FROLITICKS

Satirical commentary on Canadian and American current political issues

Sep 19

Rise in Treatment with Monoclonal Antibodies Used as Expensive Substitute for Vaccines

by bcurry

Everyone knows the old saying: “A once of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”  Well, apparently, some people don’t believe this.  Instead of simply getting vaccinated against COVID-19, they are waiting to have the coronavirus and then ask to be treated with new experimental treatment using monoclonal antibodies to lessen the effects of COVID-19.  Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-made proteins that mimic the immune system’s ability to fight off viruses.  Such treatments were originally designed to keep COVID patients out of hospitals and to lessen the symptoms experienced with the disease.  Even in Canada, the treatment was approved back in November 2020.  The authorization for its used was based on promising data that showed that the treatment by infusion appeared to reduce COVID-related hospitalization or emergency room visits in patients at high risk for disease progression.

However, in the U.S., demand for treatment using monoclonal antibodies, especially by the unvaccinated, has begun to outstrip the supply by the federal government.  What is particularly interesting is that the federal government presently is covering the price tag of the remedy — presently at about $2,100 for every dose.  On the other hand, one dose of a COVID vaccine in the U.S. costs only $20.  In addition, while just one vaccination safeguards untold others from exposure, a single infusion only helps one affected individual.

The sudden rise in demand for monoclonal antibodies treatment is seen as partly due to the fact that people who shunned COVID vaccines have embraced antibody treatment.  In turn, it is now reported that waning federal provides and soaring demand from much less-vaccinated Southern states (e.g. North Carolina, Texas and Florida) have brought about what many states have described as massive shortfalls in deliveries.  The Biden administration has already invested $150 million in expanding accessibility to monoclonal antibodies, but the required delivery of the treatment to patients by health care workers is taking a toll on already scarce hospital resources.  Accessibility for the treatment has also become an issue, resulting for example in the transformation of dental clinics, mobile models and auditoriums into infusion facilities in several counties.  Unlike COVID vaccines which are readily available to most Americans, the monoclonal antibodies infusions continue to be inaccessible to many people.

There is little doubt that governments and public health officials are concerned about providing legitimate treatments for COVID patients.  This is why agreements were signed by the American and Canadian governments to purchase new antibody treatments, while maintaining their standards for safety, efficacy and quality.  However, such treatments were never intended to be a replacement for COVID vaccinations which serve as a much more reliable and safe preventative measure.  Championed by mainstream medical doctors and conservative radio hosts alike, the use of antibody treatments have tended unfortunately to take on just that role.  It’s difficult to understand that anyone knowingly would forgo getting vaccinated, relying instead on an experimental treatment in the event that they become infected and sick.  This has become another one of the crazy absurdities emerging out of the pandemic!

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Sep 10

U.S. President Finally Getting More Serious About Combating COVID-19

by bcurry

Let’s set the stage.  So far, the COVID pandemic has claimed more than 650,000 lives in the U.S.  The U.S. recorded 176,000 new cases on September 8, far above the roughly 10,000 a day seen in June when the pandemic was at its ebb.  A quarter of eligible Americans — some 80 million people — have so far not been vaccinated for the coronavirus.  Just as millions of American families navigate sending their children back to school, the number of children admitted to hospital with Covid-19 has risen to the highest levels reported to date.  States with the lowest vaccine coverage have child hospital admissions that are around four times higher than states with the highest vaccination rates.  According to the American Academy of Paediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association, nearly 252,000 American children tested positive for COVID-19 last week, marking the single highest week on record for paediatric infections.  Nearly 30,000 of them entered hospitals in August alone.  Hospital resources and their staffs in several states are being strained under rising hospital admissions due to COVID.

Now, President Biden has declared that he will order all executive branch employees, federal contractors and millions of health-care workers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, and that his administration would issue rules requiring large private employers to mandate shots or testing.  New federal safety regulations that call for businesses with more than 100 workers to require vaccinations against the coronavirus will affirm mandates already in place at many companies.  The requirements will be imposed by the Department of Labor and its Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which is drafting an emergency temporary standard to carry out the mandate.  Some 80 million American workers will be affected.  President Biden will also require vaccinations for more than 17 million health-care workers at Medicare and Medicaid participating hospitals and in other health-care settings, a significant expansion of an existing requirement aimed at nursing homes.

