Open letters to U of T re COVID-19 vaccine mandates

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From: Concerned University of Toronto Student Group August 19, 2021
Represented by Benjamin Gabbay
uoftcovidethics@protonmail.com
To: Prof. Meric Gertler, President Prof. Trevor Young, Acting Vice-President & Provost
University of Toronto University of Toronto
president@utoronto.ca ltrevor.young@utoronto.ca
Cc: Prof. Sandy Welsh, Vice-Provost Prof. Beth Ali, Exec. Director of Athletics & Physical Activity
sandy.welsh@utoronto.ca sportandrec.director@utoronto.ca
Prof. Ellie Hisama, Dean Prof. Ryan McClelland, Associate Dean
University of Toronto Faculty of Music University of Toronto Faculty of Music
dean.music@utoronto.ca ryan.mcclelland@utoronto.ca
Re: U of T to require vaccination for high-risk activities, self-declaration of vaccination status
On August 6, 2021, our group sent a letter responding to the University of Toronto’s COVID vaccination
mandates announced July 29,1
in which we detailed our concerns regarding the ethicality and necessity of
forcing students to disclose their private health information and outlined several reasons—referenced with
peer-reviewed studies, expert opinions, and official government data—why such mandates have no basis in
science. We are disappointed that, as of August 19, we have not received a response, or even an
acknowledgement. However, on August 11, the university published another announcement2
that simply
reinforced the mandates laid out in its July 29 announcement. Although this new announcement is titled
“The public health evidence is clear,” no scientific references are provided, and our concerns regarding the
lack of justification for these mandates remain the same.
Prof. Spadafora, the Council of Ontario Universities, and Colleges Ontario cite “growing concerns about the
Delta and other variants of COVID-19,” but do not explain how this necessitates mandatory COVID
vaccination of the student population, given the public health data we are seeing worldwide. In addition to
the U.S. Center for Disease Control’s data from July 30 indicating that vaccinated individuals are capable of
1
“U of T to require vaccination for high-risk activities, self-declaration of vaccination status” University of Toronto, July 29, 2021.
https://www.utoronto.ca/news/u-t-require-vaccination-high-risk-activities-self-declaration-vaccination-status. Accessed 18 August 2021.
2
“‘The public health evidence is clear’: Salvatore Spadafora on U of T’s vaccine requirement” University of Toronto, August 11, 2021.
https://www.utoronto.ca/news/public-health-evidence-clear-salvatore-spadafora-u-t-s-vaccine-requirement. Accessed 18 August 2021.

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carrying the same viral load of the Delta variant as unvaccinated individuals,3
Public Health England has since
come to the same conclusions,4
and three of the world’s most vaccinated populations—Iceland (75%), Malta
(92%), and Gibraltar (99%+)5
—have all, within the past month, experienced their highest levels of COVID-
19 prevalence since the beginning of the year.6,7
If COVID-vaccinated individuals are just as capable of
transmitting SARS-CoV-2 as the unvaccinated, widespread vaccination does not prevent outbreaks, and, as
Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Professor Dr. Marty Makarty put it, “Those who are unvaccinated
pose no risk to the vaccinated beyond that of a common cold,”8
it remains apparent to us that the University
of Toronto’s recent mandates are a political act with no basis in science, frivolously violating its students’
bodily autonomy and rights to medical privacy.
In addition to the COVID vaccine safety concerns raised in our original letter, we would also like to draw
attention to two further important analyses that have since been published: a study by infectious disease
expert Dr. George A. Diaz et al. in JAMA Cardiology9
that found myocarditis and pericarditis (heart
inflammation disorders) occurring post COVID vaccination at more than twice the rate originally estimated
by the CDC, and a letter by Prof. Nouara Yahi et al. published in The Journal of Infection10
that warns of the
potential for current COVID vaccines to facilitate ADE (antibody-dependent-enhancement11
) in vaccinated
individuals challenged with the Delta variant, potentially worsening disease outcomes in those to whom
COVID would not normally pose a threat without vaccine intervention (e.g., the young and healthy).
3
Brown, Catherine M et al. “Outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 Infections, Including COVID-19 Vaccine Breakthrough Infections, Associated with
Large Public Gatherings — Barnstable County, Massachusetts.” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2021;70:1059-1062,
doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7031e2.
4
Public Health England. SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and variants under investigation in England. Technical Briefing 20. (Online) August 6,
2021. Available: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment data/file/1009243/Technical Briefing 20.pdf.
Accessed 18 August 2021.
5
Our World in Data. “Share of people vaccinated against COVID-19, Aug 16, 2021.” (Online) August 16, 2021.
https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/coronavirus-data-
explorer?zoomToSelection=true&facet=none&pickerSort=asc&pickerMetric=total vaccinations per hundred&Metric=People+vaccinated+%28by+do
se%29&Interval=7-day+rolling+average&Relative+to+Population=true&Align+outbreaks=false&country=ISL~MLT~GIB (Accessed 18 August 2021)
6
Our World in Data. “Daily new confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people.” (Online) August 17, 2021.
https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/coronavirus-data-
explorer?zoomToSelection=true&facet=none&pickerSort=asc&pickerMetric=total vaccinations per hundred&Metric=Confirmed+cases&Interval=7-
day+rolling+average&Relative+to+Population=true&Align+outbreaks=false&country=ISL~MLT~GIB (Accessed 18 August 2021)
7
Worldometers.info. “Gibraltar COVID: Cases and Deaths.” (Online) August 18, 2021.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/gibraltar/ Accessed 18 August 2021.
8
“Could the Delta variant mean another season of online learning?” Fox News. August 5, 2021. https://video.foxnews.com/v/6266668811001,
(02:35). Accessed 18 August 2021.
9
Diaz, G.A. et al. “Myocarditis and Pericarditis After Vaccination for COVID-19.” JAMA. Published online August 04, 2021.
doi:10.1001/jama.2021.13443.
10
Yahi, Nouara et al. “Infection-enhancing anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies recognize both the original Wuhan/D614G strain and Delta variants. A
potential risk for mass vaccination?” The Journal of Infection, S0163-4453(21)00392-3. 9 Aug. 2021, doi:10.1016/j.jinf.2021.08.010
11
Tirado, Sol M Cancel et al. “Antibody-dependent enhancement of virus infection and disease.” Viral immunology vol. 16,1 (2003): 69-86.
doi:10.1089/088282403763635465.

