QUEEN’S PARK — Mike Schreiner released the following statement in response to calls from Peel Mayors for accelerated second doses to hot spots:
“I’m calling on the Premier to listen to the experts and immediately get second doses to frontline workers and hot spot regions.
We have the supply to do it.
With the rise of the more contagious and severe Delta variant, experts warn that we risk the possibility of another COVID wave if second doses are not targeted to those most at-risk.
Research from the U.K. suggests people are significantly less protected after one dose compared to two. And according to the Science Table, the Delta variant already comprises 23% of cases in Ontario.
But there’s a way to prevent another surge: get second doses to those that need protection the most. And in addition to the elderly and immunocompromised, that’s frontline workers and hot spot communities like Mississauga and Brampton.
We need to be proactive to get on top of this virus once and for all. Delayed half measures won’t cut it.
The hot spot prioritization plan in early May clearly worked. So why not do the same immediately with second doses?
But because the current second dose plan is based on when people received their first dose, it places frontline workers towards the back of the line.
We can’t make the same mistakes as with the first dose rollout.
So I’m calling on the Premier to be proactive and get second doses to frontline workers and hot spots now.”