Premier Ford begins his daily update again pressing the Federal government to increase health care transfers to provinces.
The Premier also says Ottawa needs to play an active role in testing at assessment centres and quarantining. He says his fall preparedness plan will be released this week #covid19
Why so long for the fall plan to be revealed? Premier Ford is asked, he says it is a "fluid situation" what happened in March is different than today. #covid19
Next Q: Should only people w symptoms go for testing due to long lineups? Assoc Medical officer of health says testing not be all to end all, emphasizes prevention and says people have let their guards down. #covid19
Premier Ford lets loose on organizers of Ancaster car rally that broke social gathering guidelines, says if MRI's weren't so backlogged he would send them for one on their heads because there is "nothing in there." Get your acts together he tells them. #covid19
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BREAKING: Parents will not be notified of Covid outbreak at their child's school until there is 30% absenteeism rate among staff and students. Focus is to keep schools open by replacing sick teachers w retired and student teachers #onpoli
Each student and teacher will get two rapid tests to be used if symptomatic. More rapid tests hopefully to come. School based vaccine clinics will begin with emphasis on age 5-11. Only 47% have first dose #onpoli
What strikes me after listening to this news conference is there is a shift from the government from trying to control covid in schools and closing them to accepting it will be there. Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Moore repeated that Omicron is not severe in most children
Health Minister Christine Elliott begins news conference. She says 2,500 ICU beds are available and can add another 500. (however staffing them is proving to be a massive problem as frontline workers get sick) #onpoli
Minister Elliott says the province will use internationally educated nurses in hospitals and LTC homes to help with staffing shortage.
Minister Elliott says "extra measures" government has taken will make schools safer and the delay has given teachers extra time to get boosters.
I'm in the hospital today for my regular cancer checkup and blood work (I'm here at least twice a month).
It is busier than I have ever seen it before. So many cancer patients, not enough staff, the ones who are here are exhausted yet somehow still smile at you with their eyes
The lineup for bloodwork snaked around the first floor, many patients who can barely walk had to somehow muster up the strength to stand and slowly make their way through it. There aren't enough chairs for them.
Staff tell me many of their colleagues have come down with COVID. CT scans had to be delayed because all but one in the department were home sick.
BREAKING: Ontario begins new restrictions Wed for min 3 wks
Schools CLOSED to in class learning till at least Jan 17th
Non emergent surgeries paused
Gathering indoors capped at 5 outdoors 10
Employees work remotely unless necessary
Indoor dining/bars closed
Stores malls cap @50%
Premier Ford now speaking, says the province faces a "tsunami" of Omicron and is now bracing for impact.
He says data shows about 1% of people who get it face hospitalization and hundreds of thousands of new cases are expected
Ford says modelling shows Ontario could be thousands of beds short in the coming weeks (not to mention health care workers who are getting sick)
Some personal news:
The scariest words ever said to me were "You have cancer". Now 11 years later I have heard words that are even more frightening. "Your cancer is back. Stage 4." I found out two days before Christmas and I admit it has taken time to process.
It's easier because I have done this before. It's harder because I have done this before. But I have hope. (We are nothing without hope).
In February I started a clinical drug trial for targeted chemo. The side effects are tough but...it's worth it. I had a CT scan and the treatment is working!! The cancer is not progressing and in fact it has shrunk by 30%, so don't count me out. I got this.
#BREAKING: modelling from Health Science Table finds control of pandemic improving. Encourages outdoor activities and maintaining some public health measures till mid June. As for re-opening schools, it says it will create an increase in cases "but this may be manageable"#onpoli
"our picture today looks different, the direction of the pandemic has turned." Dr. Steini Brown begins the Science Table Briefing. #onpoli
Dr. Steini Brown says Ontario can have good summer if pace of vaccinations continue. He says models suggest if Ontario reopens June 2 there will be rise in cases, if wait till mid June better it will be better. He calls them "challenging tradeoffs, none of them without risk"