Ontario boosts safety for first responders amid pandemic

Now allowed to obtain COVID-19 positive status information from individuals they deal with

Ontario boosts safety for first responders amid pandemic
Police, firefighters and paramedics now have greater protection on the job with a new safety measure in Ontario.

Ontario has also implemented a new emergency measure that allows police, firefighters and paramedics to obtain COVID-19 positive status information from individuals they are interacting with on the job.

“During this pandemic, it is crucial that our first responders have access to this critical information when they are preparing to respond to an emergency in order to protect themselves and the public and help stop the spread of this virus,” say Elliott and Sylvia Jones, solicitor general, in a joint statement.

The information disclosed will be limited to an individual's name, address, date of birth, and whether the individual has had a positive COVID-19 test result. It will only be used to allow first responders to take appropriate safety precautions to protect themselves and the communities they serve.

First responders will no longer be able to access the data once the declaration of emergency is lifted.

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