Decision on COVID-19 restrictions expected in three Ontario health regions

A decision is coming today about what restrictions will take effect next week in three COVID-19 hot spots still under stay-at-home orders.

The provincial government extended those orders for Toronto, Peel Region and North Bay two weeks ago due to high virus case numbers.

Restrictions loosened in the rest of the province last month as regions moved back to the government’s colour-coded pandemic response framework.

Top doctors in Toronto and Peel have recommended that the highest level of public health restrictions take effect in their regions on Monday.

They are asking for the grey “lockdown” level of the framework that allows more businesses to open with restrictions.

The province’s chief medical officer says he’s concerned about test positivity rates and more infectious variants in those regions, and that the reopening must be cautious.