Why isn’t Ontario making LTC employees a priority?

Re ‘I really am totally speechless’: With about half of Ontario LTC residents still not vaccinated, experts question province’s priorities, Jan. 20

I was struck by how your sources remained focused on a question derived from a preferred answer. If the goal is protecting Ontario’s “most vulnerable,” the question should have been, “How to best use vaccines to prevent deaths in seniors’ residences?”

That question might have flushed out, “ensure all staff and service providers are fully vaccinated as soon as possible” together with, “continuing diligent testing of anyone entering the facility”. These answers are more consistent with the science of vaccines and how COVID-19 is transmitted.

To contract COVID-19, a healthy person needs to be in a space currently, or formerly, occupied by a contagious one. Since residents are locked in, the virus needs to be brought in by an infected staff member or service provider.

As a geriatrician, Dr. Stall should know that vaccines are not perfect. They are less effective with age and, on occasion, they don’t work at all regardless of age. The science of vaccines means that vaccinating long-term care residents will still result in COVID-19 deaths. Vaccinating younger staff and service providers will much better protect residents, provided that diligent testing continues to identify staff members that still get infected despite being vaccinated.

At present, vaccine is in short supply. Strategically using every dose is critical.

Vaccinate staff of long-term care and then move on to other essential workers.

John MacDougall, Toronto