The province has made it easier to take over long term care home who are not able to deal with a COVID-19 outbreak.

Long term care homes have been the hardest hit during the pandemic in Ontario with 180 homes facing an outbreak. There have been 1,269 seniors who have died – over 70 per cent of the province’s deaths.

Part of the emergency order passed in the Ontario legislature Tuesday makes it easier for the province to step in and assign new management. It is a move the NDP has been advocating for several weeks.

“By taking this step, we will be better prepared to immediately swing into action if a home is struggling to contain this deadly virus,” says Premier Doug Ford in a news release.

The province has also stopped staff from working in more than one home, increased pay for health care workers and sent hospital employees and the army into the homes to help deal with outbreaks.

In Lambton, four long term care homes have had COVID-19 outbreaks. One – Vision Nursing Home in Sarnia – is still dealing with the respiratory virus. There eight residents and two employees tested positive. Three residents died from COVID-19.

There have been 204 people test positive for COVID-19 in Lambton; 146 have recovereed. Seventeen people have died.