NDP calls on Ford to vaccinate all long-term care residents by Friday

QUEEN’S PARK — With over 130,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine sitting in Ontario freezers as of Monday, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath is calling for all long-term care residents to receive their first vaccine shot by Friday.

“We have to do far more than just wait for the vaccine in long-term care homes,” said Horwath. “Especially with the more infectious B117 variant knocking at the door of long-term care homes, we have to hire thousands of staff, put infection prevention and control experts in every home, give all staff paid sick days, and call in the Canadian Armed Forces to give us more capacity to care for residents who are crying out for basic care and comfort.

“But with doses sitting in the freezer, there is no reason seniors in long-term care should wait another three weeks for the light at the end of the tunnel. Those shots should be in vulnerable arms no later than Friday.”

Horwath said high-risk retirement home residents and other congregate care residents should also have their shots expedited.

To date, Ontario has received 411,650 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, and has given 280,573 shots.