Atlantic vaccines shouldn’t be given to Ontario

Many of us are watching the situation in Ontario with concern and compassion.

The third COVID-19 wave has crashed hard in a province that is home to 38 per cent of Canada’s population. It had a record 4,812 cases on Friday and more than 4,200 every day since.

Following expert projections that Ontario could reach 30,000 cases per day by June, Premier Doug Ford on Friday rolled out a six-week stay-at-home order that included increased police powers and a ban on visiting playgrounds. (In the face of backlash, the Ford government backtracked on some of the measures Saturday.)

Ford blames his province’s COVID situation on Ottawa, but still called on the federal government for help.

The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) took that a step further, issuing an “urgent call for unprecedented measures” to help combat the third wave in Ontario and elsewhere. The association encouraged Ottawa to refocus vaccine distribution so that hardest-hit areas get more shots sooner.

“…We are at a critical juncture where a truly national approach to combating COVID-19 will make the difference between more or fewer lives saved,” said association president Dr. Ann Collins.

“This country must come together to help support provinces most severely impacted.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he’s working with provinces and territories to help Ontario and he spoke with the premiers of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island on Saturday.

“They’re working hard to free up whatever human resources or equipment they could free up over the coming days,” Trudeau said in a video posted to Twitter Sunday.

While the three provinces are offering personnel and equipment, the premiers have stopped short of offering vaccines.

“Things can change really quickly in any province, and so I think it’s incumbent on us to make sure that we say to the federal government that we expect to get our vaccine,” Nova Scotia Premier Iain Rankin said during a COVID briefing on Friday.

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey held a similar position.

“When it comes to vaccines, it is only fair for the per capita model to continue,” Furey said. “Given the dynamic nature of this pandemic, any province or territory could be in a serious situation at any point.”

P.E.I. Premier Dennis King said Monday there’s been no formal request for vaccines and the best thing his province can do for the country is to vaccinate Islanders as quickly as possible.

It’s the right approach.

The vaccination schedule for Atlantic Canada should not be disrupted because of an outbreak in another province. The per capita model offers the fairest level of distribution.

It’s an ethical dilemma for some Atlantic Canadians, because we have a history of helping others. People here want to do their part. That’s laudable, but we can help Ontario with human resources and equipment rather than giving up vaccines.

We can also offer an example to follow. The Atlantic approach to COVID demonstrates the power of strong policy and public health education in keeping cases low.