NDP asks for investigation of COVID-19 vaccine queue-jumping
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The Ontario NDP is calling for a public investigation into the COVID-19 vaccine rollout after queue-jumping incidents at a Brantford retirement home and at a Woodbridge long-term care home.
Sara Singh, NDP deputy leader and opposition critic for long-term care, wrote a letter this week to retired general Rick Hillier, who’s in charge of the vaccine distribution for Ontario, pointing out cases of the vaccine going to those not yet eligible to receive it.
“The entire strategy has been pretty slow and sloppy,” Singh said in an interview Tuesday.
“There’s a lot the public deserves to know. So our call is for a complete public investigation to look into who received these vaccines and find if other homes have been distributing them to their board members, friends and family.”
In Brantford, a complaint is being investigated by the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority after a front-line worker told the Brant County Health Unit that the owner of Amber Lea Place, on St. Paul Avenue, and his wife, were vaccinated, along with some family members of the home’s manager.
In Woodbridge, a grievance has been filed after a nurse was told to give vaccines to ineligible people and classify them as caregivers. The chair of the home’s board of directors confirmed the vaccines went to some who don’t work or live at the home, including himself.
“The limited supply of vaccines Ontario has received to date is jarring,” Singh wrote in her letter to Hillier.
“What is even more concerning is the possibility that individuals are jumping the queue and using vaccine for themselves instead of the seniors who desperately need them.”
A worker at Amber Lea, who asked not to be identified due to concerns about her job, said she and other front-line workers were upset after seeing the vaccine given to Amber Lea owner Dev Mundi and his wife, family members of a manager and at least one person unknown to staff.
“They were not getting leftover vaccine because they were already there at 11 a.m. when we were told to come in. And they don’t volunteer there.”
The worker said it was “a slap in the face” to front-line health-care workers and Amber Lea residents to see that behaviour at a time when the province is short of vaccine.
Mundi, who owns six retirement home properties in various Ontario cities, said last week that he was vaccinated in Brantford because he’s overseeing construction at the home that will eventually double the size of the facility.
But the Amber Lea worker said she’s never seen Mundi at the site and he would have no need to come into the facility which, like other retirement homes, is on lockdown.
She said a worker who questioned why strangers were getting vaccine was told mind their own business.
Last week, Mundi said he and his wife were added to the Amber Lea list, which was reviewed by the health unit.
He said unused, leftover doses of the vaccine were given to paramedics, public health officials, an external care provider, two volunteers and the home’s hairdresser.
“All were able to receive the doses on short notice so they did not go to waste,” Mundi said.
A spokesperson for the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority said that agency is gathering information about the allegations at Amber Lea.
“If there’s any contravention of the Retirement Home Act, we’ll take action,” said Phil Norris.
He noted that part of the licensing criteria for a retirement home is that the licensee act with “honesty and integrity.”
Norris said that the authority’s investigation is confidential.
Singh said a provincial public investigation would help deal with such situations in the future.
“We need to have in place clear provincial directives so it doesn’t happen again and about what to do with extra doses if they’re thawed,” she said.
“The government should be transparent with the public.”
SGamble@postmedia.com
@EXPSGamble
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