Dr. De Villa Is Calling On Ford To Give Ontario Workers 10 Paid Sick Days

Toronto's top doctor wants you to be able to stay home if you're sick without losing out on any income.

A report published Monday reveals that Dr. Eileen De Villa, Toronto's medical officer of health, is calling on Doug Ford to provide a minimum of 10 paid sick days in Ontario during an infectious disease emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic.

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During the pandemic, it has become increasingly evident that paid sick leave provisions are essential. Dr. Eileen de Villa

The report recommends that "all workers in Ontario have access to no less than 10 paid sick days annually in the event of a declared infectious disease."

In December, the Ontario Board of Commerce signed on to an NDP bill demanding more sick days for workers, but the bill was not passed before legislature broke for the holidays, reports The Globe and Mail.

However, Stephen Barr, an associate professor in Western's Department of Microbiology & Immunology, told Narcity that workers need even more protection and resources right now.

"Workplaces are often much more confined and so the chance of spreading the virus, or contracting it, is a lot higher," he said.

Barr also believes that additional protections in workplaces should have been implemented long ago.

Premier Ford has confirmed that new measures will be announced in the province on Tuesday, as well as the grim projections of Ontario's new data modelling.