Niagara’s top doctor is worried the province's move to stop the use of vaccine certificates will diminish the importance of getting the jab to help fight COVID-19.

Dr. Mustafa Hirji, acting medical officer of health for the Region of Niagara, also recommended fully vaccinated status be amended to require a booster shot.

“When we look at our vaccine uptake you can see there’s been a pretty sharp drop off in recent weeks,” Hirji said during a COVID-19 briefing on Monday.

“I think that’s perhaps partly a reflection that there’s proof of vaccination being eliminated in parts of the country and now that’s happening here.”

On Feb. 14, the Ontario government announced a sped-up reopening plan, which aims to make proof of vaccination optional by March 1. Masking and social distancing requirements are to stay in effect.

Hirji said the changes send out a message that vaccination “is no longer that important.”

But “vaccination is more important than ever,” he insisted.

“We’re not gonna have a lot of other measures in place to really keep us safe and we need people to be vaccinated to make sure they are going to be safe going forward.”

Hirji said the government is sending mixed signals about vaccination by making the certificate optional while still recommending everybody get vaccinated.

“My view is that we are in a precarious situation,” he said.

“I can understand (removing) capacity limits, those sorts of things are quite onerous and economically harmful. I think proof of vaccination, though, is not harmful. I think masks are not harmful to people. They’re a bit of a nuisance (but) we can go around and continue to have those.”

Hirji recommended businesses that maintain the proof of vaccination requirement extend the definition of fully vaccinated to include booster shots.

“I would recommend we continue to have (proof of vaccination and masking requirements) and actually strengthen the proof of vaccination to include booster doses,” he said.