Ontario: Concerned over “triple threat” of respiratory illnesses this winter, the Federal government has announced to provide free COVID-19 rapid antigen tests for another six months.
The move came after Ford government faced criticism about the healthcare system. Ontario’s Auditor General released a report yesterday in which it was found that several million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine were wasted by the government and their booking system was also in poor conditionq.
This week, the court also struck down a law that had blocked salary hikes for thousands of public sector workers, in a setback to the government. These included healthcare workers. The government has indicated an appeal against the decision.
Health Minister Sylvia Jones said that influenza, RSV, and COVID-19 has put triple effects on the health-care system across Canada. The government continues to encourage all people to stay up to date with their vaccines, including getting your available booster dose and your flu shot and free rapid antigen test program will continue in grocery stores and pharmacies in Ontario until June 30.
She also said that $4.6M announced to remove financial barriers for nurses wanting to upskill to work in critical care areas in hospitals. It’s all hands on deck as we continue to invest in programs to recruit, retain and hire more health care workers in Ontario.