Some Quebec health workers have been asked to report to work in recent days while suffering from serious symptoms of COVID\u002D19.
Bringing a symptomatic, COVID-19-positive worker back on the job is “completely unacceptable” and runs counter to public health recommendations, Julie Bouchard of the Federation Interprofessionnelle de la sante du Quebec said.
Bouchard said she’s only heard of about 10 sick health workers affected so far, adding that the practice seems to be limited to a small number of employers. However, she said she worries more health facilities may try to do the same as the network grapples with serious staff shortages.
Rejean Leclerc, head of another union representing health workers, says he has yet to hear first-hand of any cases of symptomatic health workers being called in. However, he said his union has long been concerned that the policy of calling in asymptomatic COVID-19-positive workers could “backslide” into calling in those who are still sick.