Five most-read COVID-19 stories in Mississauga this year
Published December 31, 2021 at 5:59 pm
Yes, we know many people are suffering from COVID-19 fatigue and would prefer to think about anything else whenever possible.
We feel the same way.
However, the pandemic and all that has come along with it–lockdowns, more restrictions, then a loosening of rules only to have regulations implemented once again, first vaccine doses, then second shots, a new variant, and now boosters–continued to dominate the news cycle in 2021.
Having already taken a look back at insauga.com’s most-read news stories of the year and our most popular Pearson Airport articles of 2021, now we turn to COVID-19.
Here are our five most-read COVID-19 stories (excluding Pearson Airport-related COVID-19 articles) of this past year:
5) Patios and retail might open Friday in Mississauga, Brampton and Ontario
Videos
As people and businesses in Mississauga and across Ontario were eagerly anticipating a June 14 reopening of the economy, Premier Doug Ford hinted things could begin to return to normal even sooner.
This story was posted on June 2 and sources indicated that restaurant patios and other businesses could reopen in a matter of only a few days. As summer approached, people hoped the relaxed rules marked the beginning of the end of the pandemic.
With the Ontario government’s scheduled reopening of the economy to begin June 14, if not sooner, and more and more Canadians getting vaccinated, people in Mississauga and beyond were confident a return to normalcy was just around the corner.
So, they were thinking about what a post-pandemic world might look like, particularly on the work front. Specifically, people were wondering if flexible, work-from-home schedules allowed by their employers during the pandemic would continue once things were back to normal.
A survey in June showed that while many Canadians thought they should receive greater support and flexibility from their bosses post-pandemic, only about one-quarter thought it would actually happen.
3) Stay-at-home order expiring, but restrictions to remain in Mississauga, Brampton and Ontario
It was a good news/bad news scenario, but mostly good news as people could begin to see the end to restrictions on the horizon.
After a first full winter of COVID-19 saw case numbers and hospitalizations rise, things were looking better now that vaccines were available and people were looking forward to the summer.
Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Christine Elliott.
2) Looks like Mississauga and Brampton will be moving into grey lockdown zone on March 9
Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie and Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown had hoped Peel would move into the Ontario government’s red control zone, which would have allowed for more store openings and public activities in early spring.
However, in the grey zone under the provincial government’s colour-coded COVID-19 framework, Mississauga and Brampton residents and businesses still had to adhere to many restrictions that had been in place for several months.
1) Mississauga and Brampton face curfews, travel ban as Ford plans next COVID-19 move
In mid-April, Ontario politicians and health officials huddled to come up with a plan to combat COVID-19 and its still-strong grip on the province.
Mississauga and Brampton residents were facing the possibility of curfews, essential workplace closures and a ban on region hopping among other scenarios.
“All options are on the table,” Solicitor General Sylvia Jones told reporters at the time, repeating a government theme trotted out each time the number of COVID-19 cases began to rise.
This time, decision makers appeared to be serious, though.
