The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

6 ·The IFP· Halton Hills ·Thursday, May 3, 2012 OPINION Missing the point? We understand that having an annual flu shot is a personal choice and that many individuals have legitimate reasons for not wanting one. However, we found it somewhat disturbing that Halton Region's Health and Social Services Committee was told recently that vaccinations for hospital and long-term care home staff continue to fall below provincial benchmarks. At Halton Healthcare Services hospitals-- Oakville Trafalgar, Milton District and Georgetown-- 43 per cent of staff were immunized, up from 34 per cent last year, and at Joseph Brant hospital in Burlington 25 per cent of staff were. Both organizations fell below the 70 per cent provincial target. Flu shots for staff at Halton's long-term care homes on average reached 60 per cent, up from 56 per cent last year. But none of the homes met the Ministry of Health's staff immunization benchmark of 90 per cent. West Oak Village Long Term Care Home in Oakville only saw a 21 per cent staff immunization rate while 92 per cent of residents at the home were immunized. Again, having a flu shot is each individual's choice, however, if one is working in the health care field at a hospital or a long-term care facility does it not make sense to get the vaccination-- if not for your own health, but for those you would have contact with? Particularly since the people these workers are aiding are either ill or elderly and thus more vulnerable to catching the flu. We have a tremendous group of health care providers across Halton who perform thankless jobs. However, in not taking a simple step to improve the chances of avoiding the flu it strikes us these workers are acting a bit selfish. And that's surprising since they prove every day in their jobs they are anything but selfish. 905-873-0301 Publisher: Ken Nugent General manager: Steve Foreman (sforeman@theifp.ca) Retail advertising manager: Cindi Campbell (ccampbell@theifp.ca) Managing editor: John McGhie (jmcghie@theifp.ca) Distribution manager: Nancy Geissler (ngeissler@theifp.ca) Classifieds Kristie Pells (classified@theifp.ca) Accounting Rose Marie Gauthier Editorial Cynthia Gamble: News editor (cgamble@theifp.ca) Ted Brown: Photography (tbrown@theifp.ca) Lisa Tallyn: Staff writer (ltallyn@theifp.ca) Eamonn Maher: Staff writer/sports (emaher@theifp.ca) Letters policy Letters must include an address and daytime phone number. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters should not exceed 150 words and may be edited for content and/or length. Publication is not guaranteed. Email: jmcghie@theifp.ca Steve Nease Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 29, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1. Letters to the editor Chong desperate to `change channels' Dear editor, What is the deal with our MP? Mike Chong's March 27 column, states that he is opposed to Bill C-290 and he spouts all kinds of evidence to support his opposition. This would seem, on the face, to be yet another area where the "maverick" MP is standing up for our riding. Don't be fooled-- this is not a government bill but a private member's bill put forward by the NDP. Mr. Chong doesn't mention that, at all. He seems desperate to change channels on the scandals in his government, and the daily drip, drip, drip of the horrid partisan policy that the government is steadily putting out. He has written a few letters, recently, defending his pension. Is this what is really important, Michael? What about robo-calls? What about Harper's childish attack ads? He should be standing on his chair to be heard in his Conservative caucus, but, he mentioned to me, that he manages to stand up in their Wednesday caucus meetings once every couple of months. Every couple of months? Seriously? I think the people of WellingtonHalton Hills deserve better. Gary Britton, Georgetown More than 400 people attended her fundraiser "Cousins helping Cousins" on March 31 and it gave her the support and encouragement she needed to continue her fight. We are overwhelmed with the support of this amazing community! We are truly blessed and would like to thank our cousins Stacy Chaytor and Erika Lefebvre for organizing and pulling off this incredible event. Special thanks also to Rob and Mandy Cook, Joanne Russell, Barb Clare, Dawn Lashbrook, Shelley Campbell, Sarah Racinsky, Keith Poullos and John Vieira. It was great to see all our past and present friends, teachers and coaches from GDHS, Centennial Public School, Georgetown Soccer Club and Impact Volleyball. Without their efforts this day could not have been such a success. We are pleased to have raised awareness about this awful disease and hope it may help others who are suffering. Thank you. Gail, Peter, Vanessa and Morgan McCracken Georgetown Return of purse was appreciated Dear editor, I would like to thank the person who found my purse and returned it to the Real Canadian Superstore, unopened, on Wednesday, April 18. It's people like you that restore our faith that there are good people out there. I hope someday someone with do a good deed for you. Thank you so much. Carole Norton, Georgetown WEB POLL RESULTS (Go to www.theifp.ca) The Toronto Premium Outlets mall is slated to open next year in Halton Hills. Do you think this mall will be boon to Halton Hills? · Yes. This development will bring tax dollars and visitors (54%) · No. The town will see little benefit and more traffic (39%) · I'm undecided (7%) Support for event `overwhelming' Dear editor, We would like to thank you for covering the story of our daughter Vanessa McCracken and her fight with Lyme disease. The Independent & Free Press The Independent & Free Press is published Tuesday and Thursday and is one of several Metroland Media Group Ltd. community newspapers. Editorial and advertising content of The Independent & Free Press is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.