All Mississauga postal codes being declared a hotspot for 18+ vaccinations could come this week
Published May 4, 2021 at 11:54 pm
A decision on whether all of Mississauga will be declared a hotspot could be coming this week.
Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie hinted that there could be some progress on designating the entire city a hotspot similar to the way province did with Brampton after a surge in COVID-19 cases there.
Doing so would mean residents all across the city, including the southern part of Mississauga where the case count is lower, could get their vaccinations.
BREAKING:
All Mississauga and Brampton residents over 18 will be able to book vaccine appointments May 6
“I think by the end of the week, we’ll know more about that,” Crombie told Insauga’s Khaled Iwamura.
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The mayor is hoping that all Mississauga residents ages 18 and over, and not just those in certain hotspot postal codes, would be eligible to get vaccinated.
“I’m hoping to hear,” Crombie said while crossing her fingers. “I’m hoping to hear something positive.”
The mayor pointed to how Mississauga’s case rates and hospitalization rates in non hotspots are higher than other hotspots around the province with the exception of Peel and Toronto.
“The ones in Mississauga that aren’t part or considered a hotzone or hotspot are higher than other places,” Crombie said. “Even than some other hotspots, but they’re not included and we’re not sure why.”
That all could change by the end of this week.
“We think we might hear something by the end of the week, so we’re very hopeful because it does make sense,” the mayor said. “And then we can just open it up to 18-plus to register for their appointment throughout Peel, which is fantastic.
“All of Brampton is (a hotspot). There is one (area) in Caledon that is not (a hotspot) and only three plus what’s around the airport in Mississauga that’s not.”
For those who worker in neighbourhoods that are currently hotspots, but don’t live in an actual hotspot, Crombie suggests that they still could get vaccinated right now.
“If you’re an essential worker, I think you can make the case,” she said. “If your workplace is in a hotspot and you don’t live in the hotspot, if it were me I would register under that postal code. Then you get there and they ask, ‘Do you live there? No, but I work there and I’m an essential worker.’ I bet they’re going to let you through.”
At the end of the day, it’s all about getting as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible in an effort to end the pandemic.
“And that is the point,” Crombie said. “I know they’re very generous at all the mass vaccination sites about vaccinating whoever comes. If you can give them a good reason to give you a vaccine, you’ll get your vaccine.”
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