Ontario nurses advocating for full province-wide lockdown to mitigate spread of COVID-19

While the Province has implemented lockdowns in Toronto and Peel, as well as implementing additional restrictions in regions throughout the GTHA, Ontario’s nurses believe it’s not enough.

The Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) believes the latest measures by the Province—particularly targeted measures—is not enough to quell the spread of the virus.

The RNAO is calling for an aggressive, all-encompassing lockdown, followed by an effective and concerted strategy to snuff out the virus.

Additionally, the RNAO has criticized the government’s attempt to balance prioritizing both the health of Ontarians as well as the economy.

“The harsh truth is that we will not have a healthy economy until we eliminate this virus. Half-measures to reduce transmission only buy time until we are forced to enact stricter measures, and the stop-and-go approach is putting working people and small businesses in an impossible situation,” reads a statement from the RNAO.

The organization is suggesting this is the best way to reduce the spread of the virus based on other jurisdictions that have successfully done so.

“Once the lockdown achieves its goal of drastically reducing community transmission, we can proactively use testing to control cases and outbreaks,” the statement continues.

Further, the organization has criticized the government for implementing partial restrictions and half-lockdowns that do little to mitigate the spread of the virus, and just increase the likelihood these measures persist perpetually.

Moreover, the RNAO is urging for a more complete lockdown now, in order to prevent subsequent lockdowns in the future—the effects of which have devastation consequences for small businesses owners, their employees, and their families.