Messy rollout of vaccination
Re Vaccination details coming, Elliott says, Feb. 24
So where’s the vaccine?
People 70 and up are sitting ducks waiting to get sick and maybe die while we wait.
Israel and many other countries have completed single and double doses. The entire country has been vaccinated. The U.S. is vaccinating a million and a half a day.
Only 30 million in Canada and we sit and wait? How long do we have to wait? Not acceptable.
I’ll remember this at voting time.
If I’m still alive.
Allan Waxman, Thornhill
Re One dose of Pfizer vaccine is enough for now — and doctor says she told feds that in December, Feb. 19
Conducting scientific research debate under the glare of the klieg lights, not within the confines of scientific publications, is messy, but unavoidable, given the very public impacts of the virus.
Dr. Danuta Skowronski and the Israeli medical system were aware early of the efficacy of one dose.
It seems as though other scientists are forming a consensus around that opinion.
Dr. Howard Njoo is quoted as saying, “I would defer to the chief medical officers of health, and, as well as others in their own jurisdictions … to make their own respective decisions.”
The mandate of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is “to promote and protect the health of Canadians through leadership, partnership, innovation and action in public health.” He is the deputy chief.
This is leadership? I think the PHAC is sadly missing in action.
Rosemary Warren, Toronto
Re Almost 11-fold increase needed to hit national
target, Feb. 20
Thanks, Kenyon Wallace; it’s about time someone commented on the vaccination numbers we are seeing and hearing.
The federal government is very careful with its language, not really committing to have a set number of Canadians vaccinated.
How about a commitment to have a specific realistic number of Canadians fully vaccinated by July?
Mitch Pasternac, Thornhill
We have four teachers, in four different school boards and six grandchildren in three different school boards in our family.
None has been vaccinated.
Since we decided that children need to be back to school, shouldn’t we also decide that our teachers need to be protected and should be a high priority for vaccinations?
Most of us have some control over our exposure.
Teachers do not.
We have taken that away from them for the benefit of our children’s futures. Lenore Hamley, Midhurst, Ont. Re Wondering how and when to book your COVID vaccine? Your family doctor has the same questions, please don’t call them yet, Feb. 22
As I sit here and read that Ontarians, who are 80 or older, are to be bumped up in the vaccine distribution queue, I also read that family doctors, on the whole, will be responsible for helping them access this crucial inoculation.
Apparently, this is the first time that many of these physicians are being made aware of this incredibly important rollout. I am in my early 70s and know when my time comes, I will will be comfortable with whatever method is offered for me to access my vaccination.
But I might not be if I was 10 years older. I think of these elderly Ontarians who have been, in most cases, socially isolated and in constant fear for months about contracting the virus. Just think! You have spent almost an entire year knowing that, if you contact the virus, you will have a good chance of hospitalization and even death.
The vaccine rollout for these vulnerable people should be clear and easily understood and accessed.
When the government knew that vaccines were becoming available, why did they not get organized as to how the rollout would be implemented?
I really just don’t understand how you don’t prepare for something that you know is coming or, even worse, make mistakes and not learn from them.
Lynda Hurley, Toronto
Re Wondering how and when to book your COVID vaccine? Your family doctor has the same questions, please don’t call them yet, Feb. 22
I’m 81. Thanks for the COVID-19 coverage on Tuesday. You were quite gentle with Rick Hillier. My grump is all about him.
Hillier was glad to stand in public and announce that he had the rollout all figured out, and the only problem was the feds weren’t delivering vaccines. Now, it seems he’s nowhere to be found.
Health Minister Christine Elliott has to announce that local health units and family physicians are in charge.
I’m still hoping to get jabbed pretty soon, but I blame Hillier for every day of delay.
Noel Cooper, Brechin, Ont.
Re Measles vaccine rates may be warning sign in COVID fight, Feb. 22
While the large percentage of unvaccinated children attending public schools is deeply concerning, of great concern to me is the large and misleading headline which reads “Measles shot may protect against virus.”
The actual focus of this article raises an alarm about the gaps in public health data collection and vaccination distribution which is likely to obstruct future delivery of COVID-19 vaccinations to Ontario children.
While research is being collected that indicates a positive correlation between completed MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccination and COVID-19 infection rates, there is no data in this article that supports the efficacy of the MMR as a preventative measure against COVID-19 infection.
Social factors likely have more of an impact.
All Ontario residents should be concerned that areas such as Halton have such a large percentage of children attending school unprotected from historically deadly diseases.
Until recently in this province, the yellow immunization card was required for admission to public school, and a notice of student suspension was issued when vaccinations were incomplete.
While exemptions from vaccinations may be needed in particular circumstances, public schools can play a role in public health by increasing the awareness of parents who don’t have family physicians, or face language or economic barriers, of the necessity and availability of vaccination programs.
Joan McGoey, Toronto
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