Chatham-Kent's Medical Officer of Health is expressing the urgency for a COVID-19 vaccine certificate system but says it would be best implemented by the province.
According to Dr. David Colby, local medical officers of health across Ontario are encouraging the province to create a vaccine certificate system when it comes to providing proof of vaccination.
"I am very much in favour of this concept," said Colby.
However, Premier Doug Ford has publicly rejected the idea of a vaccine certification system, saying he doesn’t want a "split society."
"The federal government is working on that [vaccine certificate system] but apparently they are a long way away from being able to deliver it," Colby said. "Without a certification program, we are stuck being able to implement any kind of differential programs by incentives for people to get vaccinated."
Some argue the receipts people can download or print after receiving their COVID-19 shots are proof of vaccination but Colby thinks otherwise, saying it's "simply a printout."
"They are receipts," said Colby. "They are not any kind of official certification of vaccine status."
Without provincial direction, Colby said it could be considered on a regional basis, but only if a number of health units get together.
He added there is no point in it being done by individual health units.
"I would take it one step further and say there is very little utility to develop a regional approach," said Colby. "This has got to be a federally or provincial approach."
