TORONTO – Start with a gradual process of reopening the economy or move forward with the harsh anti-Covid restrictions? This is the crux of the matter that the provincial government will have to untie in the coming days, in view of the expiry of the current obligation to stay at home – which ends in Ontario on May 20 – and the parallel long list of restrictive measures put in place in April to cope with the surge in cases. Premier Doug Ford did not take a balance with the executive’s next moves, but it is clear that specific decisions will have to be taken shortly. Yesterday, However, Health Minister Christine Elliott made it clear that caution is prevailing in the government, also on the basis of the recommendations of the Scientific Technical Committee.

Certainly the context has changed since the full emergency last month. Over the past ten days, Ontario has experienced an encouraging slowdown in the epidemiological curve: new daily cases have dropped abundantly since the mid-April peak, as have hospitalizations and intensive care admissions. The most important fact, in general, is however represented by the easing of pressure and weight on the entire provincial health system caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In addition, the pace of the mass immunization campaign is increasing, thanks to the progressive growth of dose supplies – also this week more than 800 thousand will arrive in Ontario from Pfizer alone, plus several hundred thousand more from Moderna and AstraZeneca – and the parallel decrease in the minimum age to be able to book their vaccination: starting on Thursday, all those who reside in the province and who are at least 40 years of age can do so. In some areas – such as the York Region – the minimum limit is much lower, in others – such as the Peel Region – the discrimination represented by age has disappeared completely: just be of legal age.

Having said that, it must be added that the emergency is not over.

Virologists continue to call for caution: it would not make sense to burn in one fell swoop all the progress made in recent weeks to hasten the reopening of the economy.

According to experts, the government will have to adopt the approach of graduality: not everything and immediately, but a slow and prudent process of restarting the economy that will have to go hand in hand with the provincial vaccination campaign.

In this context, a separate speech deserves school. The government has not yet announced anything official but it is quite clear that a decision has been taken: it is likely that the children will end this school year with distance learning, and then return to class next year, in conjunction with the start of the new academic year.

By then, the picture could be improved: on the one hand with the vaccination of teachers, on the other hand with that of children in the 12-16 age group. But the government has yet to give precise indications on this.