Brampton Mayor Brown defends ‘live in fear’ comments after social media backlash

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Published March 4, 2022 at 4:18 pm

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown is doubling down after saying people are “living in fear” from COVID-19 for not going out to bars and businesses.

“We can’t live in fear,” Brown wrote in a Tweet on Wednesday, saying it was “time to get back to normal, follow the science and put fear in the rear view mirror” and support

That statement came under fire from some residents and users on social media, including the president and chief executive officer of the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) who accused Brown of “undermining public health” and downplaying “the seriousness of the pandemic.”

“We all want this to be over, especially hospitals,” Dale said in response to Brown, saying the mayor’s repeated calls for easing of COVID-19 restrictions were “calculated comments” made to “keep his options open for federal politics.”

Brown defended his comments in an interview with insauga.com publisher Khaled Iwamura on Friday and said his statement recieved some support from health professionals and was in line with advice he’d received from Dr. Sergio Borgia of William Osler Health System.

“I’m sceptical that masking in schools accomplishes any benefit with respect to meaningful COVID-19 outcomes such as hospitalizations,” Borgia reportedly wrote to Brown while also saying that “masking is an intervention that has a useful role in certain high-risk settings.”

“I trust our top doctors in Peel, and when they say they’re comfortable with restrictions being lifted then I am too,” Brown said.

The province said last week that mask mandates are staying in place in Ontario for now, but when they are removed for public settings they will simultaneously be lifted in schools.

Peel Region’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. Lawrence Loh said that he’s not likely to recommend extending mask bylaws in Mississauga and Brampton when they are set to expire at the end of March.

Before the Twitter war of words on Wednesday, Brown spoke at the city’s weekly COVID-19 press conference and urged residents to go out to local restaurants.

He gave an anecdote about being in dismay while at a Brampton pub to watch a sporting event he said was empty. Brown also said he’s seen “people walk down the street by themselves wearing a mask when the data suggest that is completely unnecessary.”

But Peel Public Health says making helps control spread of COVID-19 “by preventing you from accidentally infecting others by blocking respiratory particles” and does not recommend removing or touching a mask without washing your or sanitizing your hands.

Ontario has dropped proof of COVID-19 vaccination requirements for businesses and organisations, and Brampton has removed proof of vaccination requirements and capacity limits at all city-run recreation centres and performing arts venues.

While Brampton has done away with capacity limits at city-run facilities, the province is allowing independent businesses to choose if they continue requiring a valid COVID-19 vaccination record upon entry.

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