OGVG spearheading vaccination effort

LEAMINGTON — The Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG), in partnership with the Windsor Essex Community Response and Stabilization Team, have spearheaded a vaccination program for greenhouse vegetable workers for the past month.

As the weather begins to turn cold, it was thought that workers may be reluctant to attend the outdoor pop-up clinics occurring in Leamington, so the OGVG has opened its doors for two clinics inside at their office location.

Aaron Coristine, OGVG’s Manager of Science and Regulatory Affairs, said that the clinics are offering first and second doses and so far have been well received.

The second clinic was also open to anyone who wanted to receive a first or second dose and was not limited to migrant workers. The clinics are barrier-free, meaning you don’t require an Ontario Health Card to get vaccinated.

A third clinic is planned by month’s end, according to Coristine.

Windsor-Essex Community Response and Stabilization Team

Submitted photo

He says that the workers have responded very well to all vaccination efforts in the past month.

“They want to be safe and healthy,” he said. “They’ve been front-line workers, they’ve got vaccinated, kept working and kept the supply chain rolling.”

OGVG General Manager, Joe Sbrocchi, says that the guest worker population actually has a higher vaccinate rate than the general population across Canada. But he says it’s been a challenge.

“It’s not an easy task to do because we can’t really mandate it,” said Sbrocchi.

He did say that the workers were on board with getting immunized here before heading back home for the winter.

“This way, when they return, they have an already approved vaccine in Canada,” he said.

The effort put into the vaccination program has been well worth it, according to Sbrocchi.

“These people absolutely want to be here,” he said. “We have more applicants than positions available.”

While many of the seasonal worker programs have wrapped up and many have headed home, Sbrocchi says there are still quite a few workers here, working up until the December 15 deadline to head back home.