There is little doubt that the President’s order will face political pushback, particularly from some Republican state governors and legislatures, and will result in some litigation.  However, some of the largest employer organizations, such as the Business Roundtable, and largest unions, such as the Teamsters, the AFL-CIO, and the United Food and Commercial Workers, have endorsed the President’s move as the only possible way to achieve a full recovery.  They especially agree with the proposed requirement that companies offer paid time off for workers to get vaccinated.  However, concerns have been expressed over how to deal with unvaccinated workers, particularly those who are vaccine hesitant.  Of course, under the OSHA requirements, accommodation will also have to be made for those employees who can’t be vaccinated due to medical reasons.  Unions want to ensure that workplace COVID-19 health and safety plans include mitigation measures like ventilation, removing infected individuals, masking and training workers.

The U.S. cannot continue to take the fourth COVID wave involving the Delta variant lightly!  It is now affecting more children, particularly those under twelve who can’t get vaccinated at this time.  Unlike in some states, Canadian schools are requiring pre-screening protocols, rapid COVID testing, masking and other precautionary measures to minimize the impact of the variant on children.  As of the end of August, Canada reached a milestone with over 83.5 percent of the eligible population (12 yrs and up) receiving at least one dose of a COVID vaccine.  There is a fairly clear recognition that the more adults and parents who are vaccinated, the less likely children will become infected.  Many Canadian employers, notably in the health care and education sectors, have now mandated full vaccination of their employees, again as a health and safety measure.  In several provinces, vaccine passports are being introduced as proof of full vaccination in order to access non-essential establishments (restaurants, bars, sporting events, etc.).  Like the U.S., Canada has entered a fourth wave and the federal and provincial governments are doing everything in their power to limit its impact, both human and economic.  There is little doubt that President Biden is moving in the right direction given the nature of the COVID crisis.

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Sep 6

Labour Day Means Different Things to the Employed and the Unemployed This Year

by bcurry

For many employed workers working from home, the expected return to the workplace has once again been delayed due to the current fourth wave of the pandemic thanks to the Delta variant of COVID-19.  For some working in workplaces, health and safety restrictions have been re-introduced to prevent outbreaks, including masking and physical distancing.  In addition, more and more businesses are requiring their employees to be vaccinated in order to enter workplaces.  In a recent Willis Towers Watson survey of nearly 1,000 American companies, which together employ almost 10 million people, 52 percent of respondents said they planned to have vaccine mandates by the end of the year, compared with 21 percent that said they already had vaccine requirements.  For those companies in which the employees have no union, the workers may not have any choice but to be vaccinated or loose their jobs.

For the unemployed, the end of government aid has arrived, especially in the U.S.  It is estimated that more than 7 million out-of-work people across the U.S. are set to lose all of their jobless benefits this week as three federal programs expire.  For Canadians, COVID-related unemployment benefits have been extended for now to November and special wage supports to October 2021.  With a current unemployment rate of nearly 8 percent, one has to ask what will happen to the thousands of unemployed Canadians in the near future?  Will current government financial aid programs continue to exist next year?

For those working on the front lines, including first responders and health care workers, the rise in COVID cases and increased hospitalization rates is again producing mental and physical strains on the workforce.  Many are experiencing varying degrees of burn-out and mental health issues, potentially leaving many to simply withdraw their services.  With the re-opening of their businesses, among the reasons that employers are currently having difficulties in finding workers is the fear of returning to the workplace because of the highly contagious Delta variant and lack of adequate health and safety measures.  In addition, many low-income parents are facing a lack of affordable, quality child care and inexpensive housing.  Some immunocompromised individuals are further worried about COVID exposure in workplaces with unvaccinated employees or clients, especially where masking is not mandated.  Furthermore, many employers do not provide health benefits, leaving employees to bear the costs associated with COVID-related hospitalization and medical treatment.

As for gig workers in the U.S., such as Uber and Lyft drivers, when the federal benefits expire, they most likely will be ineligible for state aid because gig workers do not traditionally qualify.  This situation applies to any individuals who are considered to be “independent contractors” in their respective jurisdictions.  This leaves them in a very precarious financial situation should they become ill and unable to work.

