Haldimand-Norfolk’s top doctor criticized for claims of COVID-19 vaccine for children – Hamilton

The powerful Haldimand-Norfolk health worker is under close scrutiny after revealing his stance on Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 during a regular media call on Wednesday. Two and through a number of social media posts.

The region’s leading documentarian reread passages from his November 22 media briefing from Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) statement, recommending a series of A complete shot “can be given” to children who have had no side effects from the vaccine.

Strauss elaborated on the committee’s distinction between “strong advice” and “discretionary advice” and followed it up with his thoughts on the benefits and risks of having a child vaccinated. room.

“For me, it was a clear statement. That means individual risk, each family, parent and child, will have to weigh what their values ​​are, what the risks are and what the possible benefits are,” Strauss told reporters. .

“If that is not immediately clear to them, they should discuss it with a healthcare provider they trust. I can’t make blanket recommendations for babies I’ve never met.”

Strauss’ stance has caught the attention of some in the medical community starting to gain weight on social media, including the Ontario Liberal health critic, who again called for the provincial government removed Strauss.

“Premier @fordnation & Chief Medical Officer must step in to remove Dr Strauss, Medical Officer of Haldimand-Norfolk as his recent comments raise unnecessary suspicion and undermine trust of the public,” Fraser said in a post Tuesday.

Tom Closeson, former president of the Ontario Hospital Association, also had something to say, suggesting Strauss should not be a city health worker.

“He’s giving advice to parents who would put children at risk,” Closson tweeted.

Toronto ER physician Dr. Raghu Venugopal hit back on Twitter: “I CAN recommend blankets for babies I’ve never met.”

Strauss explained in follow-up questions during a media press conference that his views tied to the NACI’s statement about poor outcomes with COVID-19 in children balances the safety risks of its use. new vaccine.

“I believe that the NACI believes that it makes sense to take these individual patient risk factors into account when consulting and making decisions,” says Strauss.

“And finally, I agree with the claim that vaccines are safe. The question – when every new drug or improved therapy is approved in children – the question is how safe? ”

Clinical trial data reported by the NACI showed that the last two phases of the pediatric formula with 2,268 children produced a “good immune response” in 1,517 children aged 5 to 11 years with estimated efficacy. calculated as 90.7%.

The recommendation also found no serious safety concerns, but suggested that the trial’s size “would not have detected rare or very rare adverse events that may occur with less frequency.” 1 in 1,000 people”.

“Clearly, that doesn’t mean there can’t be some sort of one in 10,000 or one in 100,000 risk,” Strauss said.

“And (it) actually includes, in their statement, the fact that they will continue to monitor for one in a million risks.”

Strauss later said his advice was based on NACI recommendations and acknowledged his medical experience as an intensive care physician (ICU), not pediatrics.

Earlier in 2021, Fraser of the Liberal Party targeted Strauss’ appointment as an AMOH in Haldimand-Norfolk based on a series of statements opposing the COVID-19 lockdown on social media.

The issue became controversial when Fraser called for a veto of Strauss’ appointment, indicating his opposition to “life-saving public health measures” amid the fourth wave of the pandemic.

Ontario’s new Health Associate Health Officer will lend additional resources to start an active case management campaign and contact the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit (HNHU), continuing to fight the rise marked increase in COVID-19 cases across the region.

Strauss said the aid came after a dialogue with Dr Wajid Ahmed, who will be allocating teleconference staff amid a doubling of active cases over the past two weeks.

The region reported 119 activity as of Wednesday.

The two counties combined had a seven-day average of 13.15, up significantly from 6.9 two weeks ago and 3.4 four weeks ago.

There are 11 COVID-19 hospitalizations in the area with the Haldimand War Memorial hospital outbreak involving 9 cases. Seven people are in the ICU with COVID-19.

The area has had five deaths in the past six weeks, four of which have not been vaccinated.

More than 85% of residents were fully vaccinated as of November 24, while 88% had at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The region is on par with the province’s two-dose rate, which is 86.1% of the eligible population (12 years and older) as of Wednesday. First dose coverage is 89% in Ontario.

HNHU is behind 23 other medical units in the provincial ranking of 2-dose vaccination rates.

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