MPP calls for Scarborough to receive 'equitable amount' of COVID-19 vaccine
By Ali Raza, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
SCARBOROUGH (April 17, 2021)
Scarborough-Southwest MPP Doly Begum held a press conference Friday morning with Scarborough Health Network ER physician Dr. Lisa Salamon urged the province to prioritize Scarborough for vaccinations.
This comes just days after SHN had to cancel 10,000 vaccination appointments citing a lack of supply. Michael Garron Hospital also cancelled appointments slated for its mass immunization clinic at Thorncliffe Park Community Hub.
Scarborough and Thorncliffe Park are among the most severely hit neighbourhoods in Toronto facing rising cases of COVID-19. While the cancellations were until Monday, April 19, Dr. Salamon says if vaccine supply is not prioritized for Scarborough, then further appointment cancellations are possible.
“We’re a city in itself and since December we’ve been getting dregs and drabs of the vaccines,” she said. “We need the vast majority of vaccines to be directed to Thorncliffe, Peel, Northwest Toronto, and Scarborough, they’re all being devastated.”
Begum urged the province to deliver an “equitable amount” of vaccines to Scarborough where the virus has spread rapidly among essential workers and racialized communities.
“What I’m seeing in ED, there are a lot of essential workers, or their family members,” Dr. Salamon said.
Begum also calls on the federal government to deliver more vaccine supply to Scarborough and other hard hit communities in the province.
Ontario reported 4,800 new cases on Friday, April 16.