The Ontario government is pausing its reopening plan as new COVID-19 cases are starting to spike, after weeks of dropping numbers.
However, the Niagara Region continues to see single-digit new case reports, with one new case today and two Monday. There were two on Saturday and two on Sunday.
On the day that children head back to school for their first day of classes, Christine Elliot, Ontario’s Minister of Health said in a Twitter post: “Based on advice from the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Ontario will take four-week pause – or two, 14-day cycles of the virus – before considering any further loosening of public health measures or reopening additional businesses, facilities and organizations.”
Elliot said the strategy is designed to “avoid broad-scale closures and shutdowns. And on the first day of school for many students, we need to do everything we can to limit the spread of COVID-19. The best way to keep our schools safe is to keep our communities safe.”
Elliott said the pausing of restrictions means the province will not allow activities like expanded social circles or gathering sizes. It will also not allow increases in the number of people attend sporting events.
“We want to keep the community transmission very low so that it won’t get into our schools so our children will be safe,” she said.
The province reported 375 new COVID-19 cases today and yesterday. There were 190 new infections in the province on Monday and another 185 were recorded today. These are the highest number of new COVID-19 cases since July 24.
Premier Doug Ford said the province does not need to backpedal to Stage 2 yet. More than half of the new cases on today were reported in the Greater Toronto Area.