Ottawa Board of Health calls on medical officer to discuss third-dose vaccine mandate with province

Ottawa's Board of Health has approved a motion calling on the city's top doctor to open dialogue with the province on potentially requiring booster doses for its current proof-of-vaccination system.

Board of Health Chair Keith Egli, who introduced the motion, says the board wants Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches to talk to Ontario health officials to determine the best path forward, while ensuring the upcoming reopening of the province is as sustainable as possible.

This comes as only about 59 per cent of eligible residents in Ottawa have received their third dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Egli finds that number significantly concerning for the city.

“We don't want to say to families that schools are closed again. We don't want to have to say to businesses that we have to put restrictions in again,” Egli told CityNews Ottawa's The Rob Snow Show. “Anything that we can do to make [reopening] more viable, more sustainable — we're looking at all those options.”

However, Egli adds, mandating COVID-19 vaccines is not a black and white issue.

“There are good reasons for having a vaccine mandate and passport. We've seen, for example, when that occurs, we see numbers of doses [administered] go up,” he explained. “But there's also issues of access for certain individuals, certain communities.”

Once Dr. Etches discusses requiring third doses in Ontario's proof-of-vaccination system with the province, she will share the consensus with the Board of Health.

Listen to Egli's full conversation with Rob Snow: