Health-care spokesman criticized for vaccine Twitter post

Erie Shores Healthcare is facing a public relations backlash after its PR director posted a photo of himself receiving a COVID-19 vaccine while thousands of frontline workers across the region wait for theirs.

Arms Bumanlag, the Leamington hospital's director of Communications and Public Relations, posted the photo Wednesday morning. He deleted it shortly afterward. Unifor Local 2458 president Tullio DiPonti said “90 to 95 per cent” of the 4,200 health-care workers he represents still aren't vaccinated.

“Our members are just furious,” he said after someone sent him the post. “We have frontline workers who are begging to get their vaccine. They can't get their vaccine because they're in outbreaks, yet we have a PR person that's on Twitter showing that he's got the vaccine in his arm.

“Residents in these facilities are literally dying. Our members are saying `please, make sure that I get the vaccine so I have some sense of security when I go in there and try to take care of these residents.' Then when they see that, it's disheartening. It's sad.”

Erie Shores CEO Kristin Kennedy issued a statement defending the hospital's vaccination procedures. She said the hospital is following all provincial guidelines and directives regarding vaccine distribution.

“As part of Phase 1 of the plan, all front line health care workers in the Hospital who have elected to receive the vaccine have received it.”

She said the hospital then offered the vaccine to its leadership team and other staff with additional pandemic responsibilities who “now have direct contact with patients and other front line employees."

“As part of a community based hospital, our leadership team is also dealing directly with health care providers and administrators in long-term care and retirement homes, community agencies and with representatives of other businesses in the community including those in the agri-food sector, which, as you know, has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.

In the now-deleted Twitter post, Bumanlag shared a photo of himself wearing a mask and face shield while receiving the vaccine.

He wrote that he told his son he was receiving a shot that day. “He said `like me?' I said. `For you.'”

He also urged others to get the vaccine.

“As a team member of @ESH

Our members are just furious. We have frontline workers who are begging to get their vaccine. They can't get their vaccine because they're in outbreaks ...

Care — for the sake of my family, coworkers, and our community I just got the COVID vaccine. Please get yours as soon as you're eligible — and keep wearing your mask.”

Diponti said he encourages everyone to get the vaccine, but added “there's a pecking order.”

“I believe it was bad judgment by him putting it on Twitter," said Diponti.

"It was disheartening not only to me but a lot of the members and I'm sure some of the family members that have to deal with the death of their loved ones.”