As of March 21, Ontario will lift COVID-19 mask requirements in most indoor settings, including at including in schools, restaurants, gyms, retail and grocery stores, and movie theaters.
Masks will still be required on public transit, in long-term care homes, health-care settings, and shelters, until April 27, when all restrictions will lift. Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, made the announcement at Queen’s Park on Wednesday afternoon.
“We are now learning to live with and manage COVID-19 for the long term,” Moore said at the press conference, highlighting that this necessitates a “shift” to a more balanced response to the pandemic.
Moore said that removing the mask mandate does not mean the risk is gone, and that masking requirements may need to be reinstated if there is another spike in COVID-19 cases. He also said that vulnerable people should continue to take precautions and wear masks, despite COVID-19 restrictions easing.
“We should all be prepared that we may need to resume mask wearing,” Moore added.
Today’s press briefing marks Moore’s last regular scheduled weekly COVID-19 update; the briefings will be conducted on an as-needed basis from now on. Moore noted that the province will continue to carefully monitor COVID-19 trends across the province.
“We will not hesitate to take action should the situation change, and we will inform Ontarians of any significant developments,” he said.
On Wednesday, the province also announced that it would make changes in the way it reports COVID-19 data. As of Friday, the Ministry of Health will no longer report the deaths of individuals with COVID-19 who died of an unrelated cause, they will only report deaths where COVID-19 was the underlying cause, contributed to the underlying cause, or where the cause of death is unknown or missing.
Reaction is mixed across social media, with some worried about how this will affect the immunocompromised, and others commending the move.
Just in time for the election, I would not be surprised when cases and hospitalizations increase and they place restrictions again. It’s a cycle.
— emz ⎊ (@buchanangrimes) March 9, 2022
He’s right. Especially about the kids. if you are a parent, you should never ever have a mask on your child. Wake the hell up. Take your mask off and live your life.
— Josh Wood (@Woods9393) March 9, 2022
Others say they will continue to wear a mask:
Relax people, remember you can still wear 1 if you want. I definitely will
— Bob C (@Bobbycad) March 9, 2022
On Wednesday, Minister of Health Christine Elliott reported 1,947 new cases of COVID-19 in Ontario with 751 people hospitalized due to the virus; 46% were admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 and 54% were admitted for other reasons but have tested positive for COVID-19. Elliott added that 241 people are currently in ICU with COVID-19. From that number, 82% of patients admitted to the ICU were admitted for COVID-19 and 18% were admitted for other reasons but have tested positive for COVID-19.
In Ontario, 31,821,019 vaccine doses have been administered; 92.7% of Ontarians 12+ have one dose and 90.7% have two doses.
Click here for more COVID-19 Ontario news, and here for where you could get rapid COVID-19 tests in Toronto (including a drive-thru option).
