Ontario’s Premier is refusing to take a chance with a regional lockdown approach in fighting COVID-19.
In an exclusive interview with Acadia Broadcasting, Doug Ford acknowledged Thunder Bay’s low case count, Friday’s being four, for 34 active cases, but stressed the situation would change if restrictions eased.
“We can’t have people travelling, because as soon as we open up regions, everyone from Toronto and GTA are going to start heading up there again. For a few more weeks, it’s just not worth it,” maintained the Premier.
Ford adds he wants more time for more people vaccinated, and says Thunder Bay will eventually find restrictions lifted.
He’s also encouraging this region not to change course, pointing out if we did go regional, he guarantees we’d head back toward high cases like we had not long ago. “Where the hospital capacity and the ICU, and the numbers were going through the roof, but everyone pulled together in Thunder Bay. The other day I saw there were no cases, then it jumped up to six, but everyone up there did such a great job and I want to thank them.”
The premier does not want to follow the lead of places like Texas or Florida that have opened up.
He says not only does Florida have much more vaccinations, but about 40% more intensive care capacity.
“The difference is they have 36,000 deaths. Yes, they have about 5 or 6-million more people, but the percentage is way higher than what we have, and I consider one death too many,” notes Ford.
He adds we already have had about 8,000 deaths.
Here is Mayor Bill Mauro repeating his call for regional lockdown.
