OrilliaMatters welcomes letters to the editor. This letter is from a local citizen who has concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Simcoe Muskoka. Send your letters to [email protected]
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I’m an Orillia resident and, like many, on a waiting list for the COVID vaccine.
While I qualify to get the vaccine now and I have registered on the provincial site, there has been no communication from the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit for more than two weeks.
I have also registered with two drug stores in Toronto hoping I might get a call for AstraZeneca vaccine. And, of course, I registered on Jill Dunlop’s site and I’m not holding out any hope that will work.
I’m sure thousands are in the same position as I am.
My complaint is that Simcoe Muskoka, in particular, has done a terrible job communicating to the public. Their website has out-of-date information and phone calls lead to a long process of bumping inquiries from one department to the other. The end result is always a recording that thanks you and directs you to the website and then cuts off the call.
I see doctors from other health regions on TV all the time giving the latest news on what their regions are doing to get vaccines in the arms of those who qualify. York Region is now vaccinating people 10 years younger than those that qualify in the Orillia area.
So maybe Orillia just doesn’t get the vaccine quantities on a per capita basis that surrounding health regions get? If that is the case the local health department should communicate that to the public.
Where is our Medical Officer of Health for Simcoe Muskoka? He has been invisible ever since he got off in the weeds jumping the gun on shutting everyone down and then reversing the decision a week later.
The result of his bad judgment left many business owners in a difficult position because their staff who had just been recalled got laid off again and they didn’t work long enough to collect unemployment. Restaurants had just reordered food and it was, for the most part, laid to waste.
The trust of Simcoe Muskoka residents has been shattered.
The good doctor should consider resigning and passing the torch to someone capable of good judgment and being forthright with communications as all residents of the community deserve and should expect.
Mark Coles
Orillia
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