Saturday April 16, 2022
Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday April 16, 2022
Ford wants masking in high-risk places, but optimistic wave has peaked
Young Doug Ford: The Series
Premier Doug Ford said Thursday he would like to see mask mandates continue on transit, in hospitals and other high-risk locations in Ontario, but he is optimistic the current wave of the pandemic might have peaked based on wastewater data.
Both the premier and Health Minister Christine Elliott also repeated Thursday that Ontario’s hospital system has the capacity to handle any increase in cases related to the current pandemic wave.
That was the message the province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health gave to local public health officials who met with him late Wednesday to ask the province to take more action, such as mask mandates in schools, to reduce high rates of COVID-19 transmission across the province. The provincial government removed most pandemic restrictions last month and says there is no need to reinstate them.