Ontario’s top doctor to ‘review’ medical exemption rate for COVID vaccine, says it’s ‘higher than it should be’

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore said Tuesday he heard anecdotal reports from employers with mandates suggesting the medical exemption rate for employees is between one and two percent, reported CP24. He contended that medical exemptions should be limited to people susceptible to an allergic reaction to the vaccine or people at elevated risk of developing myocarditis.

"If you put those calculations together, we should see medical exemptions of around one to five per 100,000. We are seeing a higher number reported by workers, and I think it deserves a review," said Moore. "Certainly, we have tried to educate physicians and nurse practitioners who fill out these forms to make sure they are aware of the two major exemptions."

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath held similar concerns Monday, adding she was "statistically curious" that two of 70 Progressive Conservative MPPs who remain unvaccinated received medical exemptions despite the party's policy.

While Moore did not address the vaccination rate among the PC caucus, he acknowledged the province undertook efforts to make physicians and nurse practitioners "better aware of what the true medical exemptions are."

He continued: "It is an ongoing quality improvement initiative to inform them of what the valid medical exemptions are. I want all Ontarians to have the benefit of protection of immunization, and a false medical exemption or an incorrect one bypasses our ability to protect them."

"I hope these conversations are happening between physician and patient, nurse and patient, and the physicians are seeking guidance from their respective college regarding what are the appropriate medical exemptions," said Moore.

Ontario's government has only mandated vaccinations for long-term care workers so far. However, several other employers, including about 40 percent of hospitals, have introduced mandatory vaccination policies.