RNAO statement on paid sick days
The Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) is urging the provincial government to move immediately with paid sick days and disclose the details. "This is a critical public health measure that RNAO and many others have been advocating for since the beginning of this pandemic. At this time of dire crisis, any delay will cause undue hardship and cost more lives," says RNAO's CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun. RNAO will continue to urge Premier Ford's government to:
- Close down all non-essential workplaces. Non-essential workers need to be financially supported through this crisis and essential workers need paid sick leave.
- Lock the province down and prohibit movement from one region to another.
- Deploy nurses, physicians, pharmacists, dentists, paramedics, and every other health-care worker willing and able to vaccinate. Mobile units – including home care nurses – should be urgently deployed to essential workplaces and hot spot communities. And everyone 16 and up should be deemed eligible for vaccination.
"The response to the tidal wave of COVID-19 transmission needs to be simple and done with speed. There is no time left for logistical logjams and delays. Every delay puts more lives at risk and threatens the collapse of our intensive care units (ICU)," adds Grinspun.
RNAO encourages nurses, other health-care workers and members of the public to sign its Action Alert:
Tell the premier to do what must be done!
Add your voice: https://rnao.ca/policy/action-alerts/do-what-must-be-done-premier
The Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) is the professional association representing registered nurses, nurse practitioners and nursing students in Ontario. Since 1925, RNAO has advocated for healthy public policy, promoted excellence in nursing practice, increased nurses' contribution to shaping the health system, and influenced decisions that affect nurses and the public they serve. For more information about RNAO, visit RNAO.ca or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
