Paradise revokes vaccination policy
By Mark Squibb/March 10, 2023
The Town of Paradise this week rescinded a mandatory vaccination policy implemented in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The COVID-19 vaccination policy was implemented to address the mandatory vaccination requirements set out by the Province,” said councillor Elizabeth Laurie during Tuesday night’s meeting. “The provincial vaccination regulations have been suspended, so these policies are no longer relevant.”
The Town’s more general COVID-19 staff policy, implemented in June of 2020 as part of the Town’s ‘Return to Work’ plan as more employees returned to the office, was also scrapped, with Laurie noting that the rules and guidelines are no longer required.
It’s yet another sign that folks are ready to close the door on COVID-19.
“I think we all start thinking, around this time of year, where we were three years ago,” said Laurie. “And we’ve made it. It’s great to see some of these policies come off our books so we can move forward and continue living our lives with COVID behind us. I’m just happy to see this rescinded.”
Councillor Glen Carew noted that next week will mark three years to the day when the province first went into lockdown.
“I’m happy to see this on the agenda tonight,” said Carew. “We know we’re going to live with COVID forever, in some way, shape, or form, but this is a sign of life getting back to normal, whatever that normal is going to be going forward. So, I’m happy to see (these policies) off the books.”
Deputy Mayor Kim Street and councillor Deborah Quilty both said they were proud of how quickly town staff and council were able to draft and implement the policies and adapt to the ‘new normal.’
“But, as councillor Carew has mentioned, COVID is not gone away,” said Quilty. “COVID is still out there.”
Vaccine mandates across the country and at border crossings sparked a series of protests during the pandemic, culminating in the occupation of downtown Ottawa by an unruly horde of anti-vaxxers and conspiracy adherents, among other fringe groups.