QUEEN’S PARK — Mike Schreiner released the following statement after the Premier announced Stage 1 of economic reopening:
“This is a relief for everyone who needs a break from the isolation after two long months of complete lockdown.
While we have entered Stage 1, we must all continue practicing physical distancing to prevent a sudden resurgence of the virus.
I am reassured by the consistent decline in COVID-19 cases, but I continue to be worried about the government’s inadequate performance on testing.
Every jurisdiction that has safely reopened has had robust testing and contact tracing in place, and Ontario is not there yet, which the Premier himself has repeatedly admitted.
Only today were guidelines expanded so that everyone with COVID-19 symptoms can get tested.
We cannot send people back to stores and workplaces without guaranteeing that everyone who needs a test will get a test.
And public health needs additional resources for effective contact tracing.
My request to the Premier and Health Minister is to devote all the resources needed to ramping up our testing and contact tracing capacity so that we can keep people safe.”