In a sector ravaged by COVID-19 for more than a year, today’s provincial announcement that fully immunized long-term care staff and visitors will no longer have to be tested before entering LTC homes, is good news and a sign that we are finally getting the edge on the virus.
We want to thank the thousands of CUPE front-line long-term care members who have brought us to this turning point by rolling up their sleeves and being among the first in line to get vaccinated. CUPE has consistently urged everyone – including those working on the front-lines in long-term care – to strongly consider vaccination. Any questions or concerns about the vaccine should be discussed with a doctor.
CUPE members in long-term care have made incredible sacrifices to keep their residents and co-workers safe.
As we begin to turn the corner on the pandemic it is essential that we move forward and build a better long-term care system that recognizes those sacrifices and ensures that the horrors of the last year and half, are never repeated. That means a system where profit is never a consideration in the provision of care, where all staff are compensated fairly with decent wages and benefits, and where residents are guaranteed a minimum of 4 hours of daily care as soon as possible.
