Concerns over migrant workers arriving in the area, and possibly spreading COVID-19 to multiple farms while travelling to their designated isolation location, has caused Haldimand-Norfolk’s Medical Officer Of Health to enact a new order.
The order sees area farmers having to drive to get workers from the airport and pick them up, as opposed to other means of transportation that were traditionally used.
That was Medical Officer Of Health Dr. Shanker Nesathurai.
That could lead to every individual in that bus having to self isolate longer than expected as they would be deemed a close contact.
That, in turn, could affect multiple farm operations in the dual counties.
Dr. Nesathurai added they are asking the province for compensation to farmers for travel expenses.
One issue being raised by farmers is the fact that the vehicle must only contain the number of migrant workers allowed in a cohort for self-isolation.
So, with the three migrant workers per bunkhouse rule, only three migrant workers would be allowed in a vehicle with the farmer.
If a farmer has workers staying at a hotel, then each worker would get a room, meaning only one worker could – according to the order- be allowed to travel in the vehicle from Toronto.
This could be problematic to farmers if larger groups arrive at the Airport as they would need to find additional help to drive down to pick up the workers or spend the day travelling back and forth to Toronto.
Below is the order issued by our Medical Officer Of Health.
1. All Employers of TFWs must arrange and organize private transportation for their TFWs directly to their self-isolation units in groups no greater than their preapproved HNHU self-isolation cohorts.
2. During travel in a private vehicle to the HNHU jurisdiction from the Airport, in addition to precautions recommended by the federal government for travel to the self-isolation location, and in addition to the provincial rules regarding mask wearing, the Employer must ensure the following precautions are implemented during travel:
a. the air settings of the vehicle must not be on air recirculation mode, but instead, supply only and/or windows must be sufficiently open to allow for air circulation;
b. all passengers must use hand sanitizer/wash hands prior to entering the vehicle and upon exiting.