Ford Says Second Wave Will Hit As Soon As Borders Reopen For International Travel

Ontario’s premier says international travel is risky business right now. Doug Ford denounced the idea of Canada's borders reopening during the lockdown on Friday. The premier expressed his concerns that reopening could result in a second wave of COVID-19. 

In a press conference on Friday, Ford stated that he was not in favour of reopening the borders on July 21, which is when current restrictions are scheduled to be lifted.

“I’m not in favour of opening up the borders by July 21… I love our American neighbours, but not right now. Come and visit us when things cool out and calm down, especially south of the border,” he stated. 

“We're going to be very cautious about the borders, we're going to be very cautious about opening back up," he added.

Ford also pointed to other countries, such as Australia and Israel, that he believes reopened too early and paid the consequences as a result.

Following these statements, the premier warned that starting international travel in Ontario too soon could result in a second wave of COVID-19. 

“I talked to a very smart doc and I said ‘Doc when do you think the second wave is going to happen?’ And he said Doug as soon as you open the door to international travel, that’s when you are going to get hit," Ford stated. 

"That’s concerning. He’s a medical professional, I’m not. So I’m listening to the medical professionals.”

The Ontario leader has made it clear that the province would continue to listen to the advice of its healthcare professionals.

The announcement comes after the government revealed that all of Ontario has moved into stage two of the reopening plan. 

Under these new rules, hair salons, malls, patios, and sports fields are able to reopen under strict safety guidelines. 

However, residents are still encouraged to stay in their social bubbles and practice social distancing.