As Ontario, Canada looks to end its Wuhan virus restrictions, a provincial government minister has announced a review of vaccine mandates for healthcare workers in long-term care facilities.
The Canadian province’s Minister of Long-Term Care, Paul Calandra, announced this week that the Ontario provincial government, led by Premier Doug Ford, would be reviewing the vaccine mandate in long-term care facilities as it moves to end some coronavirus restrictions.
“We’re taking a look at everything right now,” Calandra said. “The government is in the process [of] reviewing everything: mandates, both long-term care home and other restrictions across government, so that’s going to be part of that,” he added, according to broadcaster CBC.
Ontario’s chief medical officer, Dr Kieran Moore, has also expressed a desire to open a dialogue on the subject of vaccine mandates in care homes, noting that a large number of those in such homes are already vaccinated.
“At this point, I’m absolutely supportive of working with the minister to reflect on their current rate of vaccination and the risk in the community and review whether that mandate of a third dose in workers should be maintained,” he said.
On March 1st, Ontario is set to end its vaccine passport system — a move announced as announced as the Freedom Convoy protests were blockading the Canadian border in several provinces and occupying a section of downtown Ottawa near the Canadian parliament building.
Premier Ford imposed a state of emergency only after announcing an end to the vaccine passport system, using police to clear a border blockade along the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario, one of the main hubs of cross-border trade between Canada and the United States.
Earlier this week, Ford revoked the state of emergency in Ontario, with Ford’s spokeswoman Ivana Yelich stating: “The emergency tools provided to law enforcement will be maintained at this time as police continue to address ongoing activity on the ground.”
The announcement came as Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau revoked the Emergencies Act, which he had also used to crack down on Freedom Convoy protestors in Ottawa last weekend.