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home / 世界杯决赛2022

new provincial policy letting high-risk covid contacts work in healthcare is reckless, say critics

the policy, confirmed by ontario’s chief medical officer of health this week, is aimed at keeping the health system staffed as cases of the omicron variant of covid-19 grow exponentially in ottawa and across ontario and quebec.

by elizabeth payne

dec 22 2021
read time 4 minute read
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plans to allow hospital staff to keep working after they have been exposed to covid-19 is reckless and will put health workers and vulnerable patients at risk, the head of the ontario council of hospital unions warned wednesday.
“i think it is a dangerous practice,” michael hurley said.
he was reacting to new provincial protocols coming this week — though already in place at the ottawa hospital — that would allow some health workers to stay on the job with daily rapid testing even after they have been in close contact with someone who has covid-19. normally, public health rules require people to isolate if they are high-risk contacts.
the ottawa hospital confirmed wednesday that, even prior to the new provincial policy, asymptomatic high-risk contacts on staff had already been allowed to work at the hospital as long as they isolated while on break and lunch and wore ppe, known as work isolation. until this week, those staff members were not required to take a rapid test in order to work. that has now changed.
the policy, which was confirmed by ontario’s chief medical officer of health this week, is aimed at keeping the health system staffed as cases of the omicron variant of covid-19 grow exponentially in ottawa and across ontario and quebec. although covid-19 hospitalizations have, so far, remained low despite rising omicron cases, there are fears that its rapid spread could hobble the already short-staffed health system if asymptomatic nurses and other essential workers have to stay at home to isolate.
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this week, ottawa’s paramedic service has stood as an example of the potential impact of omicron on the health system, but also the ability of the variant to spread. one hundred and 30 paramedic staff members are now considered high-risk contacts after a private gathering became a potential super spreader event.
even prior to the explosion of omicron cases in ottawa, the ottawa hospital has had to reschedule some non-urgent surgeries in recent months because of staff shortages. the hospital has also seen numerous covid-19 outbreaks and some patient deaths, including a recent outbreak at the civic campus.
a nurse, who asked not to be identified out of concern for her job, said she believes practices currently being followed at the ottawa hospital, beyond work isolation, are doing a poor job of protecting staff and patients from covid-19, something that is of growing concern considering how quickly omicron spreads.
among other concerns, she said nurses working with a colleague who recently tested positive for covid-19 were told they are not considered high-risk contacts because they were wearing surgical masks while at work.
the nurse said all patient-facing staff should be wearing the more protective n95 masks, not continuing to work in surgical masks, especially with the highly transmissible omicron variant in the community and wide recognition that covid-19 can spread through the air.
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“given everything we know about transmission, and the high community spread in ottawa right now, i think it is a totally indefensible position that we are still wearing surgical masks.”
in fact, the province has just updated advice about n95 masks — something health workers have long asked for. workers in care of any patients with, or suspected to have, covid-19 are now advised to wear n95 masks, which do a better job of protecting from the virus than surgical masks. that is something many health workers have long fought for. previously, use of n95 masks has mainly been limited to those working on aerosol generating procedures, such as intubating a covid-positive patient.
the updated policy is a sign that the health system is recognizing covid-19 is airborne. critics, including hurley, say that recognition has taken too long and cost too much illness.
but the nurse said she and other staff are still wearing surgical masks too often. she says everyone working with patients should be wearing n95 masks now.
“community spread is so high that everybody should be considered positive unless proven otherwise. we are working with vulnerable patients. there is no recognition that (covid-19) is airborne.”

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she called the ongoing failure to properly protect workers an added blow to nurses. “this is something that would make me quit nursing, it is so demoralizing.”
michael hurley, head of the ontario council of hospital unions, says more than 800 hospital patients have died after acquiring covid-19 in ontario hospitals since the pandemic began in 2020.
michael hurley, head of the ontario council of hospital unions, says more than 800 hospital patients have died after acquiring covid-19 in ontario hospitals since the pandemic began in 2020. john lappa / postmedia
hurley noted that more than 800 hospital patients have died after acquiring covid-19 in ontario hospitals since the pandemic began. this fall alone, nine patients at the ottawa hospital died after becoming infected with covid-19 in the hospital. numerous other patients have become infected and died after acquiring covid-19 at local hospitals throughout the pandemic.
another outbreak was confirmed this week at the civic campus.
in addition, 25,491 ontario healthcare workers have caught covid-19.
hurley said the practice of allowing exposed nurses and other staff to work is a bigger risk to the system than keeping them at home to isolate.
“there is a nursing shortage, but it isn’t going to be helped by unsafe practices that put nurses and other health care workers at risk.” he said there is no guarantee that the workers won’t spread covid-19 to vulnerable patients or other health workers who will then be off sick, worsening staffing issues.
“the risk is being borne by those who can’t afford it,” he said.
elizabeth payne
elizabeth payne

elizabeth payne is an award winning health journalist whose stories became must-reads during the covid-19 pandemic and beyond.

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