For many workers who cannot be vaccinated due to medical reasons and where the employer cannot accommodate them in terms of their usual work, the employment situation is precarious to say the least this Labour Day.  One has to feel a great deal of concern for both those employed and unemployed given the pandemic’s fourth wave.  Unfortunately, both lawmakers and employers assumed the pandemic wouldn’t last as long as it has.  Millions of workers have been caught in the obvious dilemma of having to put food on the table or having to ensure their occupational health and safety.  It appears that some businesses and governments have recognized this reality, while others appear to living on another planet.  In order for all of us to survive this pandemic and cope with its on-going consequences, it’s essential that we reflect on these critical issues today and after Labour Day.

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Sep 1

Failure of Colleges to Require Full COVID Vaccination Opens Up Door to Litigation

by bcurry

Four female soccer players at Western Michigan University are testing the bounds of religious freedom. They’re arguing that their school’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for student-athletes violates their Christian beliefs.  The problem is that, whereas Western Michigan requires athletes to be vaccinated, its campus-wide policy is not as strict.  The university strongly encourages COVID-19 vaccination for students, faculty and staff and requires those who aren’t vaccinated to be tested regularly.  Today in both the U.S. and Canada, hundreds of universities and colleges are requiring that all students attending classes, living in residences and participating in campus activities must be fully vaccinated or provide proof of a medical exemption.  In a few cases, the unvaccinated may be required undergo regular COVID testing.  Given growing concerns about the higher infection rates with the Delta variant, school administrations are acting on the side of precaution in order to prevent or limit the foreseeable COVID outbreaks in their communities.  In addition, there may be accommodation opportunities for the unvaccinated to proceed with on-line learning options in some instances.

Suggesting that students should be exempted from vaccination policies due to religious beliefs really doesn’t pass the smell test.  An attorney for the above four soccer players actually cited a passage of the bible that states that human bodies are “temples of the Holy Spirit”.  He further went on to claim that to allow the government to inject something into your body that you don’t necessarily agree with is the antithesis of that belief.  Sorry, but this doesn’t hold water.  Let’s face it, young Americans and Canadians are required to get vaccinated to protect them from a number of diseases, everything from polio to the measles.  In many cases, they cannot attend schools in their districts without proof of such vaccinations.  Furthermore, it is very likely that athletes at some time will have to take pain medication because of sports injuries, and in some cases even steroids to enhance performances — legal or otherwise. 

Where the above lawsuit may have some validity is in the fact that Western Michigan’s vaccine mandate only applies to student-athletes and not to the whole campus.  One could possibly argue that this represents a form of ‘discrimination”.  Their argument appears to question why there is a difference between those participating in a sport and those in a choir or labs or classes or dorms and on and on?  On the other hand, earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court in a precedent-setting case rejected a challenge to Indiana University’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate which covered all employees and students.  Failure to implement a consistent and clear vaccination policy across the board will most likely result in other litigation by anti-vaxxers.  It would appear to be in the best interests of universities and colleges to clearly do so, thereby removing any doubts and confusion about their policies. 

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Aug 28

Issue of Use of Vaccine Passports Within Provinces and States

by bcurry

As of late, everyone has turned from the evident use of vaccine passports for Canadians and Americans who travel out of country to their use internally.  Due to the requirements in many countries with respect to COVID vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers, it is readily accepted that some form of vaccine passport is required to permit people to skip measures such as quarantine requirements if they are fully vaccinated.  For this reason, some form of proof of vaccination is needed.  Almost all countries have accepted this approach when dealing with travel into and out of their jurisdictions.

However, when it comes to the use of vaccine passports within Canadian provinces and U.S. states, this is a whole different and more controversial matter.  In general, their use is seen as a means to encouraging more people to become fully inoculated against COVID-19 in order to engage in certain larger public activities, sports events, enterprises such as restaurants and bars, and even some workplaces.  In Canada, British Columbia and Quebec have recently implemented the use of vaccine passports, and Ontario is now apparently planning to implement one.  Both provinces indicate that they are seeing a surge in vaccination appointments after announcing residents will have to show proof of being fully vaccinated to enter certain non-essential establishments.  Prince Edward Island (PEI) and Manitoba were the first Canadian provinces to implement a provincial passport.  Manitoba’s immunization card also allows holders to visit long-term care facilities and sit with members of different households in restaurants.  The PEI pass allows travellers from out of province to skip the area’s mandatory quarantine.  However, none of those provinces require the passport for access to essential services such as education or health care.  However, this could change in the near future.

