Vaccine eligibility updates:
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Effective Thursday, May 13, 2021, individuals turning 40 and over in 2021 in non-hot spot communities will also be eligible to book an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at a mass immunization clinic. Eligible individuals can schedule an appointment through the provincial booking system. This builds upon the eligibility of those aged 18 and over in hot spot areas and is aligned with the rollout announced on May 2, 2021.
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As of Tuesday, May 11, 2021 at 8:00 a.m., individuals with at-risk health conditions such as dementia, diabetes and sickle cell disease, as well as Group Two workers who cannot work from home including grocery store, construction, restaurant and transportation workers will be eligible to book an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at ontario.ca/book-vaccine.
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Pop-up, drop-in and low-barrier clinics:
A number of pop-up and drop-in vaccination clinics around the city have expanded eligibility that includes residents 18+ in Davenport's hot-spot postal codes, M6E, M6K, M6N and M6H.
This week saw our first drop-in clinic at General Mercer School vaccinate hundreds of Davenporters, and clinics are being hosted by FCJ to reach out-of-status neighbours. I continue to advocate for more local options for people to get vaccinated.
My team has compiled a list of these sites here that we update as we receive news of new clinics opening.
On the site, we've included information on a new clinic targeted at Spanish-speakers, happening in North York Friday and Saturday.
And anyone 18+ living in Davenport's hot-spot postal codes is also eligible to register at a new clinic planned for May 20 at Holy Family Catholic School in Parkdale (141 Close Ave).
You must book in advance:
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Astra-Zeneca use 'paused'
Effective May 11, first-dose distribution of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine has been paused by the provincial government.
In a statement, the Chief Medical Officer of Health said:
"This decision was made out of an abundance of caution due to an observed increase in the rare blood clotting condition, known as vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine...In collaboration with health experts at Public Health Ontario, the Science Advisory Table and our federal, provincial and territorial partners, we are reviewing the data to consider options for the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for second doses and more broadly moving forward."
Like many other Ontarians, I had the Astra-Zeneca vaccine and while we acknowledge that changing risk factors have resulted in this changing guidance, the use of this vaccine has also helped us bring cases down considerably.
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Calling for a plan to vaccinate youth 12+
Earlier this week I called on the Ford government, as part of an essential worker vaccination strategy, to immediately provide public health units with guidelines for vaccinating youth over 12, including a plan to allow households to register once, and have all kids over 12 vaccinated at the same appointment. Read my statement.
On Thursday, the government announced that: "Beginning the week of May 31, youth in Ontario between 12 and 17 years of age and their family members who have not received a vaccine will be eligible to book an appointment to receive their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, including at special dedicated youth and family clinics throughout the weeks of June 14 and 21."
Questions remain about why families can't be vaccinated together right now, especially in hot-spot zones. It also raises concerns for those under 18 who are currently working in front-line jobs like grocery stores and food delivery.
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Nestlé strike continues at Sterling Rd. plant
On Thursday night I hosted an Emergency Phone Zap with volunteers to support Unifor Local 252 members striking at the Nestle factory here in Davenport.
For years now, management has been replacing full time workers with part time workers, and exploiting loopholes in the collective agreement to stop moving workers up the pay scale.
Now, in the middle of a global health crisis, Nestle has cut off benefits for striking workers. That means no prescription coverage, no dental - nothing. This has never happened in previous strikes at this factory.
We are demanding that Nestle hire more workers on full time, move existing workers up the pay scale, guarantee all workers living wages and full benefits, and immediately reinstate the benefits that were cut.
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Metrolinx extends construction on Davenport Diamond
Metrolinx has informed my office that they will be conducting caisson drilling between the CP diamond and Wallace Ave within the rail corridor 7 days per week until July.
While they have indicated the drilling will end at 11pm thanks to the huge community outcry, some noise may be heard later. I continue to call for an end to all construction noise by 11pm and have let Metrolinx know that 7 days a week during this stay at home order is unacceptable to residents in this area.
Read the full notice on the Metrolinx website.
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This week in the legislature:
- Yesterday, my colleagues and I wrote an urgent letter to the federal Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, demanding a halt to the deportation or Carlo Escario, a Filipino health care worker who has been on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19. Today, just before he was due to depart, he was granted a deferral and allowed to stay.
- Toronto—St. Paul's MPP Jill Andrew tabled a motion calling for an immediate ban on above-guideline rent-increases as a necessary step to protect renters, especially during the pandemic and its recovery period.
Conservative MPPs voted to defeat it.
- Kiiwetinoong MPP Sol Mamakwa’s bill, the Inherent Right to Safe Drinking Water Act, calling on the provincial government to include First Nations communities in the province’s law on safe drinking water, passed another critical stage with its second reading vote on Monday.
- The NDP tabled a bill to make May 10 an annual provincial Day of Action on Anti-Asian Racism, and sought unanimous consent to pass it during this, Asian Heritage Month. Conservative MPPs blocked the move.
- The NDP called on the Ford government to invite internationally trained physicians to join Ontario’s fight against COVID-19 and urged them not to abandon the hot-spot strategy at the end of this week, just when it was showing signs of success.
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I took part in the virtual rally to #StopAsianHate on May 10. During the pandemic alone, over 1,150 incidents of anti-Asian racism were reported across Canada. 40 percent of these racist attacks happened here in Ontario.
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Saturday: Join me on Instagram Live to discuss the No Means Know campaign
Join me Saturday at 12:00 pm on Instagram Live (@maritstiles) as I chat with Emily, an incredible student organizer behind the No Means Know campaign, to discuss the state of the consent education in Ontario's curriculum.
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Stay Safe
Need help? Resources and supports are available at maritstiles.ca/help or in Portuguese at maritstiles.ca/ajuda
Find links to information on the COVID-19 pandemic from all levels of government at maritstiles.ca/coronavirus.
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