Page - 482 - in VULNERABLE - The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19

VULNERABLE482 necessary PPE,40 it was reported that ambulance technicians and first responders were targeted by a new directive of the Ministry of Health and Social Services to the effect that it was no longer necessary for them to wear an N95 respirator when dealing with a patient diag- nosed with COVID-19: unless the patient had “serious respiratory problems” and required procedures such as intubation, a simple sur- gical mask, gloves, and a gown were henceforth deemed to be suf- ficient.41 Their union alerted the press, as is the case in most of the articles shedding light on working conditions during the pandemic. Agencies and Subcontracting TEAs supply workers to multiple client employers and, when work- ers are potentially sent to different facilities every day, this may con- tribute to the spread of the virus between institutions. Analysis of a major outbreak in a meat-packing plant in Quebec led public health officials to suspect that the regular workforce was first contaminated by one of the workers bused in by a TEA, although they admitted that it was difficult to trace contacts of employees of agencies because they return to their communities in another region and sometimes don’t speak French, which makes tracking more difficult.42 A TEA employee was found to be the source of a cluster of cases in a long-term care facility in Quebec City43; another, who was placed by his agency in a long-term care facility on weekends as a PSW, was the fifth front- line health care worker to die of COVID-19.44 TEAs have been under scrutiny by the Ministry of Health in Quebec for price gouging.45 40. Janie Gosselin, “Les soignants pas tenus d’intervenir sans matériel de protec- tion, disent différents ordres”, La Presse (23 April 2020), online: <https://www. lapresse.ca/covid-19/202004/23/01-5270639-les-soignants-pas-tenus-dint- ervenir-sans-materiel-de-protection-disent-differents-ordres.php>. 41. Ariane Lacoursière, “Les ambulanciers inquiets par une nouvelle directive sur les masques N95”, La Press (24 April 2020), online: <https://www.lapresse.ca/covid- 19/202004/23/01-5270688-les-ambulanciers-inquiets-par-une-nouvelle-directive- sur-les-masques-n95.php>. 42. Cameron, supra note 4. 43. Louis Gagné, “Un employé externe infecte six personnes dans une résidence pour aînés de Québec”, Radio Canada (1 May 2020), online: <https://ici.radio- canada.ca/nouvelle/1698967/employe-agence-externe-infecte-covid-19-manoir- cours-atrium-residence-aines-quebec>. 44. Yves Boisvert, “Il s’appelait Marcelin François”, La Presse (8 May 2020), online: <https:// www.lapresse.ca/covid-19/202005/07/01-5272693-il-sappelait-marcelin-francois.php>. 45. Tommy Chouinard, “Agences de placement  : des pratiques abusives inquiètent Québec”, La Presse (24 April 2020), online: <https://www.lapresse.ca/covid-