In the U.S., the debate among states is a lot more heated.  As of this month, only New York state and Hawaii have implemented some form of vaccine passport.  Among the other states, 15 states have banned vaccine passports and 33 states have no current requirement for vaccine passports.  Most states with a ban are governed by Republican administrations.  What is most interesting, those states such as Florida, Texas and Georgia, are among those with the lowest vaccination rates and the highest counts of new cases of COVID-19.  The reasons given for banning or not requiring vaccine passports vary from state to state, but tend to correspond to each state’s position on masking in public places and other health restrictions.

In Canada, recent surveying has indicated that almost 80 percent of Canadians would support a vaccine passport within their province.  This is not the case in the U.S. where there appears to be an even split between those in favour of and those opposed to vaccine passports within their respective states.  Much of the issue in the U.S. has to do with a continuing high degree of vaccine hesitancy, especially among younger Americans, and a concern over whether this will lead to some form of discrimination between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated.  However, from a public health aspect, anything that can be done to encourage more people to get vaccinated is considered a good and positive move from a community point of view. 

Meanwhile, in both countries the battle to deal with the fourth COVID wave rages on, especially since the more contagious Delta variant represents the majority of our cases.  Perhaps, the use of vaccine passports for admittance to non-essential activities is not such a bad idea under the circumstances?  Otherwise, governments may be heading to the imposition of more economic lockdowns and further restrictions.

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Aug 22

How the Delta Variant has become the Biggest Concern of the Biden Administration

by bcurry

Back in June 2020 when over half of U.S. states reported record-breaking breakouts of coronavirus cases during the ‘first wave’ of COVID-19, I created the blog Could COVID-19 be the Harbinger to the Decline of the American Empire | FROLITICKS (wordpress.com) in jest to make a point about President Trump’s irrational handling of the pandemic at the time.  Now, the arrival of the Delta variant and American reactions to it represents probably the most immediate political test for the Biden administration.  Despite the President’s efforts and his administration’s praiseworthy commitment to vaccinate the vast majority of Americans, there continues to be around an estimated 100 million people who have yet to receive a single dose.  Meanwhile, there has to date been a total of over 625,000 COVID-related deaths and over 150,000 new daily cases as of August 18, 2021 in the U.S. according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  The U.S. daily COVID cases are now reaching rates seen last in November 2020.

Among the problems is the fact that certain Republican governors and legislatures are refusing to re-introduce some of the prevention measures taken during the first waves, including mandating masking, physical distancing and restrictions on certain activities involving potential crowds and non-essential activities.  One of those is Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis who has resisted mandatory mask mandates (including in schools) and vaccine requirements.  Along with the state legislature, Florida has limited local officials’ ability to impose restrictions meant to stop the spread of COVID-19.   At the end of July, Florida reported over 17,000 new daily cases.  The previous peak in Florida had been 19,334 cases reported on January 7, 2021, before the availability of vaccinations became widespread.  The case counts along with the death rates continue to climb.  In Kentucky, the governor’s efforts to aggressively combat COVID-19 suffered a recent legal defeat as the state’s high court cleared the way for new laws to rein in his emergency powers.  One of the contested laws passed by the Kentucky legislature limits the governor’s executive orders in times of emergency to 30 days unless extended by lawmakers.

Republican lawmakers across more than a dozen states, including Montana, North Dakota, Missouri, Kansas and of course Florida, are working to limit the powers of local health departments in ways experts say is likely to lead to “preventable tragedies” during disease outbreaks, including the Covid-19 pandemic.  There is nothing that President Biden can do about what is going on in these states.  These states are now experiencing the most significant outbreak of Covid-19 since spring 2021, when a fast-moving vaccination campaign and social distancing led to the lowest rates of new infections since the pandemic began.  They are also among the least vaccinated states in the nation.

