Info-Sant workers seek more protection after COVID-19 cases confirmed

Night and day, Info-Sant employees work to inform the sick about COVID-19 at a call centre in downtown Montreal.

The union representing health-care workers at the call centre says there have been two cases of COVID-19 at the centre, and some employees say more should be done to protect them.

"We are separated by cubicles, but above it's open air," said one nurse who spoke with Radio-Canada on the condition they not be publicly identified.

They said the call centre is full of people working to answer the flood of calls about the virus, and those with symptoms come to work wearing masks.

"If the Montreal 811 line reduces or closes services, the rest of the health network will be clogged," said another employee.

The information line has been overwhelmed with calls since the outbreak began last month. The province set up another phone line,1-877-644-4545,as a triage line that people with symptoms are supposed to call first.

New measures in place

Until the end March, employees shared a kitchen and break room.

Now, the break room is closed and meals must be eaten at their desk. The kitchen can only be used for meal preparation.

Surfaces are now also cleaned every three hours.

The president of the union, Stavros Birbatakos, saidtheir employer should bolster the measures already in place and look for any gaps.

"Some are certainly worried," said Birbatakos, the head of the Syndicat des professionnelles en soins du Centre-Ouest-de-l'le-de-Montral.

But he saidthe call centre's conditions follow the recommendations of Quebec public health.

"The physical distance between the desks removes the necessity for two metres [of distance]," he said.

He said some employees have asked to work from home, and they are awaiting a response from their employer.

With about 50 employees, the call centre is the largest of 15 in the province.

In an email, a spokesperson for Quebec's Health Ministry saidoperations at the Montreal call centre have not been interrupted, and that if anemployee must stay home due to a positive test result, resources from other regions are used to maintain service.