'Ontario deserves better': Ontarians, healthcare workers -- even Pizza Hut -- slam Doug Ford after new restrictions and school shut down
Ontario Premier Doug Ford started off the new year by announcing additional COVID-19 restrictions across the province, modified Step 2 level restrictions, including closing schools, shutting down indoor dining and gyms, and pausing non-urgent surgeries.
At a press conference on Monday, Ford warned that Ontario could see "hundreds of thousands" of COVID-19 cases a day, as the Omicron variant continues the spreads.
Last week, the Ontario government announced that PCR testing is limited to symptomatic individuals who are at the highest risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 (including to confirm a COVID-19 diagnosis before treatment), healthcare workers and residents in high-risk settings, including hospitals, long-term care homes and retirement homes.
Following Ford's announcement on Monday, people in Ontario, including infectious disease and other health experts, took to social media, largely criticizing delayed action by the provincial government and the shut down of schools.
One of the biggest tragedies of Ontario's COVID-19 response is that it has always taken significant crises, suffering & death for our government to follow the science & even consider doing the right thing.
Why does it have to be this way?— Naheed Dosani (@NaheedD) January 3, 2022
It's maddening that even at THIS point in the pandemic, the Ontario government STILL struggled to get that exponential growth is exponential, lagging indicators lag, beds are useless without HCWs & schools aren't safe just because we want them to be.
Ontarians deserve better.— Naheed Dosani (@NaheedD) January 3, 2022
Who else is exhausted by the Ontario government's inept and delayed response to COVID-19? ✋🏽
— Dr. Amit Arya (@AmitAryaMD) January 3, 2022
It's painful to watch the Ontario government play with people's lives.
Government flip-flops on the start of school are not fair to parents, students & educators.
It's just so cruel.— Dr. Amit Arya (@AmitAryaMD) January 3, 2022
The pattern is simple— not acting on COVID-19 when we need to leads to severe systems consequences leading to major restrictions.
I hoped 2 years into this pandemic we would realize this. Imagine if we acted to make schools and our community safer months ago?— Gaibrie Stephen (@SGaibrie) January 3, 2022
Feels like April 2021 again.
Ignored warnings and actions delayed until "cases show up in hospital". Sudden concern over rising case numbers. Claiming delay based on "evolving evidence".
Scientists warned of these case #s.
That @fordnation & cabinet didn't act is egregious— Kali Barrett (@DrKaliBarrett) January 3, 2022
I am deeply disappointed today with the re entry in to lockdown and esp interruption of the school year. This like other waves will pass and I very much hope there is an exit strategy. #COVID19
— 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢 (@TorontoIDDoc) January 3, 2022
What a shocking coincidence that this was completely unmanageable until the day after the holidays. Any talk of not seeing this coming is just untrue. Once again early action could have saved us from this type of action. But nope.
— Shady Ashamalla MD (@ShadyAshamalla) January 3, 2022
Sending love to Ontario parents and education workers as we once again scramble at the last minute to sort out our lives and work. As always, this government’s ineptitude falls on feminized labour, paid and unpaid, to bear the burden. #COVID19 #onted
— Ritika Goel (@RitikaGoelTO) January 3, 2022
The Ontario government also stated that "staff absenteeism" is "expected to rise and affect operations in workplaces across Ontario due to Omicron infection and exposure, including in hospitals and schools."
People in the province pushed back on that language used on Monday.
Dear Premier Ford,
The word "absenteeism" is quite insulting to every single frontline worker. Nurses are falling sick from working long 16hrs shifts in full PPE, no breaks, no vacation time, no mental health support and no paid sick days.
Language matters Premier!— Birgit Umaigba RN, MEd (@birgitomo) January 3, 2022
Hearing the Ontario government using the word "absenteeism" to describe what are clearly health worker shortages due to illness, is an absolute slap in the face of every health worker who has risked their life during this pandemic.
— Dr. Amit Arya (@AmitAryaMD) January 4, 2022
The use of the word “absenteeism” absolutely enraged me - the word is loaded with the rhetoric of “it’s your fault - get back to work.” It just further proves this government regards us as commodities. @fordnation stop shifting blame!!! #VoteFordOut2022 https://t.co/puJwebvOVZ
— Becca (@moe_re_becca) January 3, 2022
Stop calling it absenteeism! Front line workers aren't coming into work because they ARE SICK, and a lot of them are taking that time unpaid, because the @fordnation refuses to implement paid sick days in Ontario!
— Dhananjai Kohli (@Kohli_DJ) January 3, 2022
Ford calling the lack of staff 'absenteeism' is absolutely absurd & disgusting.
Workers are sick & have to isolate. Trying to homeschool children. They're working multiple jobs, rotating sites. They keep working, working, working.
& the gvt will not implement paid sick days.— Lorraine Lam (@lorrainelamchop) January 3, 2022
Meanwhile, even the brand Pizza Hut roasted premier Ford on social media, with a tweet that reads, "Need to decide on a decision for dinner? Let’s get decisive when you decide, because this dinner is a decisive decision."
Did Pizza Hut just roast Doug Ford? 🔥🔥🔥 https://t.co/fdeay34E72
— David Brown (@OrbitStudios) January 4, 2022
Lord. Even Pizza Hut is dragging Doug Ford. 🤣 #Toronto #Onpoli https://t.co/EE0OKvvBMw
— Michelle “Triple-Vaxxed” Jones. (@maej43) January 4, 2022
Pizza Hut throwing shade at the Premier of Ontario is the 2022 that I’m here for. #onpoli https://t.co/0NQ0AqD2pN
— Kelly Elliott (@kellyelliottmcm) January 4, 2022
We made our decision in 30 seconds.🍕#onpoli https://t.co/Hn4tU9WNyq pic.twitter.com/Rm5DMoaEwA
— Steven Del Duca (@StevenDelDuca) January 4, 2022