Doug Ford says Ontario will be out of new masks for healthcare workers in a week

Ontario is running low on personal protective equipment (PPE) including masks for healthcare workers — dangerously low. So low that Premier Doug Ford says the province will run out within a week.

A shipment of three million masks meant for healthcare workers coming into Ontario from the U.S. was stopped by order of President Donald Trump on Sunday, causing a shortage that will result in the province running out of some types of PPE within one week, Ford told CityNews today.

BREAKING: In one on one interview Premier Ford tells me Ontario will run out of personal protective equipment for health care workers in one week. US stopped shipment from crossing the border yesterday. #covid19 ⁦@CityNews⁩ pic.twitter.com/ndR71K0MCt

— Cynthia Mulligan (@CityCynthia) April 6, 2020

In one-on-one with reporter Cynthia Mulligan, Ford revealed that, without the crucial shipment, Ontario will be out of masks for healthcare workers by next Monday.

Ford added that he doesn't know if the province will be able to secure a new supply of masks before the current one runs out.

Last week, Trump ordered supply manufacturer 3M to cease shipping supplies to Canada, a move the was widely criticised by 3M, the Canadian federal government and Ford.

Ford has vowed to ramp up Ontario's production of PPE, including working with Mississauga-based company Woodbridge to create a new type of mask.