With rising ICU numbers, Ford’s pandemic response isn't working

March 29, 2021

QUEEN’S PARK — Mike Schreiner released the following statement regarding the rapid increase in ICU admissions:

“We are on track to surpass the highest level of ICU admissions this week, one year after the pandemic first started. This is a clear indication that Doug Ford’s pandemic response is not working.

And re-emphasizes why it was so important for the budget to address the third wave with concrete actions such as paid sick leave.

Doctors warn that they will soon have to start an emergency triage protocol, reportedly using an online calculator to decide who gets life saving treatment and who does not.

The Premier and Minister Elliott need to be transparent and make their emergency protocol public so we can ensure that this plan does not unfairly target the elderly and the disabled.

We know that COVID-19 variants are spreading 2.7 times faster where low-income essential workers live. It makes no sense that frontline economic workers are being made to wait another month to get vaccinated while thousands of vaccines reportedly sit in freezers.

We need to get our essential workers vaccinated, and that includes providing paid time off to receive the vaccines.

This is a pivotal moment for Ontario’s fight against COVID. The Premier needs to rise to the challenge and stop making excuses.”

-30-