Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
With a record number of COVID-19 patients in Ontario’s intensive care units and its highest-ever rate of new cases in schools, multiple sources say Premier Doug Ford will on Thursday announce plans to move the whole province into what the government describes as “shutdown” measures.
The provincial government’s COVID-19 scientific advisers released new modelling Thursday morning that shows the spread of variants of concern is dangerously outpacing Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign. The Ministry of Health reported another 2,557 confirmed cases of the illness this morning, which is the most on a single day since January 22.
Ford’s announcement, which sources say will put the province’s health units under a new level of restrictions, dubbed shutdown, is scheduled to follow at 1:30 p.m.
Details of the shutdown or stay-at-home orders put in place previously are posted on the province’s website.
Sources tell CBC News the new restrictions are virtually identical to those currently in place in areas already in lockdown. Two-thirds of the province’s public health units are currently under what the government calls lockdown (grey zone) or control (red zone) restrictions. Toronto, for example, has been under a lockdown since last November.
The province has also created a new category of restrictions on its website called “shutdown.” The only difference between this and the current lockdown provisions currently seen in some areas of the province appears to be the closure of patio dining and golf courses, alongside a limit of five people instead of 10 for outdoor gatherings.
Ford said Wednesday he is “extremely concerned” about both rising ICU admissions and daily COVID-19 case counts. Asked whether the government will tighten public health measures, Ford replied “stay tuned” and said an announcement would come Thursday.
Indoor dining at restaurants, personal care services such as hair salons, and indoor fitness activities are to be prohibited, according to the sources, who were briefed on the decision made late Wednesday by Ford’s cabinet. Just days ago, Ford had told barbers and salons they’d be able to open as of April 12.
Essential retail outlets such as grocery stores are to be limited to 50 per cent of their full capacity, while non-essential retail outlets can allow customers inside to a maximum of 25 per cent of capacity, precisely the same as the current rules for lockdown zones. Construction is permitted and religious services can take place, but with some capacity limits. 
