If Ontario’s COVID-19 trends continue to look good, the province can expect to see the removal of mandatory masking by the end of March.
The province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore, made the announcement in a COVID-19 update on Thursday afternoon—the first update about the virus since the province eliminated the proof of vaccine system/remaining capacity limits on Tuesday.
Ironically, Moore also noted that actual COVID cases in Ontario are estimated to be 10 times the confirmed daily cases.
On Thursday, Ontario reported 2,262 new cases of COVID-19—which would mean an estimated 20,000 new cases in Ontario today. Some are wondering if, with these numbers, getting rid of the mask mandates would be more harmful than helpful.
On the day mask mandates came into effect (Oct 3, 2020), Ontario reported *653 new cases*. If Dr. Moore is correct and Ontario likely has close to 23,000 new cases of COVID-19 today, dropping masks now makes absolutely no sense.
— Dr. Kate (@DrKateTO) March 3, 2022
A reminder ahead of todays very serious Ontario press conference: masks are the easiest, cheapest tools we have for further reducing disease transmission right now pic.twitter.com/PhlZHsTJyp
— David Fisman (@DFisman) March 3, 2022
Moore also said that the province is monitoring regional variations in COVID-19 indicators, as well as the BA.2 variant of Omicron, which is 30% more transmissible to the BA.1 variant. Moore will hold his final regular COVID-19 briefing on March 10 and will make further COVID-19 announcements as required.
Ontario also reported 834 people in hospital due to COVID-19 on Thursday (a drop from the 847 hospitalizations reported Wednesday, and 1,066 this time last Thursday), as well as 19 more deaths (pushing the total number of deaths to 12,497).
Approximately 45% of those admitted to the hospital were seeking treatment for COVID-19 symptoms, while 55% were admitted for other reasons but tested positive for COVID. Of the hospitalizations, 267 people are in ICU with COVID-19; 80% of patients admitted to the ICU were admitted for COVID-19 and 20% were admitted for other reasons but tested positive for COVID-19.
According to Ontario’s Minister of Health, Christine Elliott, 31,736,824 vaccine doses have been administered; 92.6% of Ontarians 12+ have one dose and 90.6% 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).
