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Hello and welcome to COVID Communiqué 45. We want to focus on a different aspect of COVID this week: the important role we can play by encouraging our congregations to get vaccinated. To some of us it may be all but incomprehensible that there are people who don’t want a vaccination, but vaccine hesitation is very real. Furthermore, the CBC reported this week that more than a quarter of Ontarians over 80 have not registered to get a vaccination (and remember, people in residences and nursing homes have already got their shots). Older seniors are among our most vulnerable citizens and certainly form a significant part of our congregations. 

Experts told the CBC reasons people over 80 weren’t registering could include language, literacy and technological barriers to signing up; not being able to get the shot from their family doctors; reluctance to go out in public to a crowded place; and worries about the safety of the vaccines, among others. 

It's thought by many that faith leaders can do much to help lessen the concerns of older people in their congregations. Tweeting and posting online may not be the best way to reach that group (though friends and family likely keep them informed) but perhaps you could send out a letter with information designed to allay fears and encourage participation (it could be included in an Easter mailing). 

Here are some sources for information you can draw on:

     Government of Canada COVID-19 information

     Government of Ontario COVID-19 information

     Government of Quebec COVID-19 information

     Government of Canada poster on vaccine safety

     Public Health Agency of Canada poster “Vaccines work”

Another way to encourage your congregation to get vaccinated and serve the broader community as well is to host a vaccination centre, as we’ve mentioned before. Church buildings can make excellent temporary vaccination clinics because of ample indoor space that permits social distancing, convenient locations and (often) parking. If you’re asked, don’t hesitate — and consider calling your public health unit to volunteer (you’ll find the numbers for all public health units in the diocese in the pandemic plan, In This Together, between paragraphs 83 and 84). 

Finally, last week Bishop Shane expressed hope that many parishes will celebrate the Eucharist on Easter Sunday, and offered an invitation and prayer that can be used at the time of communion. Here is a document that shows where to use them in either a BAS or BCP service. 

If you have any questions about supporting vaccination, or anything else, please contact the COVID-19 help desk: C19helpdesk@ottawa.anglican.ca.   

COVID Communiqué is produced by our senior staff:
Shane Parker, Bishop
Beth Bretzlaff, Dean
Linda Hill, Executive Archdeacon
Sanjay Grover, Director of Financial Ministry
Peter John Hobbs, Director of Community Ministries
Jane Scanlon, Director of Communications & Stewardship Development
Carol Sinclair, Director of Human Resources
Michael Garner, Public Health Advisor