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As the university has unfortunately shown itself to be unwilling to engage with us on these issues, we feel that
our best alternative is to make these letters open to the public in order to draw wider attention to our
concerns about U of T’s mandates and the lack of evidence supporting them. Both our letter of August 6 and
this follow-up letter have been published on https://uoftcovidethics.medium.com/. We have also acquired
additional signatories since our August 6 letter; these will be listed separately at the end of this document,
following our original letter and the list of original signatories.
Sincerely,
Concerned U of T Student Group

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From: Concerned University of Toronto Student Group August 6, 2021
Represented by Benjamin Gabbay
uoftcovidethics@protonmail.com
To: Prof. Meric Gertler, President Prof. Trevor Young, Acting Vice-President & Provost
president@utoronto.ca ltrevor.young@utoronto.ca
Cc: Prof. Sandy Welsh, Vice-Provost Prof. Beth Ali, Exec. Director of Athletics & Physical Activity
sandy.welsh@utoronto.ca sportandrec.director@utoronto.ca
Prof. Ellie Hisama, Dean Prof. Ryan McClelland, Associate Dean
University of Toronto Faculty of Music University of Toronto Faculty of Music
dean.music@utoronto.ca ryan.mcclelland@utoronto.ca
Re: U of T to require vaccination for high-risk activities, self-declaration of vaccination status
We are a group of returning undergraduate and graduate University of Toronto students from various
faculties and fields of study. We are writing this letter in response to the university’s recent announcement of
its intention to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for students participating in certain “high-risk” in-person
activities, including Varsity sports, music performance, and educational placements.1
We believe that a student’s medical history and medical decisions should not be the basis for differential
treatment by an academic institution. Students should not be required to disclose their medical history or
wear it like a badge of honour or shame—through differential treatment or other means—for their fellow
students and faculty members to see and judge. In addition, requiring a student to disclose private medical
information may be in violation of Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act.2
It is typically argued that such privacy violations and medical mandates are justified by the unusually high risk
posed by COVID-19; however, this justification falls apart when examining the assumptions that underpin it.
We would like to address the following points specifically:
1
“U of T to require vaccination for high-risk activities, self-declaration of vaccination status” University of Toronto, July 29, 2021.
https://www.utoronto.ca/news/u-t-require-vaccination-high-risk-activities-self-declaration-vaccination-status. Accessed 5 August 2021.
2
Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004, S.O. 2004, c. 3, Sched. A. (Online). Toronto: Legislative Assembly of Ontario, 2004.
Available: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/04p03. Accessed 5 August 2021.

