Wayne Gates says news is "troubling."
Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates is criticizing the Ford government following reports the province is changing COVID-19 guidelines for long term care homes.
Yesterday, news broke that the province quietly altered the guidelines so that masks are no longer required while inside a patient's room.
Officials say the change was made because long-term care residents miss the faces of their loved ones.
Gates, who is the NDP's Long Term Care critic, says it's a bad idea to make this change ahead of the cold and flu season.
"It’s troubling to learn that Doug Ford is quietly watering down protections for seniors in long-term care when we’re heading into a difficult respiratory season," Gates says. "This raises questions about when Dr. Moore’s advice changed, and why the Long-Term Care Minister didn’t address the changes publicly when he had the chance earlier in the week."
The new guidelines also state that visitors and caregivers don't have to participate in active COVID-19 screening, and the four-visitor maximum rule for indoor visits has been removed.
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