Province approves more than $44M in funds to help fight COVID-19 in Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon

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Published November 9, 2021 at 1:05 pm

Ottawa is upping its contribution to cover the “extraordinary costs” of combating COVID-19 in Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon.

In letters to the Region last week, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health Christine Elliott said the province is committing up to $44.78 million in additional one-time funding to Peel Public Health (PPH).

Chief Medical Officer Kieran Moore said the funds will help with “preventing, monitoring, detecting, and containing COVID-19 in the province.”

According to Moore, the maximum funding available to PPH for the 2021-2022 funding year is up to $196,974,600.

Last month, Insauga.com reported the Region of Peel was forecasting a funding gap in its COVID-19 mass vaccination plan (MVP) rollout.

A financial update to Regional Council showed staff initially estimated the Region’s mass vaccination program (MVP) would cost $153.9 million, but current projections show the MVP could be nearly a third less expensive than originally anticipated at $107.3 million.

The province has already shelled out more than $73 million in funding to the MVP, leaving a funding gap between $33 million and $80.3 million depending on the program’s final cost.

Elliot said the Region will have more opportunities to request reimbursement of covid-19 costs, including vaccine related expenses.

By December, PPH will have doubled the Region’s vaccine system.

The Region said some 2.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have already been delivered, and PPH will be offering vaccinations at a variety of clinics across Peel communities.

The province has also expanded eligibility for booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines to high-risk individuals.

Healthcare workers, people over 70 and essential caregivers can start booking their COVID-19 booster shots if at least six months have passed since their last dose.

Individuals who received two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine or one dose of the Janssen vaccine are also eligible for the booster.

Boosters can be booked online through the province’s COVID-19 vaccination portal.

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