(Sherry Vivian/CBC)As more than 500 first responders across the province are sidelined due to COVID-19-related isolation, the call for more workers is being answered by retirees and injured workers looking to help where they can. According to numbers released by the Department of Health, 512 health-care workers are in isolation as of Monday, including more than 400 in the Eastern Health region. Because of the province's move to Alert Level 5, health-care services have been scaled back to emergency care only. "But … health-care workers have been stepping up." While reducing health-care services has been helpful, she said, the need for more workers has been highlighted as retirees re-enter the field to help with COVID-19 testing.

Source: CBC News February 16, 2021 22:30 UTC