We continue to press the government for more details regarding pandemic pay. Today we received some further clarification on pandemic pay in LTC. The government
confirmed that all publicly funded non-management staff who are working on-site at a licensed Long-Term Care Home are eligible for temporary Pandemic Pay, including clinical care staff and support staff (full-time, part-time and or/casual workers).
The Government is asking that employers add the Pandemic Pay to their employees’ regular paycheques or include Pandemic Pay in contracts with external agencies. The Government stated that they anticipated that money will begin flowing as soon as possible. The funding will be retroactive to April 24, 2020.
Key Provincial Updates and Resources for Health Professionals
Today, the provincial government announced it is quickly moving forward with innovative research to prevent, detect and treat COVID-19. These projects, part of the government's $20 million
Ontario COVID-19 Rapid Research Fund, focus on areas of research such as vaccine development, diagnostics, drug trials and development, and social sciences. Additionally, Ontario is leading 22 clinical trials investigating COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.
A summary of the Tuesday Command Table meeting is available here
Key Federal Updates Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeauannounced$75 million in new funding for Indigenous organizations providing services to Indigenous peoples in urban centres and off reserve.
This additional funding will support more community-based projects that address the critical needs of Indigenous populations during this crisis, including food security, mental health support services, and sanitation and protective equipment. It could also help with other
needs, such as support for Elders, transportation, and educational materials for Indigenous children and youth. Funding for projects will start rolling out in the coming weeks.
For more information, we encourage you to visit theGovernment of Canada website.
Daily Reports
As of 10:30AM today, Ontario reported 24,187 confirmed cases (increase of 413), 18,509 resolved cases, 1,993 deaths and 5,051 currently under investigation with lab results pending.
The Ministry is also reporting that 984 patients are hospitalized with
COVID-19, 155 are in ICU and 117 are vented. To view these additional details: click here Click Hereto read the latest Ministry of Health Daily Report **Please note, these reports are intended for health professionals only and we request that you not share this with the public.
World Health Organization Situation Reports are also available here
In the News For an interactive map tracking all cases across Canada and internationally, click here
We encourage RPNs looking for employment opportunities to sign up on all the platforms noted above.
We will continue to monitor this situation and keep you updated as more information becomes available. Thank you for the important work that you're doing and the sacrifices you're making to keep Ontarians safe. We appreciate everything that you're doing each and every day.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact Tiff Blair at tblair@werpn.com
Sincerely,
WeRPN Team
WeRPN 5025 Orbitor Drive Building 5, Suite 200 Mississauga, Ontario L4W 4Y5