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COVID vaccines and natural immunity
Special COVID advisor Prof. Sal Spadafora states that COVID vaccines “provide the best protection from
COVID-19.” This disregards a substantial body of evidence indicating that natural immunity obtained
through prior infection with SARS-CoV-2 provides a robust immune defense against reinfection with
SARS-CoV-23,4
that, in many cases, has proven to be superior to the intended effect of current COVID
vaccines.5,6,7
Studies have even demonstrated that a significant number of people who have never come in
contact with SARS-CoV-2 possess memory-type, cross-reactive immunity from prior exposure to similar
viruses.8,9,10,11
In addition, some experts have warned about the possibility that individuals with pre-existing
antibody immunity face an increased risk of severe adverse reaction following vaccination,12
and a recent
study of over 2,000 vaccinated individuals has confirmed this.13
For these reasons, the blanket imposition of
COVID vaccination that does not provide even a theoretical benefit to many individuals is unscientific, and,
as further discussed below, is not without serious risk.
COVID vaccine efficacy
Prof. Spadafora also states that “you can't spread what you aren't infected with,” referring to the supposed
effectiveness of COVID vaccination in preventing infection and transmission. However, the COVID vaccines
3
Dan, Jennifer M et al. “Immunological memory to SARS-CoV-2 assessed for up to 8 months after infection.” Science (New York, N.Y.) vol.
371,6529 (2021): eabf4063. doi:10.1126/science.abf4063.
4
Turner, Jackson S et al. “SARS-CoV-2 infection induces long-lived bone marrow plasma cells in humans.” Nature vol. 595,7867 (2021): 421-
425. doi:10.1038/s41586-021-03647-4.
5
Rosenberg, David. “Natural infection vs vaccination: Which gives more protection?” Israel National News, July 13, 2021.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/309762. Accessed 5 August 2021.
6
Goldberg, Yair et al. “Protection of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection is similar to that of BNT162b2 vaccine protection: A three-month
nationwide experience from Israel.” medRxiv 2021.04.20.21255670; doi:10.1101/2021.04.20.21255670.
7
Shrestha, Nabin K et al. “Necessity of COVID-19 vaccination in previously infected individuals.” medRxiv 2021.06.01.21258176;
doi:10.1101/2021.06.01.21258176.
8
Mahajan, Swapnil et al. “Immunodominant T-cell epitopes from the SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen reveal robust pre-existing T-cell immunity in
unexposed individuals.” Scientific reports vol. 11,1 13164. 23 Jun. 2021, doi:10.1038/s41598-021-92521-4.
9
Doshi P. “Covid-19: Do many people have pre-existing immunity?” BMJ 2020:m3563. doi:10.1136/bmj.m3563
10
Cox, Rebecca J, and Karl A Brokstad. “Not just antibodies: B cells and T cells mediate immunity to COVID-19.” Nature reviews. Immunology
vol. 20,10 (2020): 581-582. doi:10.1038/s41577-020-00436-4
11
Bhakdi, Sucharit et al. “Letter to Physicians: Four New Scientific Discoveries Regarding COVID-19 Immunity and Vaccines – Implications
for Safety and Efficacy.” Doctors for COVID Ethics, July 9, 2021. https://doctors4covidethics.org/letter-to-physicians-four-new-scientific-discoveries-
crucial-to-the-safety-and-efficacy-of-covid-19-vaccines/. Accessed 5 August 2021.
12
Noorchashm, Hooman. “Urgent FDA Communication: J&J, Pfizer, Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Clotting Complications and the Naturally
Immune.” Hooman Noorchashm, April 16, 2021. https://noorchashm.medium.com/urgent-fda-communication-j-j-pfizer-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-
clotting-complications-and-the-e00382f8a8b. Accessed 5 August 2021.
13
Mathioudakis, Alexander G et al. “Self-Reported Real-World Safety and Reactogenicity of COVID-19 Vaccines: A Vaccine Recipient Survey.”
Life (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 11,3 249. 17 Mar. 2021, doi:10.3390/life11030249.

