Premier Doug Ford is scheduled to hold a news conference at 1 p.m. in Niagara Falls. Then at 3 p.m., Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams is expected give a briefing on the COVID-19 situation in the province.
You’ll be able to watch both events live in this story.
Ontario reported another 2,094 cases of COVID-19 on Monday, as the number of vaccine doses given out in the province surpassed two million.
Today’s new cases include 618 in Toronto, 368 in Peel Region, 277 in York Region, 132 in Ottawa and 104 in Durham Region.
As is commonly the trend, testing levels dropped over the weekend. Labs completed just 39,470 tests for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and logged a provincewide positivity rate of 6.1 per cent, the highest it has been on a single day since January 19.
The seven-day average of new daily cases climbed to 2,094.
Meanwhile, stricter public health measures come into force in two regions today.
Hamilton is going into the strictest grey lockdown phase of Ontario’s pandemic response plan today, while the Eastern Ontario Health Unit enters the second-strictest red zone.
But as of today, those who live in grey zones will be able to attend fitness classes outdoors.
Premier Doug Ford made that announcement Friday, when he also revealed that hair salons and other personal care services will be able to reopen in grey zones on April 12.
The government also lowered the minimum age for vaccine eligibility in 10 more public health units last night, from 75 down to 70.
Also in York Region, a drive-thru vaccination site opens at Canada’s Wonderland today. A limited number of patients will be able to get vaccines at the Vaughan theme park by appointment only.
Two more mass vaccination sites are also set to open in Toronto, where people as young as 70 started getting vaccinated on Saturday.
More to come.
