Ontario’s health system is on the precipice of collapse and nothing short of a complete lockdown and stay-at-home order are needed to combat a fast and furious third wave of COVID-19 says the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO). On Thursday (April 1), Premier Doug Ford announced what he is calling a province-wide 28-day “shutdown”. Under the plan, indoor dining and outdoor patio dining will no longer be permitted, with restaurants only able to offer take-out and delivery. Personal care services such as hair salons and barber shops will not be allowed to operate. However, under the government’s plan, many non-essential businesses will remain open with 25 per cent capacity, along with indoor religious services operating at 15 per cent capacity.

Please help spread the word about this valuable service: Hospice Palliative Care Ontario strives to provide quality education and support and is excited to be able to do so through the Virtual Compassion Care Community Centre.

RNAO’s media release on March 24 responded to the presentation of the Ontario budget in the legislature. RNAO is disappointed the government is failing to make the investments desperately needed to help nurses in the fight against COVID-19 and to sustain the nursing workforce after the pandemic.

RNAO issued today the following media release. The government's reopening framework is threatening people's lives, the collapse of the province's health system and the closing of schools.

"The minister of health has said the next few weeks are critical and she is correct. However, at the same time Minister Elliott is warning Ontarians about the dangers variants of the virus pose, the government is issuing contradictory messages by relaxing public health measures designed to protect people's health. That's why we are urging Premier Ford to scale back reopening plans," says RNAO CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun, including the latest plan to reopen personal care services such as hair salons and barber shops on April 12.

We asked nurses how their work had been impacted by the pandemic. While this may be an obvious question, we didn’t want to pre-judge the outcome. In response, 96% reported yes while 4% said no. We asked how concerned nurses were about work-related risks to their personal health due to COVID-19, and 60% reported being moderately or extremely concerned. Early on, the lack of personal protective equipment was a key concern and weighed heavily on nurses, particularly those working in hospitals and long-term care homes.

This webinar was held on March 2, 2021, in partnership with RNAO, Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN), Chiefs of Ontario (COO), the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Shkaabe Makwa and the Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association (CINA). The focus was on nurses and health-care providers supporting First Nations communities and organizations.