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TORONTO – Steven Del Duca, Ontario Liberal Party Leader, made the following statement:
The Premier was questioned today about access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in Long Term Care (LTC) and by home care workers. This is something we raised with the province last week and on an ongoing basis.
In response, the Premier said the Government of Ontario was waiting for Long Term Care Homes to contact them. This approach has served no one and is an abdication of responsibility.
In one breath the Premier will refuse to take over problematic long term care homes, in the other he will say the onus is on long term care facilities to contact him – even though frontline workers are begging for proper access to PPE.
Waiting by the phone is not a plan, it is not a strategy for success, and it is not good enough for frontline workers. The province needs to take action now. Frontline workers are terrified that their health and safety is at risk.
Any PSW or healthcare worker who contracts COVID-19 is one too many. We know what the consequences are: we’ve lost healthcare workers in this province. For the sake of our PSWs, Nurses and Doctors, the Premier needs to take urgent action.
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On the record:
“Ensure adequate PPE for all frontline healthcare workers including those working in home care – home care workers by necessity are going into multiple homes per day, and many are reporting they do not have proper access to PPE. This could quickly evolve into a dire situation if not addressed.” – Letter from John Fraser to Christine Elliott and Merrilee Fullerton, April 23rd