Health unit reassures parents that online reservation system is safe

Following the social media announcement that a local group was planning to sabotage the online reservation system, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit wants to reassure parents that they will be able to make an appointment to have their young children vaccinated against COVID-19.

The group, Stand Up Together, said it plans to flood the booking portal with fake appointments, blocking parents in hopes of getting their child vaccinated in a timely manner. He also said he would demonstrate in front of the COVID-19 mass vaccination clinic Thursday when children aged 5 to 11 start getting vaccinated.

It is not a protest. This is an obstacle to the rights of residents to access health care. It is no different from physically blocking access to vaccination clinics and hospitals. And it is despicable. pic.twitter.com/0Trw8UiTOu

– Irek Kusmierczyk (@Irek_K) 23 November 2021

Several public figures condemned the actions, including Windsor Regional Hospital CEO David Musyj, who said it amounted to blocking access to health care. He also called it “disgusting”. Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk called him “despicable”.

Intentionally preventing someone, especially 5-11 year olds and their parents, from accessing essential health services such as the COVID-19 vaccine is reprehensible and repugnant. https://t.co/KbPK6Nb8Ke

– Windsor Regional Hospital (@WRHospital) 23 November 2021

Windsor Police said they were aware of the planned protest and would be in attendance.

However, the CEO of the health unit, Nicole Dupuis, said hacking the online system would not be so easy. The website already has a number of safeguards in place to prevent people from making fake appointments.

“Remember, this makes it more difficult for people who are serious about making an appointment for vaccination,” she said. “We will continue to monitor and we will also be able to follow up and verify appointments. We need additional resources to do this. “

At times during the pandemic, the health unit found itself short of resources to meet its obligations. In the past, it has benefited from the assistance of other public health units and the province. It only recently relaunched some public health programs it had suspended.

Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr Shanker Nesathurai has said he respects peaceful protests, but the sabotage of the reservation system goes far beyond.

“Regardless of what you think of public health policy or immunization policy, inappropriately using a public resource to impact people who are just trying to get their health services is not appropriate” , did he declare. “It’s different to disagree with public policy. “

He also called on protesters to consider the impact their protest will have on young children and to respect the rights of parents who choose to immunize their children.

“Parents who bring their children to an immunization center, doctor’s office or school should not put their children under additional psychological stress,” said Nesathurai, who has repeatedly acknowledged that children have had to undergo harms. Disproportionately higher impacts of COVID-19.

He noted that nearly 500 cohorts, or up to 10,000 students, have been expelled from school due to cases of COVID-19.

Two schools are closed due to the growing number of cases, and seven more have outbreaks.

Nesathurai has said in the past that the best way to avoid school closures is to get vaccinated. He also told reporters on Wednesday morning that if vaccination rates among school-aged children reached the same level as other communicable diseases, the health unit could safely lift more public health restrictions.

On Wednesday, the health unit reported 64 more cases of COVID-19. More than a third result from close contact with a previously confirmed case, and 20 from community transmission. One relates to travel and 19 are still under investigation.

He also reported another death in the community, a man in his 60s, bringing the March 2020 death toll to 470.

There are 374 active cases in Windsor-Essex and 22 people are hospitalized with the virus.

So far, 83.3% of residents over 12 have received both doses of the vaccine.

The mass vaccination clinic remains open for walk-in appointments for those who want their first or second dose.