Healthcare workers are at the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, and concerns surrounding the global crisis is looming large among members of the Registered Nurses Union.

RNU President Debbie Forward says they are concerned about child care issues and being told to come in for work.

She says there are some very real questions surrounding the availability of supplies, and wants to know how many supplies are available for a specific number of patients.

Forward indicates she received vague answers from the Regional Health Authorities after asking very specific questions about supply levels.

Nurses have died after being exposed to the illness and Forward says they have very serious concerns surrounding personal protective equipment.

She says the maximum protection is not being used and that’s an issue for her members. Forward has been told by nurses that they’re afraid for themselves, afraid about passing the virus on to other patients, and they’re afraid of bringing it home to their families.

We’re calling for emergency child care measures that would allow workers in health care environments to make arrangements to balance their professional and family duties in a sustainable way. #COVID19 #COVID19nlfl @Debbie_Forward @CFNU @PremierofNL pic.twitter.com/XRv3ftQTQe

— RNUNL (@RNU_NL) March 18, 2020

Frontline Workers Issue Joint Statement

Meanwhile the RNC, NAPE, CUPE and the Allied Health Professionals issued a joined statement today surrounding the protocols for personal protective equipment and other precautionary measures in all health care settings.

They say frontline health care workers caring for suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients should be supplied with appropriate fit-tested personal protective equipment.

They contend that the health care system is “already running over capacity” and they cannot afford for health care workers to get sick and erode staffing levels any further.