One of the ironies is that former president, Donald Trump, is now recommending that his supporters get the vaccine.  However, at a recent “Save America” rally in Alabama, Trump was severely booed after encouraging his supporters to get vaccinated against COVID-19.  Oh the irony!  Remember that the former president and his wife privately got vaccinated at the White House in January 2021, although the American public didn’t learn about it until the following March according to the New York Times.  As president, Trump frequently dismissed following public health guidelines during the pandemic and mocked mask-wearing on several occasions.  You may recall that the former president contracted the coronavirus in October 2020 and was hospitalized for three nights at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.  Needless-to-say, he received medical treatment at the time that most Americans would never see in a lifetime.

In the current situation, there will be a lot of questions about the American handling of the highly-contagious Delta variant, and whether the lessening of previous restrictions came too soon and too quickly.  It’s fine to say that we have to come to live with COVID-19 like we do with colds and seasonal influenza, but at what cost in the short-term.  It may take years to determine whether the actions taken by governments were effective in dealing with this global pandemic.  Right now, I have more immediate serious concerns about what is happening south of our border.

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Aug 13

How Can Colleges and Universities Not Mandate Their Students and Staff Be Fully Vaccinated?

by bcurry

Both here in Canada and in the U.S., there are growing numbers of colleges and universities who are now mandating that their students and staff be fully vaccinated to attend classes and extracurricular activities.  However, there continues to be a Hodge poach of policies across both the U.S. and Canada when it comes to mandatory vaccinations.  In some cases, governments are refusing to require mandatory vaccinations in postsecondary institutions.  This is the case in Ontario, Canada, where the Premier has refused to support such policies.  This position has created an array of confusing approaches among schools, which go from mandatory vaccination on campuses to simply encouraging students and staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19.  Where students cannot be vaccinated for health reasons or are hesitant to be vaccinated, some policies include the option of being tested two or three times a week for COVID in order to attend classes and extracurricular activities.

O.K.  Let’s look at the facts.  Recent data from Health Canada show that 51 percent of Canadian adults aged 18 to 29 were fully vaccinated by July 31st.  As of that date, Canada had over 80 percent of eligible people vaccinated with their first dose and approximately 64 percent fully vaccinated.  Meanwhile, the national seven-day moving average rose to 1000 daily cases on Aug. 8th, an increase of 326 from the week prior, largely owing to the spread of the Delta variant.  The facts indicate that those infected by the highly contagious Delta variant who are subsequently hospitalized are primarily among the unvaccinated and the majority (well over 90 percent) are younger than was the case during the first and second waves.  Public health officials are on record that being fully vaccinated represents the primary defence against the Delta variant, preventing more serious illness and hospitalizations.  Unfortunately, left to their own discretion, some colleges and universities are acting as if there is not a pandemic happening, and vaccines are not the way out of it.  On the other hand, surveys have shown that students and faculty members for the most part say they are concerned that not mandating vaccination could lead to outbreaks, and they will not feel safe on campuses should the schools let students return to classes without vaccination.  As a result, in Ontario, the Council of Ontario Universities and Colleges Ontario called for a province-wide policy that requires the vaccination of post-secondary students, staff and faculty.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported last year, before vaccination was possible, colleges that diminished their student impact by remote instruction brought about an 18 percent decline in COVID-19 disease in their surrounding community, while those that did not brought about a 56 percent increase. The difference would be greater now, with Delta circulating.  The fact is that not fully vaccinating campuses is guaranteed to spread a fourth wave to the communities which host them.

As far as the legal ramifications of implementing mandatory vaccinations on campuses, there is already litigation challenging such policies.  However, the general belief is that such challenges will fail given the nature of the pandemic and its related public health issues, not only on campuses but in the community at large.  For example, Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett recently denied an emergency relief request challenging Indiana University’s requirement that all students and employees get the COVID shot.  It’s the first time the U.S. Supreme Court has weighed in on a vaccine mandate during the pandemic.  The liability excuse in Canada is also a weak bogeyman for inaction, because there has never been a successful lawsuit for vaccine injuries in Canada.

