October 22nd, 2021

Horwath urges Ford to have provincial vaccine roll out plan for kids

SARNIA — Official Opposition NDP Leader Andrea Horwath is calling for a province-wide plan to roll out the COVID-19 vaccine to children as soon as it’s approved.

The St. Clair Catholic District School in the Sarnia region has the highest rate of student COVID cases in the province at 233 infections per 100,000 people. The Lambton-Kent District School Board has 119 student cases per 100,000 people. Infections at schools in the Sarnia region far outpace the rate of infections in the surrounding community, where the rate is 81 per 100,000.

“I’m elated that a COVID vaccine for five to 11 year olds has been submitted for approval. This comes as a huge relief to millions of parents here in Sarnia and around the province, who can’t wait to give their kids the protection we all deserve,” said Horwath.

“If I were premier today, I’d have a plan out there now that includes in-school clinics and early registration. When the approval comes, we can get all children their first dose literally within days. I’m hearing from parents who are disappointed because that’s not what they’re hearing from the Doug Ford government.”

The Ford government has not invested in a provincial plan, which could lead to the scrambling and searching Ontarians coped with in the first months of adult vaccine bookings. In contrast, parents in British Columbia have been able to preregister their children to receive the COVID-19 vaccine already.

The NDP has also called for the COVID-19 vaccine to be added to the existing list of student vaccines, which already includes shots like the measles and mumps vaccines.

Quote

Michelle Ruston, local parent of two and supply teacher
"It will be a relief when my son and daughter are finally protected from serious illness by receiving the Covid vaccine. The Ford government has let us down by not making schools safer so they need to tell us their plan for a fast and smooth rollout of the vaccines when it’s approved by Health Canada. Parents should not have to scramble or wait longer than necessary to protect their kids."