Ontario's third shutdown frustrates separated families

The "emergency brake" shutdown begins this weekend and will last for at least a month.

MAKE ANAPPOINTMENTSTARTING ONTUESDAY.YOU WILL NOT BEABLE TO SPEND THEEASTER WEEKENDIN CANADA,THOUGH.THE BORDER ISTILL CLOSED TONON-ESSENTIALTRAVEL UNTIL ATLEAST APRIL 21ST.RIGHT NOWONTARIO IS ONLOCKDOWN.THE ONTARIOGOVERNMENT SAYSTHERE ARE ABOUT28-THOUSANDACTIVE COVID-19CASES.THEY REPORT MOTHAN 25-HUNDREDNEW CASES.THAT COMPARES TO570 NEW CASES THSTATE IS REPORTINGIN THE EIGHTCOUNTIES OFWESTERN NEWYORK.TONIGHT, AERREBHI LOOKS ATHOW THE SITUATIONIN ONTARIO ISAFFECTING PEOPLEON THIS SIDE OFTHE BORDER.ON CAM:ALARMING SURGE INICU ADMISSIONFORCES ONTARIOTO ENTER A THIRDCOVID-19SHUTDOWN.

THE"EMERGENCYBRAKE" SHUTDOWNBEGINS THIWEEKEND AND WILLLAST FOR AT LEASTA MONTH.PREMIER DOUGFORD SAYS THERAPIDLY SPREADINCORONAVIRUSVARIANTS ARE TOBLAME."THIS IS A NEWPANDEMIC.

WE'RENOW FIGHTING ANEW ENEMY.

THENEW VARIANTS AREFAR MOREDANGEROUS THANBEFORE,"THANNOUNCEMENTCOMES AS A MAJORBLOW TO AMERICSANDY PEARCE,WHO HAS LIVED INFORT ERIE FORMORE THAN 40YEARS."ONTARIO, CANADA,WE'RE GETTING ALITTLE BIT FED UP.BECAUSE IT'S BEENOVER A YEAR, ANDIT'S GETTINGWORSE,"PEARCE SAYS SHEHAS FAMILY INBLASDEL ANDHAMBURG THAT SHEHASN'T SEEN IN AYEAR."I'M LITERALLY 15MINUTES AWAYFROM MY PARENTS,MAYBE 10.

THEMOST IMPORTANTTHING TO ME ISBEING REUNITEDWITH MY FAMILYTHAT'S WHY SHESTARTED A GROUPCALLED FAMILIESARE ESSENTIAL.

THEGROUP ADVOCATESFOR REUNITING ANDMAKING FAMILIESESSENTIAL, TO BEABLE TO CROSS THEBORDER.THIS PAST WEEKENDTHEY HELDPEACEFULPROTESTS ONEITHER SIDE OF TBORDER."NOBODY SEEMS TOBE GIVING US ANYATTENTIONCARING ABOUT THEFAMILIES,ESPECIALLY INBORDER TOWNSPREMIERE FORDSAYS RETAIL SHOPSCAN REMAIN OPENAT LIMITCAPACITY, BUTTHERE WILL BE NOINDOOR OROUTDOOR DINING IONTARIO, AND ALLPERSONAL CAREAND FITNESSFACILITIES WILLCLOSED.INDOOR SOCIALGATHERINGS AREPROHIBITED ANDOUTDOORGATHERINGS WILLBE LIMITED TO FIVEPEOPLE.ON CAM:ACCORDING TOCOVID19-TRACKER-DOT-CA, MORE THAN2 MILLION VACCINEDOSES HAVE BEENADMINISTERED INONTARIO AS OFFRIDAY.

AND 13PERCENT OF THECANADIPOPULATION HAVERECEIVED AT LEASTONE DOSE OF THECOVID-19 VACCINE.SO FAR, MORE THAN57 MILLION PEOPLEIN THE US HAVEBEEN FULLYVACCINATED.IN BUFFALO, ALAERREBHI, 7 EWN.