Let’s forget any arguments about stigmatizing the unvaccinated or shaming them on campus.  The issue of vaccination is one of public health for the community at large, and more specifically the health of students and staff at colleges and universities across both countries.  Indeed, as Delta variant cases rise in this fourth wave, one is seeing a change of heart by many postsecondary schools, a number of which have now introduced mandatory vaccination requirements.  Hopefully, more will continue to do so before on-campus classes commence.

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Jul 24

To Mandate COVID Vaccinations or Not?

by bcurry

When COVID vaccinations really took off in the spring, people began to sense that they could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and a return to so-called normalcy.  However, despite large numbers of Americans, Canadians and Europeans having become fully vaccinated or at least having one dose, the sudden emergence of the Delta Variant is once again starting to dim that light.  In the U.S., COVID-19 hospitalizations are trending upward in 45 states.  While levels remain well below previous peaks, health care centers in parts of the Midwest, West and South are strained.  For example, some Florida hospitals have more COVID patients than ever before.  In Europe, the Delta Variant is now the predominant strain and appears to be spreading rapidly, especially among the unvaccinated.  In France, 22,000 coronavirus cases were reported in a 24-hour period this past week, the highest rate in more than two months.

The result has been that a number of governments reintroduced masking and physical distancing requirements, especially for indoor public activities.  What is more interesting is that several governments, like that of France, have introduced mandatory vaccination for health workers and are telling the rest of the population — if not vaccinated or without testing negative — will be denied access to most indoor public spaces.  In the U.S., more than 400 colleges and universities are required to vaccinate students for COVID-19.  As well, based on recent favourable court decisions, the U.S. government provided guidance that companies can require workers entering the workplace to be vaccinated against the coronavirus or to be tested.  America’s business leaders, who had hoped the country would already be fully on a path to normalcy, are caught in a conundrum of requiring employees to be fully vaccinated in order to return to their workplaces or allowing them to continue to work from home.  Given the apparent emergence of another wave, employers have to ask whether workers will feel comfortable enough to come back, even if good controls are in place?  Less than half of Americans are fully vaccinated, exacerbating the situation in their workplaces.

To date, studies have shown that vaccines remain effective against the worst outcomes of COVID-19, including those from the Delta Variant.  Whether or not they are a hundred percent effective is not the point.  When determining vaccination requirements, people are using the “precautionary principle”, which claims that certain health and safety actions are justified even though one may not have all the evidence readily at hand.  One just needs to know that the potential benefits of taking an initiative outweigh the apparent risks, especially when it comes to public safety.  The courts have determined that reasonable practices will supersede the impact on individual liberties, especially where the good of the community or employees are at risk.

During this global pandemic, governments have closed borders, placed restrictions on travel, imposed testing and quarantine requirements for travellers, obligated masking and physical distancing requirements, etc., etc.  Now that we have relatively effective vaccines that can help prevent further COVID outbreaks, the question of mandatory vaccinations will continue to surface in many countries and communities.  It will no doubt stir up pockets of deep resistance among some elements of the population believing that such policies are an infringement of individual liberties.  The debate has already surfaced with respect to the idea of having vaccination passports in order to travel or enter certain types of public spaces such as gyms, restaurants, bars and sporting/entertainment events.  There are growing divisions over how far it may become mandatory to receive an injection.  As in Europe, the debate will continue in both the U.S. and Canada, sometimes placing local authorities in opposition to the policies of state and provincial governments.  Who ultimately wins this debate will most likely depend largely on political beliefs and whether the current surge in the Delta Variant can be adequately controlled. In the meantime, health care systems and front-line workers will unfortunately continue to be strained!

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Jul 12

Mandatory COVID Vaccinations vs. Civil Liberties in North America

by bcurry

With the post-secondary school year not that far off, several colleges in Canada and in the U.S. have announced mandatory COVID vaccination policies for students, especially for those wanting to live in residence.  There reportedly are now well over 500 colleges and universities in the U.S. which are requiring vaccinations to come on campus in the fall, including the entire New York and California public systems.  Although these currently represent only about 10 percent of American colleges and universities, the numbers apparently continue to grow.  Here in Canada, with some exceptions, mandatory vaccination requirements for students have been slow to emerge.  For example, University of Toronto students living in dorms this fall will be required to be vaccinated.  Those moving into residence at Western University will be required to receive at least a first dose.  However, most Canadian colleges and universities only tend to strongly encourage all community members to get vaccinated as soon as they become eligible.

