Menu

Dr. Kieran Moore

moore

Be Patient With Vaccine Certificate System: Moore

, , ,

Ontario’s top doctor expects more people will get their first or second COVID-19 vaccine shot because of the proof-of-vaccine system.

Dr. Kieran Moore says while over 85 per cent of us have at least one dose, this might be the reminder some people need.

“It may not have sunk in to some individuals that you may not be able to go see a football game, baseball game, hockey game unless you’re vaccinated, or go indoors in a restaurant or a bar or a nightclub,” he points out.

He highlights young people in their twenties and thirties, who he believes will want to get fully vaccinated so they can go to places like bars and restaurants.

Dr. Moore notes that showing your vaccine status will be a temporary measure to avoid another lockdown in the fall and winter.

When it comes time to show your vaccine receipt and ID, he reminds you to be patient.

“It’s going to be new to all of us, and know that it’ll be a learning curve for businesses and individuals as we adopt this as our new strategy to protect ourselves going into the fall and winter,” Dr. Moore says.

The proof-of-vaccine requirements begin September 22nd, and the province expects to release a mobile app by October 22nd with a digital QR code that businesses can scan.

moore

Mandatory Vaccine Policies for More Sectors

, , , , , , ,

Ontario is making COVID-19 vaccine policies mandatory for “high-risk” sectors, including healthcare.

The province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore cited the variants that have caused significant spread as one of the most important reasons for this announcement.

“It is now over 90 per cent of the detected samples are of the Delta class or variant, and we are seeing our rates of illness go up,” said Dr. Moore. “We’re also seeing our hospital rate numbers go up. As a result, we are now making these recommendations on immunization policy. I still believe there’s significant time for this to have its desired effect, and that Ontarians [can] continue to embrace immunization as our ticket [to] safety.”

Hospitals and home and community care service providers are required to have mandatory vaccination policies for employees, staff, contractors, students and volunteers. Ambulance services will also be required to to have a COVID-19 vaccination policy for paramedics. These policies must kick in no later than September 7th of this year.

By then, those groups will have to provide proof they are fully vaccinated, have a medical reasons for not being vaccinated, or have taken a COVID-19 vaccination education session. If a person cannot prove they are fully vaccinated after that, they will be required to take regular COVID-19 antigen tests.

Looking at the upcoming school year, the Ministry of Education intends to introduce vaccination disclosure policies for publicly-funded school board employees, staff in private schools, and all staff in licensed child care settings. They will also be required to take rapid tests if they are not immunized against COVID-19.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce said he believes in these policies, and the benefits they will provide in the upcoming school year.

“With the support of Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, our government is taking action to make schools as safe as possible,” said Lecce. “Our plan will protect our schools, ensure rapid speed with contact tracing, all with the intention of keeping them open for the benefit of Ontario students.”

Vaccination policies are also being put in place in other settings like post-secondary schools, licensed retirement homes, women’s shelters, congregate group homes and day programs for adults with developmental disabilities, children’s treatment centres and other services for kids with special needs, and licensed children’s residential settings.

Along with this, Dr. Moore announced some help for the province’s most vulnerable.

Ontario will be offering third doses of COVID-19 for high risk groups, including:

  • Transplant recipients (including solid organ transplant and hematopoietic stem cell transplants);
  • Patients with hematological cancers (examples include lymphoma, myeloma, leukemia) on active treatment (chemotherapy, targeted therapies, immunotherapy);
  • Recipients of an anti-CD20 agent (e.g. rituximab, ocrelizumab, ofatumumab); and
  • Residents of high-risk congregate settings including long-term care homes, higher-risk licensed retirement homes and First Nations elder care lodges.

Vaccine eligibility is being expanded for all children born in 2009, meaning all children turning 12 before the end of 2021 will be eligible for their first dose beginning Wednesday. Currently, they will only able to receive the Pfizer vaccine.

On top of this, rising case counts and the uncertainty surrounding the Delta variant lead to Dr. Moore pausing the provincial Roadmap to Reopen.

He did not provide a timeline for when more restrictions would be eased in Ontario.

kieran-moore-video-1

Remain Vigilant In Stage 3: Moore

, , , , ,

Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health says we should still be careful even as we get closer to fully re-opening.

The province is announcing we’ll start stage 3 next Friday, July 16.

Dr. Kieran Moore says the more contagious Delta variant still keeps him up at night even though many of us are now vaccinated.

“It’s the un-immunized though, now, that are our real target, that are catching the infection and are spreading it among un-immunized individuals. We should also know that the vaccine can only give so much protection,” Kieran notes, adding the main benefit of the vaccine is reducing the chance you’ll be hospitalized or die of COVID-19.

Dr. Moore mentions some public health measures will be kept in place during and for some time after Phase 3.

“My part in trying to reduce the spread of this to vulnerable members of our community that can’t get vaccinated or who are immune-suppressed, at a personal level, will be to continue to wear the masks throughout the fall until we get real, clear guidance that we’ve limited the spread of COVID-19,” says Dr. Moore.

He points out we can still expect an increase in cases in the fall because that’s when many respiratory illnesses spread more easily.

dr-kieran-moore-1

Chief Medical Officer Of Health Makes Call For Arms

, , , , , , , , , ,

Ontario’s new Medical Officer of Health is making a “call for arms”.

Dr. Kieran Moore says the province’s vaccination rate is good, but youth between the ages of 12 and 17 aren’t being immunized as quickly.

“One-third of eligible Ontarians don’t have protection going into the fall,” stresses Dr. Moore.

“We want at a minimum the highest possible level of protection for all Ontarians for a safe and secure reopening.”

Dr. Moore says while the single-dose vaccination rate among adults in Ontario is 78 percent, and the double-dose rate is 47.8 percent, it’s only 67.5 percent for all eligible Ontarians and 39.6 have two doses.

“We have to maintain a high level of immunization if we’re going to beat this virus. This is a call for arms. Each and every Ontarian that rolls up their sleeve and bares their arm helps make our fight against COVID-19 and the Delta variant makes it that much easier and safer for the fall.”

He says it’s our collective responsibility for anyone who is eligible to be immunized as soon as possible.

Dr. Moore says he would like to see our vaccination rates go up at least another 10 to 15 percent and they have a “multi-model” plan to get those numbers up.