Patrick Brown: Brampton’s essential workers need second dose to stop spread of explosive variant

Thestar.com
June 3, 2021

Canada depends on Brampton. In September, I wrote about the impact of COVID-19 on the city of Brampton and detailed some of the reasons why my community was suffering a greater impact than other parts of the country.

Namely, our larger initial seeding of the virus due to our sizable workforce in the food processing and transportation sectors and some cases being discovered at Pearson airport. Canadians depend on those workers doing the job of delivering essential everyday goods people. It’s a job that can’t be done from home.

It has been very difficult times for all of us since the onset of COVID-19 and the new variants now taking over the spread is yet another challenge we need to act on.

The Delta variant (B. 1.617.2) of the virus, which has in part been blamed for India’s explosive outbreak, has been called a triple mutant variant since it is split into three lineages. Unfortunately, the Delta variant has arrived on the shores of Peel Region.

We have 97 cases as of today. Recent research suggests this variant may be the most transmissible one yet and according to Peel’s chief medical officer, Dr. Lawrence Loh, and the greater medical community, Delta is also more severe. Most experts agree the Delta variant will the dominant form of COVID-19 transmission in Peel and potentially the rest of Ontario.

A study just released out of the U.K. found full vaccination is 81 per cent effective against the Delta strain, but one dose of vaccine only provides 33 per cent protection against symptomatic infection.

Brampton City Council is calling for second dose prioritization for our vulnerable essential workers to win the battle against this variant. Crowded factories are where the spread began in our last wave. The lesson we’ve learned from the first three waves is simple: protect, prioritize and be decisive.

The World Health Organization (WHO) advises, “Priority should be given to vaccinating high-risk groups everywhere to maximize global protection against new variants and minimize the risk of transmission.”

Collectively, we all want our lives back. We have endured so much and come so far that we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. But we must make sure the light is not a train carrying the Delta variant down the tracks. We must remain vigilant.

Other voices are sounding the alarm, Dr. Isaac Bogosh tweeted on Tuesday, “We lost the B. 1.1.7-vs-vaccine race in Canada before we even knew there was a race. But with the rapidly spreading B. 1.617 (variant discovered in India/“Delta”), we are well in the lead with mass vaccination & can (hopefully) stay ahead with a smart/fast 1st & 2nd dose strategy.”

Dr. Zain Chagla, infectious diseases physician at St. Joe’s in Hamilton tweeted a chart showing an alarming rise in variant cases among essential workers and wrote: “100% agree with @patrickbrownont. More transmissible variants are going to amplify where the 3rd wave amplification was and where the morbidity and mortality was. 70+ year olds are priority, but this other group that needs to be done pronto.”

Bestselling author and host of CBC’s “White Coat, Black Art” Dr. Brian Goldman was even more direct in his tweet “Second dose IS ESSENTIAL.”

We diminish the spread of COVID-19 by “putting the fire out where the fire is.” To be blunt, our house is on fire. Now is the time to respond to the call. It’s a three alarm blaze and Brampton and Peel Region is where the fire trucks need to be dispatched to.