Posted by Editoress on 04/1/21
Did we get you?
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has announced that one of the measures to combat the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic will be mandatory face masks for all cyclists. The rule takes effect on Thursday, April 1st.
Ontario has seen a huge surge in COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks, including disturbing increases to the number of patients in ICU wards. The latest surge is particularly affecting people under 50, which is one of the reasons for the cyclist mask requirement.
"My friends," Ford said in an announcement, standing in front of a sign showing cyclists wearing masks, "I recognize that people want to ride their bikes as the Spring weather improves, but this is serious. Our health experts tell me that new data shows that cyclists are particularly vulnerable to catching this virus because they breathing much more heavily then drivers in cars and trucks, who are also safer in their protected spaces."
When Ford was asked if this directive was in part to reduce the number of cyclists on roads so that he could justify overturning lane closures, the Premier ended the briefing by walking away.
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