Ontario introduces new measures to protect first responders

TORONTO, ON – APRIL 01: A woman is seen wearing a mask in the subway during morning commuting hours as Toronto copes with a shutdown due to the Coronavirus, on April 1, 2020 in Toronto, Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the government would spend $2 billion on testing and to buy critical supplies including ventilators and personal protective equipment. Cole Burston/Getty Images/AFP

By Angela Milano
EBC Greater Toronto Bureau

TORONTO (Eagle News) — Ontario continues to make efforts to protect all of its citizens from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected and disrupted normal work and lives.

Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Christine Elliott and Solicitor General Sylvia Jones released a joint statement saying, “we must do everything in our power to ensure the health and well-being of those working on the frontlines and provide them with the tools they need to do their jobs and keep Ontarians safe.”

This new measure allows police, firefighters, and paramedics to have access to critical information when responding to emergency calls. The information they will have access to are the individual’s name, address, date of birth, and whether the individual is positive for COVID-19.

This will help first responders in protecting themselves and the public. After the State of Emergency is lifted in Ontario, this personal and critical information will no longer be accessible to first responders.

“We will continue to take decisive action to stop the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health and safety of all Ontarians,” Elliott and Jones stated.

(Eagle News Service)