The City of Toronto's COVID press conference this week contained a lot of important information about social gatherings and New Year's Eve, further forthcoming restrictions, and recent violations of pandemic orders, but there was one quite atypical thing that stole the show: Mayor John Tory's hairdo.

I appreciate John Tory for following restrictions and not getting a haircut. That mans hair is getting unruly lol https://t.co/SP7b0E8xXf

— Lauryn (@lorirons) December 30, 2020

Some viewers noticed that the mayor's hair looked particularly voluminous on Wednesday as he addressed and advised the public leading up to the last holiday of the year.

Tory talked about staying home on New Year's Eve, about Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips' recent controversial vacation to St. Bart's, and about the mess of a year that 2020 has been, but it was his hair, not his words, that was the hardest to ignore as it graced our computer and cell phone screens.

What’s up with John Tory’s hair lately

— kate hill (@andkatewaslike) December 31, 2020

Some attributed the new style to the fact that salons and barbershops in Toronto have been closed since Nov. 23, when the city was plunged into the most stringent form of lockdown once more.

Others just figured he was simply trying out something new with his 'do.

I think John Tory redid his hair ,again!

— George Sawision me. (master electrician) (@GSawision) December 31, 2020

The answer to all of the speculation was finally provided during an interview with NEWSTALK 1010 yesterday evening, when Tory addressed a question about his mane posed by host Jay Maddog Michaels.

The secret, in fact, turned out to by a new top-of-the-line hair dryer that the Tory family received over the holidays last week.

"We just wanted to know — are you doing something different with your hair today?" Michaels asked.

Tory responded with a laugh, saying "[My wife] Barb got a new Dyson hairdryer for Christmas from our kids, and so I used it once to dry my hair. First of all, it blew my hair up to maybe about two-and-a-half feet tall... why am I talking about this on a serious radio program?!"

Setting an example. Covid hair RULES. Power on!

— elevenears (@IamDavidBraund) December 31, 2020

The hilarious response was understandably well-received, while the whole thing helped to provide some much-needed comedic relief to an otherwise serious briefing amid an extremely sombre time — which is usually Premier Doug Ford's job.