This petition is being created with one purpose:

"Get our kids back into sports and preserve their MENTAL HEALTH!"

On September 27, Windsor-Essex Health Unit Acting Medical Officer, Dr. Shanker Nesathurai put in place a Letter of Instruction to "protect young people and reduce the potential for community spread of COVID-19"

What the move did not take into account is the impact this decision has already made on hundreds of children in this age group that are now suffering since its October 1 implementation!

The mandate (which is not law) overrides the exemption offered under the provincial Reopening Ontario Act that factors in the importance of a child's mental health and allows children ages12-17 years old to participate in organized sport or recreation without the need to present proof of vaccination.

While some local sports organizations are calling for the WECHU to allow for a grace period where children ages 12-17 can choose to get vaccinated at a later date, the reality is that many families are still gathering information and struggling to make the decision to vaccinate their children. 

We ask that all parents and teammates (regardless of their position or vaccination status) please sign this petition which calls for the WECHU to reverse the mandate and revert back to following the provincial guidelines which encourages keeping children ages 12-17 in sport - particularly coming off an 18-month period where they have been challenged at such a young age.

Thank you for your support and we wish you and your families well as we hope that people will come together (and not be divided) to preserve our freedoms and most importantly - the freedoms of our children!