Jarvis: EMS chief warned public health seven weeks ago of ‘a definite risk’

“Is there a plan to test the migrant worker population?”

EMS Chief Bruce Krauter asked local medical officer of health Dr. Wajid Ahmed that question in an email May 14.

The answer was no.

“I don’t have any plan to do mass testing on (the) migrant worker population,” Ahmed responded in an email the next day.

Krauter, writing two weeks after Leamington Mayor Hilda MacDonald also urged Ahmed to mass test migrant farm workers, continued to push testing in several more emails May 15.

“…with the high population,” he wrote, referring to the 8,000 to 10,000 migrant farm workers in Essex County, “it is a definite risk to the communities.”

“I still have a concern of not testing the migrant workers,” he repeated.

He also repeatedly offered to help.

“Let me know if we can assist,” he wrote.

But the response remained no.

“I completely understand your concerns, but testing these people will not address the concerns,” Ahmed concluded in his final email.

Original Post https://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/jarvis-ems-chief-warned-public-health-seven-weeks-ago-of-a-definite-risk