KONTAN.CO.ID - TORONTO. From delayed ambulances to police shortages, Canadian public agencies hit hard by COVID-19 worker absences have cut back on service, rearranged staff or warned the public that emergency responses may be disrupted. Over the weekend, paramedics in Toronto, Canada's largest city, said there were briefly no ambulances available to respond to emergencies. The city said about 12.8% of its "essential and critical services" staff were off due to COVID-19 as of Monday. It is not unusual for ambulances to be tied up at any moment, city spokesperson Brad Ross said. But with workers sidelined by COVID-19 and stretched hospitals delaying ambulance offloading, it was becoming more common.
Covid-19 Absences Hit Canada's Public Services
KONTAN.CO.ID - TORONTO. From delayed ambulances to police shortages, Canadian public agencies hit hard by COVID-19 worker absences have cut back on service, rearranged staff or warned the public that emergency responses may be disrupted. Over the weekend, paramedics in Toronto, Canada's largest city, said there were briefly no ambulances available to respond to emergencies. The city said about 12.8% of its "essential and critical services" staff were off due to COVID-19 as of Monday. It is not unusual for ambulances to be tied up at any moment, city spokesperson Brad Ross said. But with workers sidelined by COVID-19 and stretched hospitals delaying ambulance offloading, it was becoming more common.