Oosterhoff avoids addressing diverted vaccines
Local politicians call for province to provide more pandemic help
Ontario’s health ministry and Niagara’s lone Tory MPP would not acknowledge Thursday that the provincial government had redirected a shipment of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine away from the region this week, and instead touted the government’s vaccination plan even as the local situation continued to worsen.
At the same time, a cadre of local politicians lined up behind a group of senior Niagara Health doctors calling on the province to provide more vaccines to protect local longterm-care homes and frontline health-care workers, and reinstate the shipment.
On Wednesday, Niagara Health’s medical advisory committee — which is comprised of the hospital system’s leading physicians — issued an open letter to community leaders, asking for support in calling for more help from the provincial government. The letter also asks Queen’s Park to “restore the allocation of the Moderna vaccine that was unfairly taken away.”
Niagara’s acting medical officer of health, Dr. Mustafa Hirji, says Niagara was set to receive shipments of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines this week. But last week, without explanation, the provincial government redirected the Moderna shipment to another community.
Vaccine supplies are currently limited, and are being used to protect long-term-care residents and front-line healthcare workers, particularly in those regions with high rates of transmission.
While Niagara’s infection rate was comparatively low in December when vaccines first became available, the local situation has rapidly deteriorated.
Niagara now has a higher incidence of COVID-19 infections per 100,000 people than Toronto, and more Niagara residents with the virus have died in the last three-and-half weeks than in the preceding nine months.
There are 26 long-term-care homes or retirement homes with COVID-19 outbreaks in Niagara. The region has a higher percentage of senior residents than the rest of Ontario, about 21 per cent, compared to the Ontario average of 16 per cent, according to Statistics
Canada.
Hirji said Niagara’s pandemic situation is now on par with hard-hit regions like Peel and Windsor-essex.
When asked Thursday about the Moderna shipment, Health ministry spokesperson David Jensen did not answer The Standard’s questions.
“Niagara has received shipments of the vaccine, with more shipments expected each week thereafter,” Jensen said in an emailed statement.
Niagara has received a shipment of the Pfizer vaccine, and immunizations started Wednesday.
Jensen did not reply to follow up questions about the Moderna shipment.
Niagara West Conservative MP Sam Oosterhoff would not agree to an interview Thursday. In an emailed statement, Oosterhoff did not address the Moderna shipment but said he was glad to see Niagara received doses and would get more in coming weeks.
St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik said the Niagara Health letter is a strong showing of leadership from Niagara Health and a clear signal to the province that vaccine supply is a concern.
“When you look at the devastation and the devastating impact the virus is having in our long-term care homes and our hospitals, we can’t be left further down the list any more,” he said. “We need our fair share.”
Last week, Niagara’s 12 mayors and the regional chair sent a letter to the Premier, Minister of Health and Solicitor General calling on the province to ensure the region’s front line health-care workers and residents have “equal and timely access” to vaccines compared to other areas of Ontario.
Niagara Falls mayor Jim Diodati pointed to Niagara’s older demographics as a reason the region should get more vaccines, while acknowledging the limited overall supply.
Frank Campion, mayor of Welland, said there may be a good reason to divert the shipment, but leaving Niagara in the dark is unacceptable.
Niagara regional Chair Jim Bradley said the entire regional council “will be very supportive” of the doctors’ letter.
On Wednesday all three of Niagara’s NDP MPPS — Jeff Burch of Welland, Wayne Gates of Niagara Falls and Jennie Stevens of St. Catharines — urged the government to provide more vaccines to the region.
Local MPS also voiced concern over the diverted shipment.
Niagara Falls Conservative MP Tony Baldinelli has already shared the Niagara Health letter with his provincial counterparts and shared it “with my shadow minister critic for health in our responsibilities in holding (the federal) government to account on the whole aspect of procuring these drugs.”