Toronto backtracks on return-to-office plans for city employees as Omicron spreads a virus
By the end of August, city staff could return to work, but only under conditions that would ensure the virus would spread by as few as two employees per day. (photo by Matthew Campbell/The Globe and Mail)
Toronto City Hall is no stranger to the virus, but this time, the outbreak could well be worse. After all, as the city is in the process of returning to work, it’s already begun to slow a return to normalcy.
As of Thursday morning, Toronto’s confirmed COVID-19 cases had surpassed 8,000. With an estimated 1,400 cases, Toronto is at the forefront of the worst affected city in Canada.
By the end of August, city staff could return to work, but only under conditions that would ensure the virus would spread by as few as two employees per day. (photo by Matthew Campbell/The Globe and Mail)
It would take four months of additional training and testing, with one-fifth of the staff to be retrained from scratch, to make sure the risk level was deemed acceptable.
Mayor John Tory has been clear the city will keep its doors open and not impose an immediate shelter-in-place order. Toronto does have to work to limit the virus’ spread, and the city plans on keeping its employees on the job unless necessary to ensure the risk of transmission is lowered.
But that means the city and staff have to adjust their work schedules and work rules, which means, without proper training, some public service positions may be closed.
As of Friday morning, the city is preparing for a further increase in its cases. It is preparing for all public health units to increase their testing capacities and work with local hospitals to ramp up isolation and treatment facilities for people who may have contracted the virus.
One key to success against the virus is early identification, says Dr. Theresa Tam, the Medical Counsellor to the Director of Public Health.
“That means screening people at the front doors,” said Tam, whose work is focused on public health, epidemiology and emergency