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currently in use cannot provide sterilizing immunity14
or mucosal immunity (a critical defense mechanism
against infection with respiratory viruses15
), and therefore cannot prevent infection or transmission. Recent
data from the U.S. CDC in relation to the now-dominant Delta strain even indicates that vaccinated
individuals are likely to carry the same viral load as unvaccinated individuals, even if they have less severe
COVID-19 symptoms.16
With these facts considered, it becomes clear that COVID vaccine mandates and
coercion make no medical sense—the pursuit of a 100% vaccination policy demonstrates no measurable
benefit that would justify the violation of students’ rights to medical privacy and bodily autonomy.
Risk-benefit ratio for the student demographic
The most crucial question that must be answered when considering the introduction of extraordinary,
overreaching medical mandates is: In the given demographic, does the benefit to the collective sufficiently
outweigh the risk to the individual? We have already discussed the inability of COVID vaccines to prevent
infection and transmission (establishing the fallacy of vaccinating yourself for someone else’s sake); this must
now be placed in the context of the university student demographic. We know from more than a year of
accumulated data that the risk of mortality posed by SARS-CoV-2 infection in the overall population is
approximately 0.15%, or 1 in 667.17
We also know that this mortality rate is heavily skewed towards the
elderly with pre-existing illness,18,19
so much so that it conforms to the curve of natural mortality.20
As such,
the absolute risk posed by COVID-19 to individuals between the ages of 20-29 remains extremely low
(in Canada, people in this demographic account for only 0.2% of all 26,592 deaths both with and from
COVID to date21
), and it has repeatedly been demonstrated that the risk of COVID-19 to those under the
14
Myhre, James et al. “Sterilizing Immunity and COVID-19 Vaccines.” Verywell Health, updated December 24, 2020.
https://www.verywellhealth.com/covid-19-vaccines-and-sterilizing-immunity-5092148. Accessed 5 August 2021.
15
Russell, Michael W et al. “Mucosal Immunity in COVID-19: A Neglected but Critical Aspect of SARS-CoV-2 Infection.” Frontiers in
immunology vol. 11 611337. 30 Nov. 2020, doi:10.3389/fimmu.2020.611337.
16
Brown, Catherine M et al. “Outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 Infections, Including COVID-19 Vaccine Breakthrough Infections, Associated with
Large Public Gatherings — Barnstable County, Massachusetts.” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 2021;70:1059-1062,
doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7031e2.
17
Ioannidis, John P A. “Reconciling estimates of global spread and infection fatality rates of COVID-19: An overview of systematic evaluations.”
European journal of clinical investigation vol. 51,5 (2021): e13554. doi:10.1111/eci.13554.
18
“Risk for COVID-19 Infection, Hospitalization, and Death By Age Group.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, updated July 19, 2021.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/investigations-discovery/hospitalization-death-by-age.html. Accessed 5 August 2021.
19
“See how age and illnesses change the risk of dying from covid-19.” The Economist, March 11, 2021. https://www.economist.com/graphic-
detail/covid-pandemic-mortality-risk-estimator. Accessed 5 August 2021.
20
“Why Covid-19 Is a ‘Strange Pandemic.’” Swiss Policy Research, September 2020. https://swprs.org/why-covid-19-is-a-strange-pandemic/.
Accessed July 5, 2021.
21
“COVID-19 daily epidemiology update.” Government of Canada, August 18, 2021. https://health-infobase.canada.ca/covid-
19/epidemiological-summary-covid-19-cases.html. Accessed 18 August 2021.

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age of 19 is almost nil.22,23,24,25
A March 2021 estimation by the CDC placed the current IFR (infection
fatality rate) of COVID in the USA for the 18-49 age bracket between 500 and 1,700 fatalities per 1,000,000
infections, or between 0.05% and 0.17%,26
approximately five to eighteen times lower than the lifetime risk
of death by a motor vehicle accident.27
With such a low absolute threat, any measure that seeks to benefit the young adult demographic should be
demonstrated to have a near-absolute absence of serious risk. Unfortunately, the current data and warning
signs indicate that this is not the case. It is well accepted by Health Canada, the U.S. FDA, and the European
Medical Association that myocarditis and pericarditis (serious heart inflammation disorders), specifically in
young adults, are among the severe adverse events attributable to mRNA COVID vaccines by Pfizer and
Moderna,28,29,30,31
just as instances of the neurological disorder Guillain-Barré syndrome,32,33,34
capillary leak
22
Bhopal, Sunil S et al. “Children and young people remain at low risk of COVID-19 mortality.” The Lancet. Child & adolescent health vol. 5,5
(2021): e12-e13. doi:10.1016/S2352-4642(21)00066-3.
23
“Covid: Children's extremely low risk confirmed by study.” BBC News Services, July 9, 2021. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-57766717.
Accessed 5 July 2021.
24
Webb, Nicole E et al. “Characteristics of Hospitalized Children Positive for SARS-CoV-2: Experience of a Large Center.” Hospital Pediatrics
vol. 11,8 (2021): e133-e141. doi:10.1542/hpeds.2021-005919.
25
Blakely, Rhys. “All children who died of Covid-19 were already seriously ill.” The Times, August 28, 2020.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/all-children-who-died-of-covid-19-were-already-seriously-ill-jlxr8mkxq. Accessed 5 August 2021.
26
“COVID-19 Pandemic Planning Scenarios.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, updated March 19, 2021.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/planning-scenarios.html. Accessed 5 August 2021.
27
“Odds of Dying.” National Safety Council, Injury facts, 2019. https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/all-injuries/preventable-death-overview/odds-of-
dying/data-details/. Accessed 5 August 2021.
28
“Health Canada updates several COVID-19 vaccine labels with warnings about certain health risks.” CBC News, June 30, 2021.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/health-canada-astrazeneca-capillary-leak-syndrome-1.6085674. Accessed 5 August 2021.
29
“Myocarditis and Pericarditis Following mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, updated June 23, 2021.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/myocarditis.html. Accessed 5 August 2021.
30
“Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: June 25, 2021.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, June 25 2021. https://www.fda.gov/news-
events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-june-25-2021. Accessed 5 August 2021.
31
“COVID-19 vaccine safety update.” European Medicines Agency, July 14, 2021. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/covid-19-vaccine-
safety-update/covid-19-vaccine-safety-update-comirnaty-14-july-2021 en.pdf. Accessed 5 August 2021.
32
George, Judy. “FDA Warns About Post-COVID Vax Guillain-Barré Syndrome.” MedPage Today, July 12, 2021.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/covid19vaccine/93537. Accessed 5 August 2021.
33
Lyons, Erin. “TGA probe into Guillain-Barre Syndrome diagnoses in eight patients after AstraZeneca vaccine.” Nationwide News, May 20,
2021. https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/tga-probe-into-guillainbarre-syndrome-diagnoses-in-eight-patients-after-astrazeneca-
vaccine/news-story/6b3036bdef7895446b02d300aee808b9. Accessed 5 August 2021.
34
The Paul Erlich Institute found that GBS occurred “at an increased rate” in vaccinated patients. See: “Berichtszeitraum 27.12. bis
31.05.2021,” Paul-Erlich-Institut, June 10, 2021,
https://www.pei.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/newsroom/dossiers/sicherheitsberichte/sicherheitsbericht-27-12-bis-31-05-21.pdf.

