Ontario keeping vaccine passports through winter, top doctor says
Ontario's top doctor says proof-of-vaccine certificates will be in place through the winter with modelling showing the potential for a "significant rise" in COVID-19 cases after the holidays.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore made the comment on Friday while announcing an easing of capacity restrictions for some outdoor and indoor settings.
"I do think they are going to be with us for the fall and winter at a minimum," Moore said. "I have seen modelling where we have a significant rise in January and February after the Christmas holidays. That is disconcerting."
Moore said he hopes Ontario can reach a 90 per cent rate of vaccination as quickly as possible, which is target the government says is needed to significantly slow transmission.
"I think once we get that high a rate, and there will be others that have natural immunity, that will definitely slow the virus down,” Moore said. "As we see the virus slowing downing and not able to impact our health sector … I think we’ll slowly pull back on all public health measures over time. But we'll do it stepped manner."
Ontario's vaccine certificate program came into effect on Wednesday. It requires proof of vaccination for many non-essential settings.
Premier Doug Ford said the vaccine certificate program is the province’s best chance at avoiding further lockdowns.
"We need to do everything in our power to avoid future lockdowns and closures. That is why we are bringing in these exceptional measures on a temporary basis and will end them as soon as they can be responsibly removed."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
B.C.'s short-term rental regulations include $10K daily penalties for Airbnb, other platforms
Short-term rental platforms that violate B.C.'s pending regulations can face administrative penalties of up to $10,000 per day, officials announced Thursday.