Despite freezer stockpile, Ontario says not enough COVID-19 vaccines to give teachers now

Asked why the province does not start vaccinating teachers now, Ontario’s Solicitor General, Sylvia Jones, appeared to indicate that there is not enough doses on hand to do that, however, there are approximately 1,000,000 doses of vaccine currently sitting in freezers in Ontario.

“There is always a plan as we continue to get more vaccine from the federal government,” Jones told 680 NEWS Tuesday.

“As you know, on Saturday we received a tranche of AstraZeneca, on Monday we received a tranche of the Pfizer. The ability to … squeeze the accordion and move faster through essential workers gives us that ability when we get the vaccines.”

In an update later Tuesday, the Ford government said it would start vaccinating essential workers starting in mid-May rather than the previous timeframe of June.

Meanwhile, Ontario Liberal Party Leader Steven Del Duca is calling on Premier Doug Ford to vaccinate all education workers starting during the April 12 school break.

Del Duca suggested the government start doling out the vaccines in schools so that teachers could go to their own school during the week off to receive their shot.