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Premier Ford to unveil plans to reopen Ontario’s economy
- April 27, 2020 - 8:10 AM
- News, COVID-19 STORIES, Ontario
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is expected to unveil the initial framework for re-opening the province’s economy, which has been shuttered since mid-March because of the coronavirus.
CBC News is reporting the announcement is expected to take place at 1:30 p.m. on Monday.
Ontario and Quebec - the two provinces hit hardest by COVID-19 -are expected to unveil their initial frameworks for reopening their locked down economies.
But government officials are warning against raising unrealistic expectations, as public health officials stress the need for continued caution.
David Fisman, an expert on infectious diseases at the University of Toronto, says although social distancing measures can't be scrapped yet, economically and psychologically governments must figure out what can - and can't - be restarted.
“We can’t just flick distancing on and off,” Fisman said in a Twitter thread on Sunday. “But economically and psychologically, we have to figure out what we can restart and what we can’t.”
Fisman added businesses and services that don’t require large gatherings could be re-opened safely if they follow the same rules used by essential businesses.
Parks and green spaces could also be re-opened to access, he said.
As Ontario gets set to release its framework this week for getting the province back to work as the COVID-19 curve flattens, some parents may be wondering what is in store for their school-age kids.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce said students at publicly-funded schools won't be going back to class until at least May 31.
He warned that the school closure could be extended further if recommended by health officials.
Ontario reported 437 new cases of COVID-19 and 24 new deaths related to the virus on Sunday, one of those deaths was reported in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties.
Read More: Today's News, News, COVID-19 STORIES, Ontario