Ford warns COVID-19 battle not over after crowds flocked Toronto beaches

After photos and videos circulated online showing heaps of people gathered in beaches amid the surge of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, Ontario Premier Doug Ford warned that the battle against the deadly virus is not over.

“Everyone has to practice social distancing. This fight is not over. We are winning the fight but it is not over by any means,” Ford said in a news conference on Monday, adding that “it could turn and bite us in the backside in about a heartbeat.”

The “shocked” premier said that he understands that people want to go to the beach in a hot day, but protocols must still be followed.

6ixBuzzTV posted footage of Woodbine Beach on Sunday, Father’s Day, where thousands of beachgoers were seen not following physical distancing.

Twitter got flooded with netizens calling out the incident what 6ixBuzzTV branded as a “COVID breeding ground.” Other photos online surfaced, showing people in the beaches along Lake Ontario, spending the day under the sun as if the pandemic does not exist. Some are seated under the umbrellas, some are playing in the sand, and some are drinking.

#WoodbineBeach & other parks were extremely crowded this weekend. Lots of public drinking & failure to social distance. Please be respectful to each other & social distance rules. Blatant disregard for these will force officers to take action & risk the city closing parks again. pic.twitter.com/1Q1R8CbyLV

— Norm Leung (@Helpinthe6ix) June 22, 2020

“You look at the pictures, it looked like South Beach, Florida,” Ford continued saying.

“You see what happened down in Florida, there was 4,000 cases in one day the other day,” he added.

Ford said that he will talk to the mayor as there is a “need to get bylaw officers out there.”

Toronto Mayor John Tory issued a statement soon after, saying that while he understands the people’s needs to enjoy the beaches after the months of lockdown, “the beach parties themselves are not consistent with applicable and necessary health measures.”

“We need people to show respect for the health of others and for the beauty of our natural spaces,” he added, as the beaches were left littered.