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syndrome,35
and blood clotting36,37,38
were attributed to AstraZeneca’s and Johnson & Johnson's adenovirus-
vector COVID vaccines before their use was either restricted or suspended in several countries.39
Risks of
thrombotic events and blood clotting have also been attributed to mRNA COVID vaccines,40,41
and
additional serious adverse events, such as heart attacks42
and miscarriages43
(spontaneous abortion) in
pregnant women, have also been reported.
The usual reason that concerns about adverse side effects are disregarded is that they are considered rare and
proportionately minute compared to the risk of COVID-19, but this reasoning cannot be applied in the
context of the young adult population. Unlike the risk of COVID-19, risk of adverse reactions to COVID
vaccination is much more evenly distributed across age groups,44,45
and the bare statistical rate of serious
adverse events following COVID vaccination in Canada (0.006% according to Canada’s Adverse Events
Following Immunization reporting system, AEFI46
) is already six times higher than the statistical risk of
35
“Health Canada issues label change on the AstraZeneca and COVISHIELD COVID-19 vaccines.” Healthy Canadians, Recalls and safety alerts,
June 29, 2021. https://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2021/75389a-eng.php. Accessed 5 August 2021.
36
Campbell, Lucy. “Lisa Shaw death: BBC presenter had blood clots after AstraZeneca jab, family says.” The Guardian, May 27, 2021.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/may/27/bbc-presenter-lisa-shaw-died-of-blood-clot-after-astrazeneca-jab-family-says. Accessed 5 August
2021.
37
Filetto, Giuseppe et al. “Camilla Canepa, the 18-year-old from Sestri Levante vaccinated with AstraZeneca, died. Investigation of the Public
Prosecutor of Genoa for manslaughter.” la Repubblica, June 20, 2021.
https://genova.repubblica.it/cronaca/2021/06/10/news/e morta camilla canepa la 18enne ligure vaccinata con astrazeneca-305366834/. Accessed
5 August 2021.
38
White, Debbie. “Man has leg amputated after suffering rare blood clot three weeks after first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine.” The Sun, June 18,
2021. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/15320182/man-leg-amputated-blood-clot-three-weeks-astrazeneca-vaccine/. Accessed 5 August 2021.
39
“Factbox: Details of use of AstraZeneca, J&J COVID vaccines.” Reuters, April 20, 2021. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-
pharmaceuticals/some-countries-limit-astrazeneca-vaccine-use-eu-findings-jj-shot-expected-2021-04-20/. Accessed 5 August 2021.
40
“Reported side effects following COVID-19 vaccination in Canada.” Government of Canada, updated July 30, 2021. https://health-
infobase.canada.ca/covid-19/vaccine-safety/#noteTTS. Accessed 5 August 2021.
41
Lawrie, Tess. “Urgent preliminary report of Yellow Card data up to 26th May 2021.” The Evidence-Based Medicine Consultancy, June 9, 2021.
https://b3d2650e-e929-4448-a527-4eeb59304c7f.filesusr.com/ugd/593c4f b2acdef3774b4e9ca06e9fae526fd5cd.pdf. Accessed 5 August 2021.
42
“Search results where vaccine target is COVID-19 and symptom is myocardial infarction.” National Vaccine Information Center.
https://www.medalerts.org/vaersdb/findfield.php?EVENTS=on&PAGENO=1&PERPAGE=10&ESORT=&REVERSESORT=&VAX=(COVID19)
&SYMPTOMS=(10028596). Accessed 5 August 2021.
43
“Search results where vaccine target is COVID-19 and symptom is spontaneous abortion.” National Vaccine Information Center.
&SYMPTOMS=(10000234). Accessed 5 August 2021.
44
“Search results where vaccine target is COVID-19 and symptom is serious.” National Vaccine Information Center.
&SERIOUS=ON. Accessed 5 August 2021.
45
“Reported side effects following COVID-19 vaccination in Canada.” Government of Canada, July 30, 2021. https://health-
infobase.canada.ca/covid-19/vaccine-safety/. Accessed 5 August 2021.
46
Ibid.

