Niagara vaccination numbers well below other communities
Region hoping to get a bigger share with new shipments
With the arrival of new shipments of Pfizer vaccine in Ontario, the stage is set to ramp up vaccinations, but Niagara is still behind the 8-ball.
A St. Catharines Standard review of data from 10 Ontario public health units found Niagara Region Public Health has administered far fewer doses of vaccine than many other regions due to the supply it received — in some cases doling out a third of what other areas were able to.
On Wednesday, Niagara public health reported it had administered 8,512 doses of vaccine, while Hamilton, Middlesex-london, Simcoe-muskoka and Waterloo health units each reported giving out more than 25,000 doses each. Middlesexlondon’s population is comparable in size to Niagara.
The Standard comparison only includes doses administered by public health units.
The Niagara Health hospital system had administered 2,417 doses to high-risk health-care workers prior to receiving a new shipment of Pfizer vaccine Wednesday. Even if that total is included in the comparison, Niagara is still near the bottom of the list.
The numbers are a stark example of why there were concerns by the medical community and local politicians that Niagara was being left behind other regions despite growing COVID-19 cases last fall.
The hope is now that Niagara
be rolled out effectively.
“It’s not particularly surprising they would look to wherever they’ve got resources available, knowing that the border services agency is pretty stretched in terms of existing protocols,” he said.
“They’re looking for resources to make sure that they can implement the new protocols and to make sure that they’ve got adequate ability to enforce whatever rules they’ve got.”
Redekop said border communities, such as those in Niagara, are “very reliant” on the flow of people travelling back and forth between Canada and United States.
“Not just commerce,” he said. “It’s also families, friends, property owners. There are a lot of factors that have to be taken into account.
“That’s why the border mayors have been helpful in at least providing the minister with some on-the-ground observations about how the policies that are in existence are working, and what types of things the government needs to take into account as they’re creating new policies.”
Diodati said there are many people who own property on both sides of the border who are willing to do “whatever” the government requires of them
that would allow them to tend to their property.
Disero said she understands why the government is preparing for what the future may look like at the border and remains worried about the “very contagious new variants that they’re finding as close to us as Haldimand region.”
She said people in the medical community continue to talk about a third wave, partially because of these new variants.
“For me, until the medical community is satisfied that there is not going to be major spikes because of these new variants that if people crossing the border can bring back and forth to each other, I’m very supportive of whatever measures the federal government is taking to help protect us.”