New data underscores hardest-hit areas need vaccines now

TORONTO — The NDP MPP for Humber River—Black Creek, Tom Rakocevic, released this statement in response to new ICES Ontario data showing the percentage of Ontarians who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by age group and neighbourhood — it shows that the highest-risk parts of his community, including Jane and Finch, are being left far behind:

"Jane and Finch is one of the hardest hit neighbourhoods by COVID-19, yet it has the lowest percentage of vaccinated residents in Toronto.

This is unacceptable.

I am once again calling on the Ford government to immediately get vaccines into hard-hit communities.

Specifically, our community needs:

• More vaccine sites
• More vaccinations targeting essential workers and workplaces
• More vaccines distributed in our local pharmacies
• Consistent and ongoing mobile clinics to bring the vaccine to where people are, such as vulnerable seniors unable to travel
• More community ambassadors to provide information and education to build vaccine confidence, accessible in multiple languages

At a recent telephone town hall I co-hosted with City Councillor Anthony Perruzza, with guest representatives from Black Creek Community Health Centre and Humber River Hospital, 85 per cent of people said they would get vaccinated if they could get the vaccine close to home.

Communities of essential workers, who are far more likely to contract the virus and spread it to their families, need vaccines now — not next month, not in June — before more people get sick and lose their lives."