- by David McLeish

A lively debate is now underway as to whether Canadians should be required to be vaccinated against Covid-19 or alternatively, be required to carry a COVID-19 Vaccine Certificate. Premier Ford has said his government is neither planning to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for workers in any industry, nor is it going to develop a provincial "vaccine passport'' similar to one announced in Quebec to determine access to certain activities.In the past, people waited for up to 52 years or more for a vaccine that could save their or their child’s life. Imagine the Canadian parents who had wait for 45 years worrying whether their child would develop polio. There is still no cure for this disease; only vaccination can prevent it. Yet here we are in 2021, with a life saving vaccine developed in just over one year and people are refusing it.

Some people, understandably, cannot take the vaccine for medical reasons, yet 20% of Canadians remain hesitant to get the vaccine and about 11% may never be convinced to do so. “There is a strong scientific basis for COVID-19 vaccination reducing infection, hospitalization, and severe illness from SARS-CoV-2 (Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table). UNICEF estimates that vaccines save an estimated 2-3 million lives every year.

In contrast to Mr. Ford, the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) has stated that all health-care workers in the province should be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. According to the CBC, OMA president Dr. Adam Kassam said that "Vaccines are the best way to control the spread of COVID-19, and remain an essential component in protecting our patients, families and friends." Many organizations and businesses are wrestling with this issue. An increasing number have developed policies requiring customers to provide proof of vaccination before receiving service (e.g. Calgary Stampede) or to live in residence at a university (e.g. Western and U of T), but there is no consistency. Isn’t consistency a service government should provide?

A recent effort to provide a list of businesses that have fully vaccinated staff or that require customers to show proof of vaccination was shut down due to attacks including fake Google reviews, false bookings at restaurants, and hateful messages. Clearly there is a lack of consensus on this matter.

According to the Canadian Press, Ford stated that "I think it's our constitutional right to take it or not take it,'' he said of vaccines against the virus. "I've been out here for months, begging, pleading (for) everyone to get it, but no one should be forced to do anything.'' He added that it's up to private companies to come up with their own employee vaccination policies.

The idea that “no one should be forced to do anything'' is pure rubbish. Most are forced to work, ID must be presented for youngsters to enter a bar, I’m required to have a driver’s licence, present my Health Card for medical services, pay for my meal at a restaurant, etc., etc.

It would seem that Ford neglected to familiarize himself with his employer’s laws when he made these statements. In Ontario, unless they have a valid exemption, the law (Immunization of School Pupils Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. I.1) states that children who attend primary or secondary school must be immunized against: diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, meningitis, whooping cough, and chickenpox (required for children born in 2010 or later). All that it would take would be for the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care to declare Covid-19 a designated disease.

To-date, a Covid-19 vaccine has not been approved for children under 12 years of age, but that may be an option next year. In the meantime, everyone older than 12 years has had ample opportunities to receive a vaccination, free of charge. Is it reasonable to expect everyone to accept the vaccine or carry a Vaccination Certificate? In a recent survey 70% of respondents from Ontario supported the use of a proof-of-vaccination system for travel or certain discretionary activities. That is a greater majority (40.19%) than elected Ford.

But, should people be forced to vaccinate? If children are already required to have vaccines for many diseases, why not require adults to be vaccinated for Covid-19? How ‘bad’ is Covid-19 relative to the current list of designated diseases that require proof of vaccination by law in Ontario. Tuberculosis is also included for comparative purposes, since until drug therapies were developed; it was the leading cause of death in Canada.

This figure compares the number of deaths per 100,000 Canadians for most of Ontario’s designated diseases and tuberculosis. Either long-term data or the data for the peak year (i.e. worst case scenario) of each disease was used. As can be seen from this chart, Covid-19 is second only to tuberculosis as a killer in Canada. Covid-19 has killed from 2 times to 125 times as many Canadians as our current list of designated diseases yet is has not been designated. Why?

Our ancestors had no choice but to sit by helplessly while their loved ones died or developed life long infirmities from these diseases. They welcomed vaccines with open arms. Most of us, with the exception of some new Canadians, have not had to endure this horrific experience. We’re lucky.

Recently, 90% of Covid-19 Cases, 85% of Covid-19 Hospitalizations, and 82% of Covid-19 Deaths have been of the unvaccinated. One might suggest that they are reaping the consequences of their decisions; however, they pose a risk not only to themselves, but also to those with compromised immune systems and other health issues. Further, by unnecessarily occupying hospital beds the unvaccinated force those who need surgery for cancer, heart disease, etc. to wait.

Perhaps, in our consideration of individual rights versus those of the community, we should consider the words of John B. Finch who, to paraphrase, said: “Your right to swing your arms ends just where the other man’s nose begins.” Today, it would go something like this: “Your right to remain unvaccinated or walk around without a COVID-19 Vaccine Certificate ends just where the risk to the health of children or those with impaired health status begins.”