Ford expected to make booster announcement as Ontario logs 1,429 new COVID-19 cases

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is expected to make an announcement about COVID-19 booster doses Wednesday as the province's chief medical officer of health recommends that the government adopt consistent, provincewide measures to deal with the omicron variant.

CBC News has learned of the booster announcement on background from a government official. The exact nature of the announcement was unclear, but the official also said that Ford's cabinet will meet Wednesday to discuss dramatically expanding Ontario's capacity for administering third doses.

At a news conference Tuesday, Chief Medical Officer of Health Kieran Moore said he will be recommending provincewide measures to the Ford government in the coming days to help combat the omicron variant of the coronavirus.

The current regional approach to public health restrictions was designed with the delta variant in mind, Moore said, and omicron — which appears to be highly transmissible and is infecting vaccinated people — poses new risks. 

"Omicron is becoming a game-changer for all of us," he said. "I'd want to have a consistent approach across Ontario," Moore said.

He said an announcement will come later this week, with health officials reviewing restrictions such as maximum group sizes for gatherings and best practices in schools.

"We've been meeting with our public health colleagues, our public health measures table, and are bringing recommendations to government to have a more consistent approach across all of Ontario heading into omicron," said Moore. 

The recommendations and the announcement on boosters expected from Ford come as the province tightens rules at long-term care centres and retirement homes and increases its capacity to vaccinate people against COVID-19 in anticipation of a potential surge in cases caused by the variant.

Moore said each omicron case is infecting four to eight times more people than the delta variant, although it's still unclear whether or not it causes more severe illness.

"Even if it is less severe, with so many people infected, there may be significant demands on the health-care system," Moore said. "Although our vaccines appear to be less effective against transmission of omicron, evidence is showing us that they still likely provide strong protection against severe illness, especially with a booster dose."

Moore encouraged anyone who is eligible for a third dose or booster shot to get one and said hospitals, public health units and pharmacies are all ramping up their ability to vaccinate.

Moore's comments followed a news release from the Ministry of Long-Term Care announcing enhanced COVID-19 testing and vaccination measures for residents, staff and visitors of long-term care and retirement homes.

Starting today, all general visitors will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter a long-term care home.

"Our priority is to protect long-term care residents from COVID-19," said Minister of Long-Term Care Rod Phillips said in the release. "These further measures build on the ones already taken, including mandatory vaccinations, priority for third doses, and randomized testing, [which] will provide the best level of protection possible."