On Monday morning, Toronto Mayor John Tory officially ended Toronto’s COVID-19 emergency declaration, first declared on March 23, 2020, in response to the pandemic.
It was the first official emergency declaration in the history of the modern Toronto, according to a city press release.
“While the City of Toronto is no longer operating under an emergency declaration in response to COVID-19, our work to help people get vaccinated and to lead the economic recovery is continuing. We have made it through this emergency period thanks to our dedicated City staff who confronted this global pandemic – the greatest challenge of our generation – with a determination to do everything we can to help residents and continue to deliver much-needed municipal services,” Tory said in a statement released this morning.
“As Team Toronto’s world-leading COVID-19 vaccination campaign continues, I want to thank everyone who has worked to help people get vaccinated and deliver more than 7 million doses so far. Most importantly, I want to thank Toronto residents who have worked with us throughout the emergency period of the pandemic to make sure we get through these tough times and come back stronger than ever.”
Reaction was mixed across social media.
So funny…and after 2 years I just tested positive. I went only to the grocery store with a mask on recently. My child is vaxxed & attends school with mask. I’m triple vaxxed & healthy. I guess despite everyone wanting COVID to be over, it’s not. @JohnTory
— Fearless Fräulein ? (@TryMySweetTweet) May 9, 2022
Its about time
— ???????? Love conquers all …?? (@MeMoejo) May 9, 2022
City officials noted that vaccination remains the single best tool to protect against serious illness and hospitalization due to COVID-19 and that the city will continue to bring tailored vaccination opportunities to communities across Toronto.
According to Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health, when the city declared an emergency in 2020, COVID-19 was a new virus that we knew little about but required an extraordinary response.
“Over the past two years, the science has evolved quickly, and we have learned how this virus spreads, actions that we can take to protect ourselves and each other, and now have the benefit of vaccines and treatments as further layers of protection,” de Villa said in a statement. “These past years have been incredibly difficult for everyone, and while we continue to see virus activity in our city, we are in a much better place thanks to your efforts to protect each other and the tools and knowledge that we can use to safely enjoy many of the things we love and missed in our city.”
COVID-19 support remains available through the City’s COVID-19 webpage. Click here for more COVID-19 Ontario news.
