May 5th, 2021
May 5th, 2021
BRAMPTON AND SCARBOROUGH — The Doug Ford government’s update on the vaccination strategy Wednesday was another blow to hotspot communities throughout the province. Despite advice from the Science Table and other experts, the Ford government is still planning to ditch help for hotspots at the end of next week.
“I’m grateful to local leaders for paving the way for all adults in Peel to start booking their shots, but the province now needs to make sure our community gets its fair share of vaccines so people can actually access them,” said NDP Deputy Leader Sara Singh, who is the MPP for Brampton Centre. “This pandemic will be longer and deeper for everyone if we do not extinguish the COVID fires raging in hotspots like Peel.”
“Ford’s decision to go against expert advice, yet again, is going to come with a hefty price for all Ontarians, and most especially for essential workers and families living in fear in the worst hotspots.”
Ontario’s Science Table has recommended that 50 per cent of all vaccines go to 74 hotspots, and said it would take at least 25 days to vaccinate those 74 hot spots. In yet another of his too-little-too-late moves, Ford and his cabinet are watering that down to two weeks, and spreading the doses thin among 114 postal codes, some of which have no business being designated a hotspot
“Doug Ford has let COVID-19 run rampant through Scarborough, tearing through families and workforces,” said Doly Begum, MPP for Scarborough Southwest. “The government has avoided action, and tried to ignore us and leave us behind.
“If we were getting an equitable share of vaccines, people wouldn’t be lined up at pop-ups in the wee hours, praying that they’ll get a chance to protect themselves. What kind of a government forces people to get health care that way?”