Dr. Kieran Moore will speak at 1pm at Queen’s Park and is expected to talk about how the province is managing the sixth wave of the pandemic, while also discussing expanded access to antiviral drugs. The press conference will be broadcast live on CTVNewsToronto.ca and on the CTV News app. The number of COVID-19 infections in Ontario has skyrocketed in the last month since mask orders were lifted in the province. Sewage data provided by the Provincial COVID-19 Scientific Advisory Board have seen a sharp increase in all areas of Ontario, while hospitalizations, both general admissions and intensive care units, have also increased. . As of the end of March, test positives in Ontario had been steadily above 15 percent. a statistic that takes into account only the laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 at a time when most people can not get tested. The last time the health doctor received questions from the media was on March 13. At the time, Moore said he would speak in public again if needed. However, he has not made any public statement or spoken in a press conference, as health experts said the province is in another wave of the pandemic. In an irrelevant press conference last week, reporters asked Prime Minister Doug Ford if Ontarians would soon learn from Moore. The Prime Minister did not give a firm answer, saying only that Moore “is at work 24/7”. Prior to his one-month absence from public appearances, Moore had given weekly updates on COVID-19. During these briefings, he would provide information on the state of the province and remind the public of the importance of vaccination and safety measures, such as physical distance. A recent Ontario Public Health (PHO) report said the sixth wave was linked to the Ford government’s decision to lift mask orders in most public places. In the brief report, officials note that the full impact of the removal of the order may not be known due to limited PCR testing and delayed hospitalization data. Given the increased transmissibility of the BA.2 Omicron subtype, which is now the dominant strain in Ontario, PHO says there could be an increase in infections among children. Officials said the reintroduction of universal indoor coverage in schools and other public facilities, as well as the extension of coverage to high-risk areas, could help reduce transmission. As of April 27, all other public health measures for COVID-19 are expected to be lifted. At present, masks will no longer be required in areas such as public transportation, long-term care, healthcare facilities and shelters. In the legislature on Monday, Health Minister Christine Eliot said Ontario would restore mask orders if recommended by the chief health practitioner.
