The Covid blues are back

And ministers face civic leaders in the bear pit

Good Tuesday morning. This is Queen’s Park Observer.

ABOVE THE FOLD

The big announcement on strict vaccine requirements for patient-facing health-care workers drops today. Much has already leaked — including that the province is sticking with Step 3 for now and offering booster shots by the end of the month.

There’s a new development and fresh speculation that the new rules could also cover education workers, something that was on the agenda at Premier DOUG FORD’s cabinet meeting last night.

A big question for today will be just how strict the vaccination policy actually is, and what the consequences will be for those who refuse the shot. One source confirms no one will lose their job but they will be subject to regular testing and an education session — akin to the policy in long-term care homes. Ford has also lauded a similar policy at Toronto’s UHN that requires unvaccinated employees to test negative.

It comes against a backdrop of rising case counts and Ford’s warning to municipali…