Ford putting the cart before the horse with lifting of public health restrictions while kids remain unvaccinated

October 22, 2021

QUEEN’S PARK — Mike Schreiner released the following statement in response to Doug Ford’s press conference this afternoon:

“Doug Ford is putting the cart before the horse with today’s announcement. Ford’s plans to lift public health restrictions when vaccine certificates have only just begun and millions of kids remain ineligible for vaccines is worrisome, especially as we head into the winter months.

Everyone wants to move on from the pandemic.

But why is Ford talking about ending vaccine certificates when the program has only just gotten off the ground? Today is the first day of the QR codes coming into effect.

We need to do everything possible to increase vaccine uptake, protect the most vulnerable and keep schools and businesses open.

But Ford’s mixed messages and politicization of vaccine certificates is not helping.

And why are we talking about lifting public health measures when almost 2 million kids under 12 are still unvaccinated?

Parents are waiting for guidance on how their kids will get vaccinated. But we haven’t heard anything from Ford.

The Science Table’s modelling today was clear: case studies show that lifting public health measures can drive a new wave, even with strong vaccine coverage.

We can put this pandemic behind us. But it will take a cautious approach as we head into the winter and kids remain unvaccinated.”

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