The provincial NDP is again pushing for more paid sick days.
They say with monkeypox becoming the latest threat, Ontario needs to prepare by allowing people ten sick days and other supports to recover and prevent further spread.
2SLGBT Q+ Issues critic Kristyn Wong-Tam says Premier Ford’s expansion of a temporary program because of COVID falls short of what is needed.
“Three days of paid sick days do not come close to empowering our communities enough to fend off this emerging infectious disease. It falls short of public health advice even from his own advisors,” says Wong-Tam.
The World Health Organization’s chief last weekend declared monkeypox a global health emergency.
Wong-Tam says it couldn’t happen at a worse time, noting businesses impacted by COVID restrictions don’t need another pandemic as they still try to recover.
“Bars, clubs, bath houses and restaurants are still struggling to stay afloat after years of COVID-19. The last thing local small businesses need is another pandemic. In refusing, again, to provide adequate and permanent paid sick days to Ontarians in the face of the growing public health emergency of monkeypox Ford is failing to protect people’s health.”
Along with the ten days, Wong-Tam wants to see an additional 14 offered when dealing with serious public health risks like COVID-19 or monkeypox.
As of July 25, Ontario’s public health units reported 326 active cases of monkeypox.
Eleven people had to be hospitalized
The most commonly reported symptoms include rash, oral/genital lesions, swollen lymph nodes, headache, fever, chills, myalgia and fatigue.
