Though Toronto is doing exceptionally well as far as COVID-19 numbers are concerned, some people are worried that the downward trend has gotten to people's heads.

As more businesses open up and the city enters into Stage 3 today, people are concerned that health and safety measures like mask-wearing and social distancing are being eschewed as we all get a little too comfortable with being able to hit bars and restaurants again.

@fordnation @JohnTory this is Gerrard St East right now. Huge number of people gathered .... no social distancing rules followed. No masks ... not even indoors... even the people in the shops and businesses aren't wearing masks and handling food. Please look into this. pic.twitter.com/NSMQkjClL9

— Apurv Ray (he/him/his) (@apurvrdx) July 31, 2020

It seems that despite the fines businesses can face if they don't properly enforce the city's mandatory face covering bylaw and the fact that physical distancing is still likewise meant to be implemented, some in Toronto are reporting seeing very lax interpretations of the rules in parts of the city.

.⁦@JohnTory⁩ ⁦@fordnation⁩ we will never be free of Covid if idiots in the city keep violating social distancing rules. #toronto https://t.co/ItqNwQdPtN

— PlanetBlueAdv (Parm) (@ParmieP) July 27, 2020

The fact that people are eager to get out and enjoy the summer and to return to a somewhat normalcy after a dystopian few months also means that crowds have been even more excessive than usual.

Hey #Toronto - this is not #SocialDistancing - a bunch of people being really stupid and really irresponsible in Etobicoke (at ECI). ⁦@JohnTory⁩ ⁦@fordnation⁩ -> not cool pic.twitter.com/uyfWCcgHZl

— Peter Carayiannis (@pcarayiannis) July 30, 2020

As the city gets more confident in its handle on the virus, it seems many are losing track of the things that have kept outbreaks at bay — measures like wearing masks and keeping at least two metres apart from those not in our own household.

Made my first trip downtown Toronto in months, generally disappointed at the lack of masks and social distancing happening. More people not wearing masks then wearing them...

— Dude Where's Makar (@joelthesakic) July 30, 2020

And as people pack onto patios, things are even worse on the city's beaches, on island ferries, and in private residences where people have been flagrantly ignoring gathering limits.

A warning: Toronto GTA party goers.
MORONS like you are the main reason we can't open up the city. No masks, no social Distancing, having parties of 100, 200 and more people in a Pandemic. WTF is wrong with you? WE, the public, your neighbours will be watching, AND REPORTING.

— K. K. Blu 🇨🇦 #FBR 🌊 (@CaiLibra) July 27, 2020

With these limits going up to 50 indoors and 100 outdoors on Friday, many are extremely apprehensive about what the coming days will look like, especially going into a long weekend and more beautiful weather.

Toronto enters Stage 3 and re-opens bars & restaurants on a long weekend. What could possibly go wrong?

Please, people, keep wearing your face coverings & social distancing. It will help save lives & hopefully keep us from having to backtrack. #COVID19 #COVID19Ontario

— Sue J ⚾️ (@Tigger7) July 31, 2020

Some are nervous that we will regress back into earlier phases of lockdown (or suggesting that we do) if we relax things too much. especially seeing how Toronto has been one of the few regions held back from Stages 2 and then 3 for multiple weeks while most of the province progressed onward due to their low case stats.

Move Toronto back to Stage 1 because y'all don't seem to understand the concept of social distancing down there

— Adam 'Socially Distanced' Whitney 🌱 (@adamjwhit) July 27, 2020

Though there are very few active cases in Toronto proportionate to its population and the number of new cases each day continues to fall, let's make sure not get ahead of ourselves — it's always a good reality check to look to south of the border to see how quickly and badly things can go awry when measures to prevent the spread of the virus aren't taken seriously enough.