Community News Update - July 26, 2021

Dear Community,

Today, Ontario has reported 119 new cases of COVID-19, and three more deaths. As it stands, just over 68% of adults in Ontario are fully vaccinated, and almost 81% have received at least one dose of an approved vaccine.

I want to once again appeal to anyone who hasn’t gotten vaccinated yet – to please make sure that you get a shot. The science here has shown that the vaccines are safe and effective, and the quicker that we get them into our arms, the faster we’ll be able to put the COVID-19 pandemic behind us. While we continue to see rapid growth in our fully vaccinated numbers, the number of people getting their first shots has slowed down significantly.

The reality here is that for folks who haven’t gotten vaccinated yet, there are likely obstacles that are getting in their way and preventing them from getting their shots. Whether that’s a demanding work schedule with little time off, or vaccine hesitancy, it’s vital that we make it as easy as possible to get vaccinated. We need to be bringing vaccines right into our communities, and also bringing the information about the safety and efficacy of vaccines right to the doors.

While it’s going to be a little bit more work, it’s work that must be done.

On that note, I’m very excited to share that on Saturday (July 31), at Cy Townsend Park (455 Winona Dr – corner of Winona and Vaughan Road), I will be co-hosting a pop-up vaccination site with our friends from Women’s College Hospital and UNISON, from 11AM to 3PM.

This vaccination site is open to anyone 12 and over who needs their first dose, and anyone who is 12 and over who is eligible for their second dose.

To be eligible for your second dose, you must have waited after your first dose for at least:

AstraZeneca – 56 Days
Moderna – 28 Days
Pfizer – 21 Days

This vaccination site will coincide with our Community Food Table that will be set up in the park, for its regular Saturday appearance.

Speaking of Community Food Tables, after being off for one week due to rain, it was great to have the tables back this weekend in our four locations across the riding! We had another incredible crew of volunteers come out, and the weekend was a great success, getting a great deal of food out in our community to those who need it the most.

I’m already looking forward to next Saturday, and if you’d like to try being a volunteer, please click here to sign up for a table!

Finally, I want to remind folks again that I’ve recently launched a petition calling for the elimination of the COVID-19 extended construction hours that are plaguing some parts of our community with nearly endless construction noise. These changes were made by the Ford government on the theory that they would ensure essential construction projects like hospitals could be completed without delay, but what they mean now is that all sorts of projects are able to operate for absurdly long hours.

Everyone needs a little peace and quiet, and it’s long past time that the government act, and ensure that we have reasonable construction hours.

You can click here to sign the petition.

In Solidarity,

Jill