Ontario’s doctors call for stricter enforcement of existing public health measures to curb pandemic

TORONTO, Jan. 11, 2020—Ontario’s doctors today called for stricter enforcement of and adherence to existing public health measures to slow the rapid increase in the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

“We have the tools to curb the pandemic but we’re not actually using them,” said Dr. Samantha Hill, president of the Ontario Medical Association. “It’s not a question of needing new strategies. We need to use and enforce the ones we already have and provide more support to people trying to comply with them.”

Doctors working on the front lines of the pandemic recommend:

• people stop socializing with anyone outside their household – with the exception of people who live alone who can form a bubble with one other household
• the government hire more contact tracers – the sooner people know they have COVID or may have been exposed to it, the sooner they can isolate and prevent further spread
• vaccines be administered as soon as they are available and measures are in place to ensure none are wasted

The OMA has also called for support measures to help people comply with public health guidelines, such as:

• all workers be given paid sick days so they can stay home if they have COVID or have been exposed, rather than spreading the virus because they need to earn money to buy food
• the list of essential workers eligible for free emergency child care be expanded to include such groups as truck drivers and those who work in food production and distribution
• better use be made of isolation centres created in some regions for people unable to isolate in their own homes or who lack stable housing

“We are all concerned that the number of COVID cases and deaths continue to rise, straining the health-care system beyond capacity,” said OMA CEO Allan O’Dette. “Ontario’s doctors urge Premier Ford to find ways to enforce existing public health measures.”

About the OMA

The Ontario Medical Association represents Ontario’s 43,000-plus physicians, medical students and retired physicians, advocating for and supporting doctors while strengthening the leadership role of doctors in caring for patients. Our vision is to be the trusted voice in transforming Ontario’s health-care system.

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