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COVID-19 mortality in healthy young adults in Canada (an average of 0.001% as estimated by
Stanford epidemiologist John Ioannidis47
). Considering that adverse reactions to vaccination are historically
severely underreported,48
the rate of injury could be significantly higher.
The risk-benefit ratio of mass COVID vaccination is therefore highly disproportionate in the young
adult demographic. We see a clear example of this disproportionality in the recent report from Nova Scotia
of 22 cases of myocarditis occurring post vaccination in individuals aged 20-30,49
where only one of the
province’s 93 total COVID mortalities was under the age of 50, and no deaths from COVID occurred under
the age of 37.50
For many of the reasons discussed above, multiple experts, including Harvard epidemiologist
Prof. Dr. Martin Kulldorff, Stanford medical professor Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, UCI Medical Ethics Program
Director Prof. Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, and the President of the American Association of Physicians and
Surgeons, Dr. Paul M. Kempen, have all denounced university vaccine mandates as being “misguided” and
“dangerous for public health” (Kulldorff and Bhattacharya),51
“unprecedented and unethical” (Kheriaty),52
and “contrary to the bedrock medical principle of informed consent” (Kempen).53
The risk-benefit ratio in young adults becomes even more concerning when compounded with the fact that
current COVID vaccines have only been in trial for a year or less (compared to the 5- to 10-year minimum in
historical vaccine development54
), do not yet have full approval by Health Canada (they are authorized for use
under an emergency interim order55
), and simply do not have long-term safety data. Proponents of COVID
vaccination in children and young adults have been quick to discount any possibility of long-term harm with
47
Ioannidis, John P A et al. “Population-level COVID-19 mortality risk for non-elderly individuals overall and for non-elderly individuals
without underlying diseases in pandemic epicenters.” Environmental research vol. 188 (2020): 109890. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2020.109890
48
Lazarus, Ross. “Electronic Support for Public Health–Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (ESP:VAERS).” Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality, September 2010. https://digital.ahrq.gov/sites/default/files/docs/publication/r18hs017045-lazarus-final-report-2011.pdf. Accessed 5
August 2021.
49
The Canadian Press. “N.S. reports 22 cases of heart inflammation following mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.” Toronto Star, July 23, 2021.
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2021/07/23/ns-reports-22-cases-of-heart-inflammation-following-mrna-covid-19-vaccines.html. Accessed 5
August 2021.
50
Walton, Victoria et al. “Tracking all of Nova Scotia’s COVID deaths.” The Coast, May 25, 2021. https://www.thecoast.ca/halifax/tracking-all-
of-nova-scotias-covid-deaths/Content?oid=26404463. Accessed 5 August 2021.
51
Kulldorff, Martin et al. “The ill-advised push to vaccinate the young.” The Hill, June 17, 2021.
https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/558757-the-ill-advised-push-to-vaccinate-the-young. Accessed 5 August 2021.
52
Kheriaty, Aaron et al. “University Vaccine Mandates Violate Medical Ethics.” The Wall Street Journal, June 14, 2021.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/university-vaccine-mandates-violate-medical-ethics-11623689220. Accessed 5 August 2021.
53
Kempen, Paul M. “Open Letter from Physicians to Universities: Allow Students Back Without COVID Vaccine Mandate.” Association of
American Physicians and Surgeons, April 24, 2021. https://aapsonline.org/open-letter-from-physicians-to-universities-reverse-covid-vaccine-mandates/.
Accessed 5 August 2021.
54
Loprespub. “COVID-19 Vaccine Research and Development.” Library of Parliament, HillNotes, June 23, 2021.
https://hillnotes.ca/2020/06/23/covid-19-vaccine-research-and-development/. Accessed 5 August 2021.
55
Interim Order Respecting the Importation, Sale and Advertising of Drugs for Use in Relation to COVID-19. (Online) Ottawa: Health
Canada, September 16, 2020. Available: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/covid19-industry/drugs-vaccines-
treatments/interim-order-import-sale-advertising-drugs.html. Accessed 5 August 2021.

