, a province-wide stay-at-home order was put in place. When it lifted in February, regions transitioned back into the five restriction levels of the COVID-19 Response Framework.
In Northern Ontario, the Algoma, North Bay Parry Sound and Porcupine health units are in the yellow - protect level. The Northwestern Health Unit and Timiskaming are in red- control, and the Sudbury and Thunder Bay areas are in grey - lockdown.
Northern Ontario health units issued a joint news release yesterday asking northerners to avoid gatherings and travel.
