Ontario’s hospitals have been given broad new powers over doctors, nurses, staff and volunteers as the fight against COVID-19 ramps up, with unions asking health care executives to tread carefully.

The measures under the provincial state of emergency declared by Premier Doug Ford include the cancellation of vacations and carte blanche in transferring employees to where they’re needed most.

Volunteers can also be pressed into service doing work usually performed by staff, freeing them up for other duties, and temporary workers of all stripes hired as needed, Solicitor General Sylvia Jones said.

“On the best advice of Ontario’s chief medical officer of health, and in response to clear and urgent requests from our frontline health service providers, the province is taking decisive action,” Jones added in a statement.

The new powers come as the health care sector looks to drastic conditions at swamped hospitals in Italy and moves by neighbouring New York state, facing a deluge of cases, to set up temporary new hospitals with help from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“Our window is closing,” Dr. Joshua Tepper, president of North York General Hospital, tweeted in a link to a New York Times story about the devastating situation in Italian hospitals as the number of deaths surge.

Ontario hospitals will be able to override collective agreements with staff unions to “ensure we can continue to be responsive and nimble as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases grows,” Jones said.

For example, staff can now be transferred between different hospital facilities or to work in nearby assessment centres for the new coronavirus.

Work schedules and shifts are also subject to change, while staff and volunteers can be re-trained “as needed” for redeployments.

“While normal protocols are important in routine times, these extraordinary steps will ensure our health sector workers are there, where and when they are needed, to care for Ontarians and support our extensive efforts to contain this virus,” Jones said.

The order is in place for the next two weeks unless renewed under the state of emergency.

A leading health care union sounded a note of caution.

“We know that we are in crisis and remain committed to caring for patients,” said the Ontario Nurses Association. “If not done carefully and thoughtfully, any redeployment of nurses and health-care professionals could put both patients and front-line nurses at risk.”

Representing doctors, the Ontario Medical Association said the coronavirus situation is “unprecedented” and doctors are ready to do what is necessary for patients.

“In our experience, open communication between hospitals and their staff (medical and otherwise) will lead to the best solution.”

Health Minister Christine Elliott thanked doctors, nurses, other health care workers and frontline staff for their “extraordinary dedication and commitment” in the face of growing adversity.

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Ontario had its fourth and fifith deaths related to COVID-19 on Sunday and the total number of cases rose by 47 to 424 to date.

Of that number, eight have now been cleared, up from five previously. Another 8,381 people are awaiting test results as the backlog for results continues to grow. A total of 17,634 people have tested negative.

At least four of the new cases listed Sunday are in their 20s or 30s.