Medical Leaders Warn of 4th Wave, Ask Windsor-Essex County Residents to Get Vaccinated

In Windsor and Essex County daily COVID-19 vaccinations have plateaued prompting a group of local medical leaders to pen an open letter to the community urging everyone to be vaccinated as soon as possible. The group is led by Dr. Wajid Ahmed and comprises the regions top doctors, who are pleading with community members 12 years of age or older to get vaccinated to avoid a fourth wave of the pandemic.

“This is a critical time in our fight against COVID-19, if we as a community grow complacent, the risk of further health, social well-being, and economic impacts could be grave” the letter states, emphasizing the urgency for all residents over the age of 12 to get their vaccine as quickly as possible. The letter references the experiences of other communities across the globe and the spread of variants as warning signs of potential spread of infections and the potential corresponding restrictions that could occur in the fall and winter months.

Considering the earlier struggles in securing vaccines for our community, the letter states that COVID-19 vaccines have never been more available. Residents can get vaccinated at local pharmacies, through their health-care provider, at a pop-up clinic, or at a mass vaccination site. They ask that residents act quickly by getting fully vaccinated and stress the importance of encouraging others to do the same.  

For more information about how Windsor and Essex County residents can get vaccinated, please visit http://www.wevax.ca. For comprehensive information about COVID-19 vaccines, including facts, myths, frequently asked questions and vaccination statistics, please visit wechu.org. You can also subscribe to receive email updates from the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit about COVID-19 vaccines.

KEY MESSAGES

• Local vaccine supply has increased and both COVID-19 mRNA vaccines (Moderna and Pfizer) are now widely available.
• The risk of COVID-19 variants causing a fourth wave is high and would dramatically impact the community.
• The best way to avoid a fourth wave is to ensure that the residents of Windsor and Essex are fully vaccinated.
• Those fully vaccinated should encourage and support those that they know to get vaccinated as quickly as possible.
• Physicians co-authoring the letter:
• Dr. Wajid Ahmed - Medical Officer of Health at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit)
• Dr. Jessica Summerfield – President of the Essex County Medical Society
• Dr. Ross Moncur - Chief of Professional Staff at Erie Shores HealthCare
• Dr. Wassim Saad - Chief of Staff at Windsor Regional Hospital
• Dr. Andrea Steen - Vice President Medical Affairs, Quality and Chief of Staff at Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare