Ontario Premier Doug Ford has announced plans to phase out COVID-19 restrictions in the province starting Jan. 31, citing a lower test positivity rate and stabilizing health-care workforce. While the pandemic will still pose challenges to the health system, these challenges are now manageable for hospitals, the premier said during a press conference on Jan. 20 accompanied by Health Minister Christine Elliott and Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore. “We can be confident in our ability to care for people, to provide hospital beds to those who need them, and we can be confident that the worst is behind us as we look to cautiously ease public health measures,” Ford said. Ontario will take a phased approach to reopening with 21 days between each phase, the province said. In the first step, restaurants, bars, gyms, and other businesses in Ontario will return to 50 percent capacity starting at …