Cara Zwibel, director of the fundamental freedoms program at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, views that such mandatory vaccination policies undermine the idea that vaccination is a choice.  Yet, Ontario schools require children and teens to be immunized against designated childhood diseases, unless they have a valid exemption.  Indeed, when it comes to introducing vaccination and medical mask requirements in workplaces, the province of Quebec leads the way in Canada.  A passport-based approach, which is still rare in Canada, will take effect this September in Quebec which will allow only fully vaccinated people to access non-essential places such as bars and gyms.  Last April, Quebec’s workplace health and safety board required that medical masks be worn at all times indoors in workplaces.  As well, additional restrictions have been placed on visitors to long-term senior residences for persons who are not fully vaccinated.  Most long-term care employers are now requiring employees to be fully vaccinated with few exceptions.  Otherwise, the non-vaccinated employees will face continuous COVID testing protocols and additional personal protective equipment requirements.

Mandatory COVID vaccination and masking requirements will continue to raise the eyebrows of civil liberties groups, arguing that vaccination and masking should be a choice.  However, health and safety specialists will counter by arguing that, by the very nature of the coronavirus and how it quickly spreads, there are situations where congregate living situations (residences) and shared common spaces make it challenging to isolate or quarantine should someone become infected.  From various surveys, it would appear that otherwise healthy young people taking a more vaccine-hesitant stance is not about an infringement on their civil liberties, but more about complacency.  As a society, we place all kinds of requirements on our citizens to protect the overall health and safety of our communities, especially in workplaces.  Under certain circumstances, it would appear that mandatory COVID vaccination requirements to safeguard oneself and others from the spread of this dangerous virus make sense.  The continuing reluctance of the majority of institutions to not introduce these requirements and to take a wait and see approach is inviting future outbreaks and possible lockdowns in both countries.

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Jul 3

War on COVID has presented today’s youth with opportunities to demonstrate strengths

by bcurry

With all of the negative news surrounding COVID-19, there is also a fair amount of positive news that one can take away from the last year and a half.  Much of it has to do with the actions of today’s younger generations, be it the Millennials or Generations Y and Z.  Youth in past generations had to overcome the consequences of global depression and the horrific impacts of fighting in two world wars.  Today’s generations have been placed in a similar position.

Today, the battles such as those against a global pandemic are just as challenging.  Nevertheless, younger people have emerged to take leadership in tackling this disease in scientific, health care and front line services.  Take their evident participation in contributing the scientific research surrounding the incredible development of mRNA vaccines such as Moderna and Pfizer.  The speedy delivery of COVID vaccines is anything but miraculous.  College, secondary and primary students have had to adjust to a relatively new teaching environment involving the use of innovative technologies, including those involving on-line learning and virtual communication.  No easy task!  Young people and their families have been asked to pay a heavy price, but for the most part they have shown great resilience and commitment.

On a personal note, I was greatly impressed by the participation of many young health care practitioners and volunteers at a local community COVID vaccination clinic.  Working around the clock and having to continuously wear personal protective equipment, these young people helped to provide an efficient, speedy and convenient service to the community, all the while doing so in a polite and caring manner.  Then there are those thousands working in hospitals who have had to deal with the tragic loss of life due to COVID, often where patients have been completely isolated from their families and friends.  We owe these courageous people a whole lot of thanks and appreciation.

At the above vaccination clinic, I also noticed a good many young people who had agreed to be vaccinated against this terrible disease.  There has been a lot of talk about the hesitancy factor as it pertains to younger people.  However, from what I’ve seen so far, the majority of young Canadians have stepped forward to aid in the fight against this disease, and in particular to prevent the further spread of the so-called Delta variant.  Given relevant and reliable information, I am certain that today’s youth will continue to play their important role in bringing an end to the pandemic in their communities, and in the country at large.  Rather than dwelling on the negative commentary on social media and elsewhere, we should be expressing our appreciation for their positive contributions to combating COVID.  To the younger generations, I send out a big ‘thank you’ for the critical roles that you are playing.

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