Is everyone around you getting sick? Here’s why...

With all protective measures being lifted and still no permanent paid sick days, it’s not a surprise that we are seeing an uptick in communicable diseases. Here are two things that I am noticing around me at the moment:

• Community outbreaks - I am increasingly seeing patients getting sick from workplaces, schools, or daycare outbreaks. Those who have the least flexibility to work from home or take time off are often the most precarious and living paycheck to paycheck. Some patients told me that they are letting their kids go sick to daycare because otherwise they won’t be able to pay bills. It is clear that lack of paid sick days has led to contagious presenteeism, meaning workers are unable to stay home to recover or care for their sick child. 
• Vaccine inequity - The provincial government’s “let it rip” strategy is riding on the success of the new bivalent vaccine. It’s clear from previous vaccine rollouts that lower-income neighborhoods with mostly racialized and/or immigrant workers were lagging behind due to systemic barriers. Without adequate and permanent paid sick days, a vaccine strategy will only reinforce structural health inequity as workers are forced to choose between putting food on the table or taking a day off to get themselves or their child vaccinated.

Right now, we have an opportunity to push the provincial government to legislate paid sick days. Bill 4, Stay Home If You Are Sick Act, 2022 would provide all workers in Ontario with 10 permanent paid sick days and 14 additional days during public health emergencies. This vote on this bill is happening next month.

Whether this bill becomes law, depends on your support. Can you send a letter to Premier Ford and Minister of Labour Monte McNaughton telling them to pass Bill 4?

TAKE ACTION NOW

Health worker open letter to support Status for All

The federal government is making decisions right now about who will be included in a regularization program that could give hundreds of thousands of migrants permanent residence. No one should be left behind! This is a critical campaign for migrant justice, led by the Migrant Rights Network (MRN), that needs our support as members of the health community.

Health workers are signing on to this open letter to support full and permanent immigration for all migrants. We have over 500 signatures so far but to influence policy, we need many more. Can you please share the letter with health workers asap? If you have not signed, please consider adding your name. The deadline to add signatures is Tuesday, October 11.

Click here to access the open letter

Thank you again for continuing to advocate for better health and workplace protections. We have some key windows coming up to push for policy change.

I will be in touch with more information soon.

In solidarity,

Jessica

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Jessica Chan, MD
DWHN Member