TORONTO – Ontario Premier Doug Ford says his government will keep relying on local medical officers of health to reinstate pandemic restrictions as COVID-19 infections rise in the province.
Health units covering Sudbury, Ont., and the Algoma region in northern Ontario have reintroduced pandemic measures as cases spike, including business capacity limits the province lifted last month.
Ford says that local approach makes sense because the risk is lower than in previous infection waves now that more people are vaccinated.
He says his government will also keep heeding the advice of the province’s top doctor.
Southwestern Public Health said this week it was considering further pandemic measures to alleviate pressure on the local health system.
Ontario reported 481 COVID-19 cases and one more death from the virus on Tuesday as the seven-day average for daily infections climbed to 579, up from 492 a week ago.