[GTranslate]TORONTO – New restrictions on the way to curb the surge in Covid-19 infections. The Provincial Government of Ontario could today announce the new crackdown, in the face of an epidemiological curve that has returned to run strongly in the last 10 days, with the new daily cases above 2 thousand for a week and with intensive care admissions marking the new record since the beginning of the pandemic. So far there is nothing certain, but yesterday Doug Ford made it clear that the executive is ready to intervene. “We’re going to have an announcement tomorrow. I am really concerned to see this surge in cases. I am also concerned about the data on intensive care: we must be vigilant and in view of the holidays of the next few days I once again call on people to avoid large gatherings and to follow the protocols and guidelines of the health authorities”, said Premier Ford.

The Government is evaluating various options: from a new, heavy lockdown generalized on a provincial scale, to interventions aimed at the various regions that refer to local public health units. But it is almost certain that the government will not be able to afford, once again, to take a wait-and-see approach, because Covid – especially with the new, more contagious, and virulent variants of the original strain, has already proven capable of circumventing the restrictions used so far.

And on this line also continues the political controversy in Queen’s Park, with NDP leader Andrea Horwath on the war footing for the government’s decision in recent days to get its hands back on the guidelines that characterize the province’s colour system, with the substantial relaxation of numerous restrictions. The premier and Health Minister Christine Elliott, for their part, continue to strongly defend the government’s line, pointing out that all health decisions have been made since the start of the Covis-19 pandemic, based on the recommendations of the Chief Medical Officer David Williams and other health executives locally.

In any case, once again, the government is forced to go back on its feet. After Monday’s harsh attack by the association representing nurses, yesterday also came the lunge of the Ontario Medical Association, which asked the premier to put in place new restrictive measures immediately in view of Easter, to prevent the contagion from out of control in the coming weeks.

And to show that the situation is, unfortunately, precipitating comes to the frightening numbers of Critical Care Services Ontario, which confirm that at this moment there are 421 Covid hospitalized in intensive care: a number never reached since the beginning of the pandemic and that, if it were still to grow in the next few days, could bring the entire provincial health system to its knees.

But many experts, who are clasps calling for the new crackdown from the executive, warn that even if Ford were to announce the crackdown today, cases are set to rise in the coming days, as it would take at least 10 to 14 days to see the first concrete effects of the new restrictions.

In short, too little, and too late: a worrying observation that too often accompanied us during this long and exhausting Covid-19 pandemic.