Mayor John Tory says he is "optimistic" that COVID-19 numbers in the province will improve by Christmas but said the verdict is still out about gatherings over the holiday season.
"There has been a fair indication that the spread of this virus happens in these social gatherings as opposed to anywhere else," the mayor told CP24 on Friday morning.
"I think we are optimistic at this point that we could be doing better by Christmas but the existing advice right now, even before we get anywhere near Christmas or the holiday season, is that you should not be gathering with people in your home that you don't live with."
COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations continue to climb in the province, with the rolling seven-day average of new cases inching closer to the 1,000 mark.
Ontario reported another 998 cases of the virus on Thursday, 987 on Wednesday, and a record 1,050 on Tuesday.
For Thanksgiving, public health officials told Ontarians not to gather indoors with people outside of their immediate household due to an influx of COVID-19 infections.
Political leaders, including Premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have suggested that by avoiding big social gatherings now, there is still a chance that people may be able to have a more normal holiday season.
“My friends, we all know that this isn’t going to be a regular Halloween and the steps we take now will determine what the holiday season looks like this year,” Ford said at a news conference at Queen’s Park last month while announcing that trick-or-treating would not be allowed in the province's virus hot spots.
“We need to work together this Halloween to protect Christmas and the holiday season this year.”
But it is not yet clear if provincial health officials will give Ontario residents more leeway when it comes to celebrating the holidays with family next month.
"I guess what we'll have to see is whether we can make a positive change away from (more restrictive social gatherings) and to a more expansive Christmas type celebration as we get closer to that date," Tory said.
The pandemic has led to the cancellation of many holiday events in the city, including the Distillery District Christmas Market and the annual New Year's Eve celebration in Nathan Phillips Square.
The Santa Claus Parade in Toronto will go ahead this year as a two-hour televised special, marking the first time a crowd hasn't lined the parade route in the event's more than 100-year history.
Infectious diseases expert Dr. Isaac Bogoch previously told CP24 that people should prepare for restrictions on social gatherings over the holidays this year.
“It is a long fall and a long winter ahead and rates of COVID-19 climbed pretty quickly at the end of August and look where we are at now... based on the trajectory we are seeing now, it would not be surprising to me if we are going to have a modified Christmas and New Year holiday,” he said last month.
“I know no one wants to hear that.”
