Ford’s vax pass not inclusive
Re ‘I don’t understand how a place of worship is any less important’: Religious leaders ask to be included in Ontario’s vaccine certificate, Sept. 2
We commend Rev. Jeff Rock for speaking up and pointing out a loophole in the government’s vaccine certificate plan, which leaves places of worship off the list of services for which patrons are obligated to provide proof they are double vaccinated. He is absolutely right. Ontario nurses describe this as a serious omission.
Rev. Rock and other religious leaders understand that we are all in this together and have to do our part to protect one another.
Daily COVID-19 case counts are rising.
The Delta variant is deadly and the majority of those becoming infected are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.
We implore Premier Ford to revisit his vaccine certificate plan and add places of worship, as well as personal care services, such as barber shops and salons, to the list.
Furthermore, nurses urge all nonessential retail stores to be added.
We need everyone to do their part in the fight against COVID-19, especially as the summer wanes, schools reopen, and more people spend time indoors. Church leaders are stepping up. We need our political leaders to do the same.
Dr. Doris Grinspun, Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario
If you won’t get the shot, leave the ICU bed free!
Re Vaccine rate gets shot in arm, Sept. 4
To all antivaccination folk:
What I’m about to say is factual and may be contrary to your beliefs, but that does not take away from its validity.
My uncle died in the battle of Somme in the First World War at the age of 19, in September 1916.
He died fighting for your freedom and it’s that freedom that allows you to to make a decision to ignore science and refuse to help your fellow Canadians.
Fast forward 105 years to September of 2021.
Two of my immediate family are health-care professionals who are exhausted mentally and physically while doing their level best to save lives and telling whoever will listen that vaccines work.
I ask you to celebrate your freedom by thanking my uncle and others like him.
I ask you to reward my family members and lighten their load by staying home when you get stricken by the disease and be content to die there, warmed by the knowledge that the scientists and medical professionals couldn’t make you get vaccinated, leaving that ICU bed available for people that did their best to help themselves and their fellow Canadians.
Tom Airth, Burlington
Religious exemption to vaccine isn’t right
One of the allowable reasons for not getting vaccinated is “religious.”
Which religions forbid vaccination? Are we to conclude that none of these adherents have ever been vaccinated against any disease? Do their children go to public schools?
Do these people refuse all types of medication?
There is no difference between swallowing a pill or receiving an injection; it all enters your body.
How will government decide whether someone has a legitimate religious reason?
We cannot simply take someone’s word for it. A religious exemption is ridiculous and the government needs to find a backbone and simply deny it as a reason not to be vaccinated.
Cecily Ziliotto, Toronto
TTC union should be encouraging vaccination
Re TTC union members urged not to disclose shot status, Sept. 8
Shame, shame, shame on the TTC workers’ union for recommending its members not disclose their vaccination status!
This foolhardy action puts all TTC co-workers and their families, and all the hundreds of thousands who use TTC services daily, at greater risk of contracting the Delta variant of the virus.
As a former union chief steward, myself, I know that one of the most important functions of a union is to protect the health and safety of its members.
Surely, the TTC workers’ union efforts would be put to better use showing health and safety leadership by mounting a positive campaign to ensure all TTC workers are fully vaccinated. Ivan Brown, Toronto
Living free and healthy in Haldimand-Norfolk
Re Vaccine rate gets shot in arm, Sept. 4
As a resident of Haldimand-Norfolk, I was dismayed to read that we have the lowest rate of fully vaccinated residents in Ontario.
However, I was not surprised given that Matt Strauss, an anti-lockdown doctor, has been appointed as actin medical officer of health for our region.
His post of “live free or die” accurately reflects the reason why I signed up for my vaccines as soon as I was eligible: I want to live free and not die.
Carol Caulderwood, Simcoe, Ont.
Five billion and counting. That’s some ‘experiment’!
Re Vaccine passports? Much ado about nothing, Sept. 3
I wish to thank Werner Broschinski for his letter, for elucidating the thinking of an anti-vaxxer.
However, it does require a followup: He failed to define the requirements for the vaccine to cease to be deemed “a massive experiment”; with more than five billion doses administered, and hospitalizations now being primarily among the unvaccinated, just what criteria need to be met, or is it just never endingly experimental?
Also, he should give some basis to his statement that freedom of religion, which ensures the right to worship, also gives the right to spread a virus to unsuspecting people.
History confirms that vaccines have all but stopped the enormous numbers of deaths of children, young parents and people entering their later years that occurred with devastating frequency from diseases in past generations. A walk around any older cemetery will confirm that, particularly in the children’s section.
Sharon Riley, Niagara Falls, Ont.
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