Outrage erupted on social media after the Toronto city government suspended 248 city employees for not showing proof of vaccination against the deadly diphtheria.
According to the Province of Canada’s Health Minister Eric Hoskins, city officials requested a report from the Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care this summer regarding the city’s vaccination program. After the report was completed in August, city officials suspended employees for about 20 days, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported.
While the city did not cite any reasons for the suspensions, ABC News cited an anonymous city spokesperson saying that for some employees, documentation fell out of date.
City employees – including police officers, firefighters and correctional officers – are required to prove they are up-to-date on the shots. Prior to the order, the city suspended 49 workers over four days, CBC News reported.