CLINICS OPEN TODAY, BUT MAYOR KELLY LAMENTS BEING SNUBBED AGAIN
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — Four vaccination clinics are now open across the region — with 225 people booked in to the Active Living Centre in Huntsville today.
And a waiting list, as the province reports 39 local cases this morning.
While most welcome the injection sites, not everyone is happy about the number of locations nor the return to lockdown.
At least in Muskoka, which feels left out of the loop on both fronts.
Dr. Charles Gardner, who in addition to managing the pandemic, has been busy since Friday putting out fires in response to calls from business, the public and politicians in defending the new open-ended stay-at-home order.
In two Zoom calls this morning — with the chambers of commerce, then with politicians and the press — Gardner was clear that with COVID cases and variants up 30 per cent week-over-week early last week that’s why he recommended the “emergency brake.”
Business groups, including the Ontario Chambers of Commerce to whom he spoke to today, have been lobbying Gardner and the province to go easy on them.
Gardner said he now understands their position better, but there is no going back, despite promising numbers late last week even as Friday’s announcement was made.
Sunday there were 20 cases across Simcoe-Muskoka, 35 Saturday and 25 Friday.
And while many mayors who have been in regular contact with Gardner and been kept abreast — or should have been by their representatives on the health unit board — it was up to Gravenhurst Mayor Paul Kelly to express “frustration” at the perceived lack of communication.
Peeved politicians were even clamming up and refusing to talk to the medical officer of health for the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit today.
Kelly says they just want to know “the plan.”
He was particularly concerned that Gravenhurst, where the health unit has a satellite office in the municipal office, wasn’t included as a permanent vaccination clinic site.
It’s a “constant problem” the town has to deal with in terms of health coverage and protection, he said noting how hard he had to fight to get COVID testing at the Shoppers Drug Mart.
“It’s been like that for eons,” he lamented.
The health unit is expected to operate clinics in Huntsville and Bracebridge on rotating days.
He said the number of seniors “who cannot travel is incredibly high” in the community — and in Bala and Port Carling — who he said warrant closer access to immunization clinics.
Kelly said “it would be wrong for me not to
“What can we expect?”
Kelly said he was continuing his “rant” from last Friday.
His impassioned plea was acknowledged by Gardner, who said pop-up clinics, mobile teams and pharmacists are being considered for Gravenhurst and other Muskoka communities as well.
“One day a week doesn’t cut it,” shot back Kelly who would ultimately prefer a permanent site.
The mayor also told Gardner he had heard from a resident who spent “hours” on the phone trying to book an appointment.
Gardner admitted “it’s a major issue and controversial for some.”
But he said “we will work together.”
He called the clinic openings “a delightful milestone —the ultimate solution to bring us out of the pandemic.”
He said “as we get more vaccine … more becomes possible.
“Right now we have a very limited supply. So the low volume is helpful for us to trial out the new clinics,” which he called “quite the feat to do this week.
“So in that regard we’re probably blessed to have that limited supply right now.”
The health unit did admit it was overwhelmed with calls Friday. The demand was more than they’ve ever experienced.
About 5,000 before noon.
But they’ve worked on the problem over the weekend and expect to be able to handle requests for appointments now.
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