Ontario doctors believe all health care workers should be required to get COVID-19 vaccine
Published July 16, 2021 at 6:51 pm
The Ontario Medical Association (OMA) is calling for all health care workers to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their patients against COVID-19.
Earlier this week, Doug Ford announced the Province would not impose a requirement for health care workers to get vaccinated.
“No one should be forced to do anything,” Ford said during a press conference on Thursday (July 15). “I think it’s their constitutional right to take it or not take it.”
However, the OMA disagrees with Ford’s statement.
“All health-care workers should be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect themselves, their patients and the community,” reads a statement from the OMA.
According to the latest available data, 98 per cent of Ontario physicians have been fully immunized against the virus—the vast majority, but not all.
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“Vaccines are the best way to control the spread of COVID-19, and remain an essential component in protecting our patients, families and friends,” Adam Kassam, president of the OMA, said in a news release.
“As a front-line doctor who is fully vaccinated, I am proud to stand with my physician colleagues who continue to advocate for full vaccination of all those eligible,” he continued.
Additionally, the OMA is urging all Ontarians, especially younger residents, who are eligible but have not yet received a dose of a vaccine to book an appointment as soon as possible.
“It is especially important for youths ages 12-17 whose vaccination rates are lower than other age groups. The OMA remains concerned about the Delta variant of the virus, which is more contagious and can cause more serious illness,” the statement continues.
The OMA is encouraging anyone who may be hesitant to get vaccinated to talk to their family doctor, pediatrician, or public health unit, regarding their concerns, as well as the benefits of vaccines.
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