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Toronto physician colleague trained to work in the city’s intensive care units says she cannot fully immerse herself in the fight against COVID-19 because emergency child care services promised by the province are not not yet available.
Dr. Amanda Formosa works in intensive care facilities in Toronto and frequently serves as a COVID-19 vaccinator with the Scarborough Health Network.
When it was announced that schools would be moved away for the first half of January, she expected emergency child care to be ready for the first day of school, as was the case during the first day of school. Alpha wave of last January.
But after calling several daycares in town that offered emergency child care last year, she found none offering new spaces for her one-year-old.
“I called like five of them,” she told CP24. “I thought there would be some kind of cover for it. It’s almost Friday and emergency daycares don’t even know about it. By the time they have implemented this, the schools will come back. “
Formosa says she is contacted by hospitals “every day” to request her services in their intensive care units, sometimes at odd times.
But today she has spent much of the day at home.
She said she understands the challenges presented by Omicron and the rapid changes that are taking place to contain its spread, but a promise is a promise.
“If they promise emergency child care while shutting down schools, which I get, there are polarized views on that, so give us emergency child care,†Formosa said. “I don’t have a backup plan. “
Several other CP24 viewers said they called child care centers around Toronto that served as emergency facilities in previous waves and that none were aware of the latest efforts yet.
A spokesperson for the City of Toronto said emergency child care spaces will be open by January 10 and parents will be able to access information about the service. on the city website tomorrow.
The Ontario Ministry of Education, which published a long list of trades eligible for child care, reiterated that it would start Jan. 10.
“I don’t understand how that’s possible if the daycare centers themselves don’t even know it,†Formosa said.
Toronto communications director Brad Ross told CP24 they hope to have more information for parents available as soon as possible.
Formosa said she was not just waiting to see if child care would be available, there were a large number of her colleagues from the hospital in the same boat.
“I’m sure there are nurses, there are people who disinfect hospitals, there are certainly some who also need child care.”
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