Peel’s top doctor exploring possibility of regional vaccine passports
Posted August 26, 2021 12:09 pm.
Last Updated August 26, 2021 1:31 pm.
Peel’s medical officer of health says they are exploring the idea of creating their own regional COVID vaccine certificates if the Ford government doesn’t step up with a vaccine passport.
Dr. Lawrence Loh says they are in the early exploratory phase of “trying to understand what our jurisdiction might be and also what the nature of what a program might look like.”
He did say he would prefer the province led the way with the vaccine passports.
“Our preference would be that such a technology be developed at a provincial level both to facilitate standardization and consistency across the province and to facilitate interprovincial travel,” said Dr. Loh.
Toronto Mayor John Tory also said he would like to see the province come up with some sort of concrete form of documentation.
“I do not understand, for the life of me, why this is such an issue,” Tory said on Thursday. “Because what you’ve got now is every company, every school board, every music venue, every sports venue, making up their own rules and I think that is the recipe for confusion.”
It comes as Liberal leader Steven Del Duca is calling for a virtual “summit” on Monday to discuss vaccine passports and mandates.
“Let’s meet on Monday morning. Let’s hash this out. Let’s look at best practices and then figure out a way forward,” Del Duca said.
The office of Ontario’s Health Minister said in a statement that there is still no plan for the government to implement or mandate a vaccination certificate system.
“I know that’s what they’re saying. That is disappointing to hear,” Del Duca told 680 NEWS on Thursday. “It is the right thing to do to have that reliable certificate. It seems to me that a discussion, an urgent discussion [is needed] on Monday, and I really hope that Doug Ford and the rest of the political leaders will be there with an open heart and an open mind.”
“I’m hoping that it will have a positive impact, that it will nudge this issue right across the finish line,” Del Duca added.
The virtual summit will be held at 10 a.m. and invitations have gone out to all the other party leaders including Ford.
It’s been weeks since Premier Ford has held a news conference, with the last one dating back to July 30th.
Municipalities and private business continue to announce COVID-19 vaccine mandates including employees from Peel Region and Toronto, long-term care homes and police forces across the province.
B.C. and Quebec have introduced vaccine passports and will require residents to show proof of vaccination to be able to access a wide range of non-essential services and activities, including gyms and restaurants.
