(December 23, 2020)<\/p>\n
By: Anya Zoledziowski, Vice World News<\/p>\n
Ontario Premier Doug Ford\u2019s attempts to temper the concerning rise in COVID-19 infections don\u2019t go far enough, experts say, because he hasn\u2019t mandated paid sick leave for workers, and essential workplaces seeing outbreaks\u2014including warehouses and food processing plants\u2014will continue to operate without further restrictions.<\/p>\n
Ford announced a province-wide shutdown on Monday, as cases in the province continue to rise at an alarming rate, and\u00a0intensive care admissions reach new highs<\/a>.<\/span> But the new rules, which don\u2019t kick in until Boxing Day, have been criticized for being late and not\u00a0stringent enough.<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Notably, Ford didn\u2019t introduce measures that would combat COVID-19 outbreaks in workplaces like factories, construction sites, and food-processing plants. Virus transmission at these work sites account for about one-quarter of all cases in the province,\u00a0the\u00a0<\/a>Globe and Mail\u00a0<\/a><\/em>reports<\/a><\/span>, and far outpaces that of the general population. According to the\u00a0Ontario Health Coalition<\/a>,<\/span> cases in the manufacturing sector surged by almost 77 percent in the final two weeks of November, while jumping 22 percent in the general population.<\/p>\n Even though more than 7,600 workers have fallen ill, only one employer has been fined for failing to uphold COVID-19 safety standards,\u00a0according to the\u00a0<\/a>Toronto Star<\/a>.<\/em>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Ford has failed to implement paid sick leave in the province, despite\u00a0widespread<\/a>\u00a0calls<\/a>\u00a0from<\/a>\u00a0the<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>health community<\/span>\u00a0<\/a>to do so, dating back to the beginning of the pandemic. Experts say it\u2019s a simple and effective mechanism\u2014\u201can absolute necessity,\u201d according to one doctor\u2014that would keep workers safe by allowing them to stay home for up to 14 days when ill without sacrificing their incomes.<\/p>\n Right now, Ontario\u00a0does not offer any paid sick leave.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m saddened we haven’t made it easy for these employees,\u201d said Dr. Alexander Caudarella, a family medicine physician in Toronto. \u201cStop blaming individuals (for spreading COVID-19) and make it easier and more feasible for them to implement what public health is asking.\u201d<\/p>\n Ontario is grappling with a steep increase in infections, with an average of 2,288 new cases per day over the seven days leading up to December 22,\u00a0CBC News reports.<\/a><\/span>\u00a0The province had 19,300 active COVID-19 cases and 4,188 deaths as of Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n Ford has been criticized for failing to mitigate the second wave of the virus and worsening several bad situations over the past nine months: despite promising an \u201ciron ring\u201d to protect long-term care residents, nearly 160 homes are\u00a0<\/span>currently dealing with outbreaks<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and more than 630 residents have died since September; the province lagged in\u00a0expanding testing capacity<\/span><\/a>, even though it has access to billions in federal funds; and students were sent back to school\u00a0without clear and equitable plans<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>to limit class sizes and make childcare attainable.<\/p>\n Now,\u00a0there are 285 patients<\/a><\/span>\u00a0in Ontario\u2019s intensive care units, putting people with non COVID-19-related health issues at risk of being denied care. Modelling data released Monday showed that number could\u00a0balloon<\/a><\/span>\u00a0to 1,500 by mid-January.<\/p>\n Starting December 26, many services, including hairdressers and nail salons, must close. Restaurants, bars, and retail stores will be limited to curbside pickup or delivery and in-person school classes for K-12 students will be delayed in the new year.<\/p>\n Caudarella said while it\u2019s important to save businesses, they shouldn\u2019t be prioritized over workers.<\/p>\n Caudarella said he has many patients who have been forced to choose between going to work while feeling unwell or losing income. \u201cThey say, \u2018I have bills to pay, I’m already stretched thin, I have no choice,\u2019\u201d Caudarella said.<\/p>\n Ford\u2019s office did not respond to VICE World News when asked why he has repeatedly said he would \u201cspare no expense\u201d to protect Ontarians from the virus, but won\u2019t implement paid sick leave. We will update the story if we hear back.<\/p>\n On Monday, and again on Tuesday, Ford placed blame on the federal government for refusing to support a pilot project that would introduce COVID-19 testing at the airport for travellers arriving in Toronto from overseas.<\/p>\n \u201cWithout further action by the federal government at our borders we remain at extreme risk,\u201d Ford said on Tuesday. \u201cThat\u2019s why our government has been calling on the feds for months for testing at airports, for further tightening of the borders.\u201d<\/p>\n Canada has banned most foreign nationals from entering the country, closed the Canada-U.S. border, and recently blocked U.K. flights from flying in as a way to avoid a new strain of COVID-19. People who enter Canada from abroad need to quarantine for two weeks.<\/p>\n Canadian Health Minister Patty Hajdu said she was \u201csurprised\u201d by Ford\u2019s comments. \u201cWe have been working with his government on his request to conduct a testing pilot project at Pearson International Airport for weeks,\u201d Hajdu said, adding that only about 1.3 percent of COVID-19 infections across Ontario originated from international travel.<\/p>\n Hajdu said the federal government is still in talks with Ford\u2019s team about implementing airport testing but is concerned about the request for a shortened quarantine period. Airport testing could allow people to finish their quarantine after receiving a negative test result, which is what\u00a0Alberta\u2019s pilot program<\/span>\u00a0<\/a>offers.<\/p>\n \u201cThe shortened quarantine period is concerning to us, given the current increase in cases in (Ontario) that is placing significant pressure on public health resources,\u201d Hajdu said.<\/p>\n According to Caudarella, the government needs to combat virus spread in several sectors, including travel. But that doesn\u2019t negate the need to tackle COVID-19 hotspots in work environments.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s normal for politicians to pin things on other jurisdictions, but the reality is we\u2019re not doing a good enough job with workplace safety,\u201d Caudarella said.<\/p>\n