According to CP24 and Narcity, sources said the Ford government will announce a province-wide, month-long “at-home order” today. The “at-home order” will only allow in-store shopping at grocery stores, supermarkets and pharmacies. Other non-essential shopping places will only be allowed for curbside pickup. Large warehouse-type supermarkets will be allowed to sell only basic goods.
Sources said the “home order” received final approval today and will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Thursday. The “home order” is expected to last four weeks, which could end on May 6.
The Ford administration finalized the restrictions of the home rule order yesterday afternoon. Later, Premier Ford said additional measures must be taken to address the “horrific situation” from Toronto, Peel Region and York Region. The provincial government will meet again today to finalize the details of the new restrictions.
In March, the number of new daily COVID-19 cases in Ontario more than tripled. And in early April, hospital ICU occupancy exceeded 500, breaking an all-time record. The severe outbreak led to school closures in Toronto, Guelph and Peel districts.
Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease expert and member of the Provincial Vaccine Task Force, said the province is at an unprecedented risk, with an unprecedented number of people requiring hospital care. We have no choice but to impose a “stay-at-home” order.
The third wave of the outbreak is caused by a more transmissible and deadly variant of the new coronavirus, COVID-19 B.1.1.7.
It was first identified in southwest England in September 2020 and now accounts for at least two-thirds of all new cases in Ontario, according to Bogoch. It is believed to be at least 60 per cent more deadly than the earlier incipient strain that spread in Ontario.
Ford, Health Minister Leah Yip, Solicitor General Sylvia Jones and Health Ministry Chief Medical Officer David Williams will hold a press conference at 2 p.m. today at the Provincial Parliament building.
At yesterday’s press conference, David Williams said that Ontario’s “curfew” measure is now “on the table for discussion. When asked if he was considering implementing similar curfew measures to those in Quebec, Williams said, “That remains to be seen.”
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