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the notion that nothing about the mechanism of current COVID vaccines suggests the possibility of long-
term harm—however, even if we disregard the reckless confidence of this rationale, which has been repeatedly
countered,56,57,58
it is also dangerously untrue. Several clear hypotheses for the mechanisms of harm of spike-
protein mRNA (the active component of current mRNA COVID vaccines) have been posited by leading
experts in microbiology, immunology, and toxicology in an exchange of letters with the European Medical
Association between February 28 and April 20, 2021.59,60,61,62
The association’s first letter63
accurately
predicted the rise in thrombotic (blood-clotting) adverse events that was observed in the following months,
and the group continues to raise concerns that the most commonly listed “mild” adverse events of mRNA
COVID vaccines (e.g., piercing headache, impaired consciousness, fatigue, twitching) point to far more
widespread occurrence of thrombosis (specifically CVST, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis) than previously
estimated.64
This has recently been corroborated by some highly concerning raw data produced by British
Columbia physician Dr. Charles Hoffe, who reported elevated D-dimer levels in the blood of many of his
patients post vaccination, including those who displayed no obvious adverse reactions.65
(“D-dimers” are
protein fragments produced by the body in the formation and dissolution of blood clots.66
) Widespread
occurrence of elevated D-dimer levels in recently vaccinated individuals suggests that blood clotting may be
taking place at a microscopic scale even in those who display few or no symptoms post vaccination, and
56
Doshi, Peter. “Covid-19 vaccines: In the rush for regulatory approval, do we need more data?” BMJ 2021;373:n1244. doi:10.1136/bmj.n1244.
57
Wastila, Linda et al. “Why we petitioned the FDA to refrain from fully approving any covid-19 vaccine this year.” The BMJ Opinion, June 8
2021. https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2021/06/08/why-we-petitioned-the-fda-to-refrain-from-fully-approving-any-covid-19-vaccine-this-year/. Accessed 5
August 2021.
58
Siri, Aaron. “Federal law prohibits employers and others from requiring vaccination with a Covid-19 vaccine distr buted under an EUA.”
STAT, Feb 23, 2021. https://www.statnews.com/2021/02/23/federal-law-prohibits-employers-and-others-from-requiring-vaccination-with-a-covid-19-
vaccine-distributed-under-an-eua/. Accessed 5 August 2021.
59
Bhakti, Sucharit et al. “Urgent Open Letter from Doctors and Scientists to the European Medicines Agency regarding COVID-19 Vaccine
Safety Concerns.” Doctors for Covid Ethics, March 10, 2021. https://doctors4covidethics.org/urgent-open-letter-from-doctors-and-scientists-to-the-
european-medicines-agency-regarding-covid-19-vaccine-safety-concerns/. Accessed 5 August 2021.
60
Burgos, Juan Garcia. “Reply from the European Medicines Agency to Doctors for Covid Ethics, March 23, 2021.” Doctors for Covid Ethics,
April 1, 2021. https://doctors4covidethics.org/reply-from-the-european-medicines-agency-to-doctors-for-covid-ethics-march-23-2021/. Accessed 5
August 2021.
61
Bhakti, Sucharit et al. “Rebuttal letter to European Medicines Agency from Doctors for Covid Ethics, April 1, 2021.” Doctors for Covid Ethics,
April 1, 2021. https://doctors4covidethics.org/rebuttal-letter-to-european-medicines-agency-from-doctors-for-covid-ethics-april-1-2021/. Accessed 5
August 2021.
62
Bhakti, Sucharit et al. “Doctors and Scientists Write to the European Medicines Agency, Warning of COVID-19 Vaccine Dangers for a Third
Time.” Doctors for Covid Ethics, April 24, 2021. https://doctors4covidethics.org/doctors-and-scientists-write-to-the-european-medicines-agency-
warning-of-covid-19-vaccine-dangers-for-a-third-time/. Accessed 5 August 2021.
63
Bhakti, Sucharit et al. “Urgent Open Letter from Doctors and Scientists to the European Medicines Agency regarding COVID-19 Vaccine
Safety Concerns.”
64
Bhakti, Sucharit et al. “Doctors and Scientists Write to the European Medicines Agency, Warning of COVID-19 Vaccine Dangers for a Third Time.”
65
“Doctors for Covid Ethics Symposium - Session 1.” Doctors for COVID Ethics, August 4, 2021.
https://tube.doctors4covidethics.org/videos/watch/a288d316-9975-4673-a5bf-2f16ca5d7764, (02:03:30). Accessed 5 August 2021.
66
“D-dimer.” Lab Tests Online, updated June 18, 2021. https://labtestsonline.org/tests/d-dimer. Accessed 5 August 2021.

