Chatham-Kent’s medical officer of health is asking a local politician to “check his facts” before spreading potentially harmful misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.
During a media conference call with members of the media on Thursday, Dr. David Colby said he has a responsibility to correct misinformation, even if it comes from a Member of Provincial Parliament.
“I’ve been adamant all along that everybody should get their information from credible medical, scientific sources,” he said.
His comments come in response to being asked about a self-recorded video post of Chatham-Kent-Leamington MPP Rick Nicholls that has been making the rounds on social media.
In the video, Nicholls claims that COVID-19 vaccines are “experimental” and ineffective. He also points to the fact a vaccinated person can still contract the virus as evidence of the vaccines’ ineffectiveness. The video was first uploaded to Rumble, a video platform comparable to YouTube, on November 11. The MPP has repeatedly shared a link to the video through his official account on Twitter.
Colby refuted Nicholls’ claims and said the COVID-19 vaccines are vital to ending the pandemic.
“It’s extremely effective at preventing people from getting serious illness, and you can see that in our hospitals,” he said.
As of Thursday, there were 58 active cases of COVID-19 in Chatham-Kent, but only two people had been admitted to the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance to be treated for the virus.
“Previously, with that number of active cases, our hospital would have been very congested, and there’s no question that this is due to the vaccine,” Colby added. “The vaccine will have a very positive effect on decreasing transmission in our society.”
Public health officials in Canada and around the world have also repeatedly emphasized that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at preventing severe illness.
Nicholls was removed from the Progressive Conservative caucus in August after refusing to be vaccinated or provide a medical exemption. He was then replaced as deputy speaker at Queen’s Park in October. He currently sits as an independent.
“I think he should check his facts before he goes public,” Colby added regarding Nicholl’s claims. “I do not think that anyone who is not qualified to make pronouncements on medical and scientific issues, should be making such pronouncements.”
In his online video, Nicholls goes on to compare current vaccine mandates at workplaces and social venues to practices that were seen in Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia.