COVID-19 modelling shows daily deaths could double by mid-February
- by Valerie Santiago
- in Medical
- — Jan 13, 2021
Is life going to change now that Ontario has declared a second state of emergency?
The order is slated to come into effect Thursday (January 14th) at 12:01 AM. It will be in place for 28 days until Thursday February 11, 2021.
The COVID-19 pandemic is hitting Ontario hospitals so hard that the day is soon approaching when Ontario doctors will have to make hard decisions about which patients get the benefit of an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) bed and which do not.
With cases of COVID-19 continuing to surge in the province of Ontario and new modeling showing the health care system could be overwhelmed as early as February, the provincial government is implementing new measures to slow the spread of the virus. "Many are travelling and gathering", said Ford. He said anyone letting their guard down is putting family members and friends at risk. "People are out there, they're moving from point A to point B, and we're just asking people, please cooperate, please stay at home". "It couldn't be any clearer".
This means everyone must stay home and only go out for essential trips, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy, accessing healthcare services, for exercise or for essential work.
The government also said employers - if they haven't done so already - should ensure that employees can stay home to work do so.
More news: Victoria Beckham: Singing and dancing were not my passionNon-essential stores however, such as hardware or offering curbside pickup and delivery must operate in hours of 7 a.m.to 8 p.m.
"There remains a substantial number of Ontarians, who are not following restrictions and their actions will undo the hard work and effort of those Ontarians who do", he said.
"Enforcement and inspections will increase". Those who decide not to abide by orders will be subject to set fines and/or prosecution under both the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act (ROA) and EMCPA.
Enhanced enforcement will be implemented with the stay at home order and for those not following the new and existing measures.
Ford added that although the emergency is a hard pill to swallow for Ontario citizens, it is absolutely necessary for Ontario to beat the pandemic. He reminded the audience about Dr. Adelsteinn Brown's projections for a "worst-case scenario" if Ontario residents do not follow the precautions.
Tam said we don't know yet if the vaccines prevent the virus from being transmitted at all, but they do prevent serious illness and long-term care residents are particularly vulnerable.
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"Folks, please. Twenty-eight days".
"Now more than ever, we need, I need you to do your part", Ford said during a media briefing on Tuesday.
"We have looked, certainly, at the measures put in place in other jurisdictions, other countries, and curfews have been put in place with multiple other measures", Yaffe said. He said a curfew would be too much like a police state.
Outdoor gatherings are now limited to five people and wearing a face mask or covering is now recommended outdoors when you can't physically distance.
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