Those Responsible for COVID-19 Fiasco at HSC Must be Disciplined

April 3, 2020

WINNIPEG - Manitoba Liberals say the exposure of dozens of health care workers at Winnipeg's Health Sciences Centre to COVID-19 was due to dangerous and misguided policies that allowed people who had tested positive for the illness to keep working, even as staff were being denied personal protective equipment.

Over 70 health care workers, from support staff to nurses and doctors, have had to self-isolate and an entire ward has been shut down at Manitoba's biggest hospital.

Manitoba Liberals say whoever is responsible for a policy that allowed people who were known to be infected with COVID-19 to keep working should be disciplined and not allowed to have any influence on policy.

"We do not know who is actually responsible for a policy that has resulted in people getting exposed, infected, and an entire ward of the hospital shut down, because this government has not been open and transparent about what is happening," said Lamont. "Whoever proposed and implemented this policy lacks the medical judgment required to keep Manitobans safe and they should be removed from any decision-making process immediately."

The other issue is that workers have been denied PPE - masks, gowns and other equipment that will help prevent infection.

"If the government is facing a shortage of equipment, they need to open about it and they need to crack down on people who have been hoarding this equipment, while doubling down on investment in Manitoba businesses that can help. To date, the PCs have been reactive and reluctant to act, even as other provinces do. We need action now."

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