On Friday, Council voted to extend the deadline to vaccinate children under 2 and extend the deadline on 21- and 22-year-olds in the city.
The Toronto Star reported that the city government has advised municipal health officers to suspend health-care employees. However, Council decided to limit their action to approximately 2,300 employees in Toronto City and County, and their business partners.
“Are there going to be some who have to be disciplined? Are there going to be some who will have to go to work and maybe spread a bit of misinformation about vaccines or not, and so on? Absolutely,” Bob Hepburn, chairman of Toronto Health Services on Friday, said.
The decision comes after Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott advised parents to delay the required vaccines for their children in public health programs, a requirement they previously agreed to.
The panel convened by the province is currently reviewing the process of relocating public health employees.
“If the panel wants to take the approach of getting rid of one on one – a pregnant nurse, someone who will tell you the truth about how to get rid of measles – that’s fine. I think the panel is making a big mistake,” Hepburn said.