Essex County migrant worker vaccination rate above 60 per cent: health unit
Collaboration of 16 different agencies and community partners has helped bring the vaccine coverage of the migrant worker population above 60 per cent, according to the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.
It’s a “night and day” comparison to where the sector was at this time last year, with 2,700 workers catching COVID-19. Fifty different farms experienced outbreaks during the 2020 growing season and two workers in this region died of COVID-19 related illnesses.
“It was certainly very scary for everyone,” remarked Monica Champagne, the project coordinator for the Windsor-Essex Local Immigration Partnership, of the various partners leading the vaccination effort at 176 area farms.
Through a variety of pop-up clinics and on-site vaccinations, the group has been able to deliver 5,000 vaccines. Dr. Wajid Ahmed says another 1,000 were vaccinated upon entry to Canada.
Between 8,000 and 10,000 temporary foreign workers descend upon Windsor-Essex during any given growing season.
Champagne says there was a sense of urgency to get it right this year to avoid a repeat of 2020’s crisis.
“We need to do this and we need to do it as quick as possible for as many people as possible because there’s so much on the line,” she said.
The Workplace Wellness for Agri-food workers Task Force — 16 community partners — worked toward a common goal — vaccine education and promotion.
“That really helped to remove any of these barriers and misinformation they may have,” said Dr. Wajid Ahmed, the region’s medical officer of health.
Joseph Sbrocchi, who represents the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers, says growers and the various partners stepped up to ensure everyone who wanted a shot could get one.
“Their care and well-being has always been at the heart of our drive, number one, because it’s the right thing, period. Number two, because it’s the right business thing, period,” said Sbrocchi.
But he said it wasn’t without hurdles — like language barriers and vaccine hesitancy.
The task force doubled down on education and interpretation to help provide confidence for wary workers.
“All of these people came together and we figured out how to help each other,” Sbrocchi said.
Martin Varela was on the ground at the various pop-up clinics held in Leamington. He believes the collaboration between dozens of organizations was key to getting high vaccine coverage numbers.
“I was pretty surprised. All the people I saw there and talked to them, they were happy to take the vaccination,” Varella said.
Efforts are ongoing to get more first and second doses administered to keep workers safe, to keep farms open and to ensure food security for the region.
“I’m really happy to see that rate and I truly hope that we are able to give them the second dose and get them the protection that they need,” said Dr. Ahmed.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Bayer recalls hydraSense baby product over 'potential contamination'
Bayer announced Thursday it is recalling two lots of its hydraSense Baby Nasal Care Easydose due to a potential contamination.
N.L. gardening store revives 19th century seed-packing machine
Technology from the 19th century has been brought out of retirement at a Newfoundland gardening store, as staff look for all the help they can get to fill orders during a busy season.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.