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introduces serious new concerns about long-term safety and the mechanism of spike-protein mRNA vaccines
as a whole. Until such time as each of these concerns has been thoroughly investigated and assessed, the
long-term risks of current COVID vaccines must be regarded as a dangerous unknown.
Conclusion
As this letter has made it clear that:
• current COVID vaccines do not prevent transmission;
• the risk of COVID-19 to the young adult population is statistically miniscule, and the risk-benefit
ratio of the mass vaccination of young adults against COVID is utterly disproportionate;
• long-term risks of COVID vaccination remain unknown, but serious warning signs are emerging; and
• COVID vaccination mandates for young adults have been shunned and denounced by medical
ethicists and world-leading experts in medicine and epidemiology;
we as concerned students feel that the university cannot use COVID-19 as a justification for the
violation of students’ rights to medical privacy and bodily autonomy, and we request the immediate
retraction by the university of its recently announced COVID vaccination mandates. We are not
requesting special exemption from the mandate, as we maintain that the mandate itself is nonscientific,
discriminatory, and unethical, and the process of seeking exemption inevitably involves the disclosure of
additional private information to which the university has no right—we request full retraction.
If the university, along with all affected faculties, continues to uphold its mandate in spite of the
demonstrated lack of scientific and ethical justification, we are left to assume that the university has chosen to
put politics ahead of its students’ rights and well-being. We are aware that the university has already been put
on legal notice by Children’s Health Defense Canada and the Constitutional Rights Centre,67
as have Seneca
College and Western University for their own mandates.68,69
We urge the University of Toronto to uphold its
values of equity and unity and repeal its mandates so that this battle will not need to be fought in court.
We would like to conclude with the words of Dr. Martin Kulldorff and Dr. Jay Bhattacharya from their
incisive op-ed in The Hill:70
67
Sherazee, Amina. “Re: ‘Mandatory Vaccinations’ for Students in Residence.” Constitutional Rights Centre, July 31, 2021.
https://www.constitutionalrightscentre.ca/20CRC16/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/CHDC-Letter-Ontario-UniversitiesColleges.pdf. Accessed 5
August 2021.
68
Sherazee, Amina. “Re: ‘Mandatory Vaccinations’ for Students on-Campus.” Constitutional Rights Centre, July 24, 2021.
https://childrenshealthdefense.ca/wp-content/uploads/CHDC-Ltr-Seneca-College.pdf. Accessed 5 August 2021.
69
Sherazee, Amina. “Re: ‘Mandatory Vaccinations’ for Students in Residence.” Constitutional Rights Centre, July 21, 2021.
https://childrenshealthdefense.ca/wp-content/uploads/CHDC-Ltr-Western-University.pdf. Accessed 5 August 2021.
70
Kulldorff, Martin et al. “The ill-advised push to vaccinate the young.” The Hill, June 17, 2021.
https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/558757-the-ill-advised-push-to-vaccinate-the-young. Accessed 5 August 2021.

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“Universities used to be bastions of enlightenment. Now many of them ignore basic benefit-risk analyses,
a staple of the toolbox of scientists; they deny immunity from natural infection; they abandon the global
international perspective for narrow nationalism; and they replace trust with coercion and
authoritarianism. Mandating the COVID-19 vaccine thus threatens not only public health but also the
future of science.”
Sincerely,
Benjamin Gabbay
Faculty of Music, MMus in Composition, second year
Faculty of Music, BMus in Jazz Performance, fourth year
Arts & Humanities, second year
Faculty of Music, BMus in Performance, fourth year
Faculty of Music, DMA in Composition, final year
BE; Faculty of Law, second year
Faculty of Music, BMus in Performance, second year
Computer Engineering, fourth year
Faculty of Music, BMus in Education, fourth year
Faculty of Music, BMus comprehensive, fourth year
Arts & Sciences
(Signatories continued on next page)

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(Signatories, continued)
Faculty of Music, DMA candidate
Faculty of Music, BMus in Music Performance, third year
BASc, third year
MASc, second year
Chemical Engineering
Faculty of Music, fourth year
Supporting signatories (alumni):
BMus, MT
BCom
BMus
Humanities
MMus Performance
Arts & Sciences
Arts & Sciences

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Additional signatories, August 19 (students):
Arts & Sciences (UTM)
Department of Physical and Environmental Science, first year
BSc
Additional signatories, August 19 (alumni):
Arts & Sciences (UTM)
B.A., OISE
OISE
Centre for Medieval Studies

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