Mississauga mayor fears spike in COVID-19 cases if Province eases restrictions too soon
Published October 28, 2021 at 3:10 pm
Concerned the provincial government might lift all COVID-19 restrictions too soon, the City of Mississauga is urging continued caution in order to avoid a sudden spike in cases of the virus.
Addressing the media earlier today at Mississauga City Hall, Mayor Bonnie Crombie said she was glad to see the Province lift capacity limits on restaurants and gyms earlier this week.
Calling it a fair move by Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government, she noted that the “lifting of capacity limits will help so many of our small business owners and help accelerate our larger economic recovery.”
However, Crombie added, she’s worried about indications from the provincial government that, if all goes well, proof of vaccination requirements could be lifted at restaurants and bars as early as Jan. 17 and that all remaining public health measures, including masking, might be lifted by next March 28.
“I appreciate the ambition, but these dates give me quite a bit of trepidation. The last thing anyone wants to see are regulations lifted too quickly and then a sudden spike in cases,” said Crombie. “We are seeing other jurisdictions, like the U.K., dealing with a surge in cases despite having a large percentage of their population fully vaccinated.
“I encourage the government of Ontario to remain cautious and not hesitate to adjust reopening plans if the health trends warrant it. We have to protect the enormous gains we have made.”
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In providing the latest COVID-19 numbers for Mississauga, Crombie told reporters that overall cases continue to decline, despite a troubling trend of lower-than-average vaccination rates in southeast and south-central parts of the city.
She said Mississauga is currently dealing with 24 cases per 100,000 population, down from 25 per 100,000 last week. Peel-wide, that number is 20 per 100,000, down from 25 one week ago.
Additionally, now just over 83 per cent of the eligible population in Peel has been fully vaccinated.
Crombie and Region of Peel medical officer of health Dr. Lawrence Loh want to get that number up to 90 per cent to significantly reduce the chances of further restrictions and lockdowns.
Loh said a total of just under 120,000 doses need to be administered to residents not fully vaccinated in order to reach 90 per cent.
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