THUNDER BAY – The chair of Age Friendly Thunder Bay says Ontario’s vaccine roll-out plan provides some clarity for seniors awaiting their COVID-19 shot.
However, Rebecca Johnson said there are still far too many questions unanswered and concerns about process.
The province on Wednesday announced a timeline for seniors to receive the vaccine, saying those 80 and older can begin registering for an appointment starting on March 15, with the actual shots being delivered starting the following week.
Those 75 and older can start registering on April 15, while the 70-plus crowd, as well as essential workers can register starting on May 1.
On June 1 the threshold drops to 65 and older, and in the first week of July, those 60 and older can book an appointment.
Johnson said she’s received dozens of phone calls, both in her role with Age Friendly Thunder Bay, and as an at-large city councillor, from seniors wondering about where and when they’ll be able to get the vaccine.
While the timeline does provide some comfort, Johnson said she’d like a little more clarity about the process.
“People are going to be looking to book an appointment to get their vaccination. My concern is that at nine o’clock on March 15, is the whole computer system going to crash? You’re going to have umpteen – who knows how many people – that will be trying to contact that portal to make their appointments because everybody wants their vaccination,” Johnson said.
“That will be an issue. It crashed in Alberta, so I have visions of that occurring in Ontario.”
Johnson added she’s a little concerned about the actual booking. While many seniors are computer literate, there are many who aren’t – or don’t have access to the Internet.
That leaves them to try to book by phone.
“How long are they going to sit on the telephone waiting to get somebody to actually answer the phone to make that appointment for them? We need a plan. It’s good to have a date, it’s good to know the week after the 15th you’ll actually get the vaccination. But how do you get to have this all done? We need a simple plan that people can really understand.”
At present, vaccines are being administered at the Bora Laskin Education Building at Lakehead University.
Johnson said the city has promised to provide whatever space is necessary for larger vaccination clinics if and when more supply becomes available. Johnson said she asked the health unit about additional vaccination clinics and shared they said they are actively working to set them up and should have more details early next week.
