WINDSOR-ESSEX – Local NDP MPPs Lisa Gretzky, Percy Hatfield and Taras Natyshak have released a statement after the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit’s medical officer of health Dr. Wajid Ahmed warned Tuesday that the capacity of the health unit is on the verge of collapse:
“Doug Ford has put Windsor-Essex is this position because he refused to spend the money on public health protections. The community of Windsor-Essex and the public health unit have made heroic efforts to contain this virus, but that’s not possible without the support of the Ford government.
Our region has been left behind, and now families and business owners are facing a full lockdown, all because of Ford won’t listen and won’t spend the money that’s necessary to keep us safe. He didn’t prepare for the second wave. He didn’t put infection control help into long-term care. He rationed testing and contact tracing instead of investing in more. He didn’t give workers paid sick days. He didn’t shrink class sizes to protect students and their families. He should have started testing in schools months ago, but didn’t want to spend the money.
Alarm bells are ringing loud and clear here in Windsor-Essex. We need to doing everything possible to avoid a lockdown. It’s time for Doug Ford to finally start listening, and send emergency funding and resources to support the local public health unit. To crush this virus and to save lives, we need action and we need it now."
NDP MPPs: Ford must take action now to support Windsor-Essex public health to avoid a lockdown
Published on December 1, 2020