The Ford government is spending just over $1 billion in an effort to try to manage COVID-19.
The funding will be used to help track, trace and isolate cases of the coronavirus through what Premier Doug Ford calls “The largest and most robust pandemic testing initiative in the country.”
As well $30 million is being spent to prevent and manage outbreaks in priority areas , including long-term care homes, retirement homes and schools.
The government is setting a goal to test 50,000 people a day and to closely monitor long-term care homes and schools so health officials can quickly respond to any outbreaks and surges of the virus.
The province says it is continuing to expand testing and contract tracing by, working to expanding testing locations based on local needs to help reduce wait times.
It will also look to have more testing options available to include saliva collection along with throat and nasal swabbing.
To measure success in these efforts, the government says it will track progress against the following:
•Faster turnaround time for testing with a goal of having 80 per cent of test results delivered within 48 hours.
•Maintaining a positive test rate under three per cent;
•Ensure sufficient case management and contact tracing capacity to continue reaching 90 per cent of cases within 24 hours; and
•Compliance with public health measures based on health behaviour surveillance data.
