Ninety-three per cent of Bradford West Gwillimbury (BWG) staff have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
On Sept. 16 the town announced its vaccination policy which requires all staff members and volunteers to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by Nov. 12, regardless of how often they are currently attending a work location or how much time they spend there.
"The policy recognizes that vaccination is one of the most critical control measures for addressing the hazard of COVID-19, and that those who are unvaccinated pose a considerably increased risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 and also of spreading the virus to others, with significant impact on human health and workplace continuity," said Chief Administrative Officer for the town Geoff McKnight. "Given that BWG was the only COVID-19 'hotspot' in Simcoe County and experienced the county’s highest rate of infection, it was particularly important that we enact a strong and effective vaccination policy to aid in the protection of our staff and those we serve."
The deadline for the remaining seven per cent of staff to comply with the mandate looms, but McKnight says he expects 100 per cent of staff members will be fully vaccinated by Nov. 12.
Accommodations will be made for those who are exempt from the policy due to specific medical or religious reasons.
"Our staff have been provided with educational materials explaining the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccines as well as opportunities to connect with physicians one-on-one to discuss any concerns or questions they may have," said McKnight.
Staff who are not fully vaccinated after the deadline will face discipline that could include an eight-week suspension without pay. If by Jan. 10, 2022, staff members/volunteers remain unvaccinated, they will be terminated for cause, for choosing not to comply with the mandatory vaccination policy.
"Although we certainly hope that all of our staff choose to comply with the policy, we are preparing for potential departures with the intent of avoiding any short-term impact on our service levels. Fortunately, the vast majority of our staff are already vaccinated," he said.
As of Oct. 24, Public Health Ontario and the Ministry of Health reported that 88.3 per cent of Ontario’s population aged 12 or older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
In Bradford, 82.7 per cent of all eligible residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
