Dr. Adalsteinn (Steini) Brown, co-chair of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, is expected to provide an update Thursday on the latest modelling of the COVID-19 pandemic as the Omicron variant now makes up just over 50 per cent of COVID-19 cases in the province.

The modelling comes a day after Premier Doug Ford said that all adults in Ontario can book COVID-19 booster shots starting Monday, Dec. 20, if three months have passed since their second vaccine dose.

Ford announced the sped-up booster rollout plan as a measure to defend against the highly-contagious Omicron variant.

Ford also said capacity limits of 50 per cent will be applied to indoor areas of venues with a normal capacity of 1,000 or more amid concerns around the Omicron variant and as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. The new rules will take effect on Saturday at 12:01 a.m.

The province says two million rapid tests are being distributed starting today at pop-up sites in settings like libraries, malls, transit hubs and some liquor stores.

Ontario reported 2,421 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday. By comparison, the province saw 1,290 new cases last Thursday and 780 the week before. The provincial case total now stands at 639,341.

For more info, please go to https://globalnews.ca/news/8455467/ontario-covid-cases-december-16-coronavirus/

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