THUNDER BAY - Those interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine will soon have more options for booking an appointment as pharmacies and health care providers are expected to start receiving shipments of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine in the coming weeks.
“I see there are real opportunities coming in the next couple of weeks and the next couple of months that will really make it easy for people to get the first dose and the second dose when it comes to that,” said Dr. Janet DeMille, medical officer of health with the Thunder Bay District Health Unit.
According to DeMille, more pharmacies in the Thunder Bay District are expected to receive the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine either this week or next week.
Earlier this spring, four pharmacies in the city of Thunder Bay were administering the AstraZeneca vaccine, but the province has since suspended its use as a precaution over very rare instances of blood clots.
“We are expecting to see more pharmacies in our area above those four getting Pfizer and Moderna,” DeMille said. “I think that will be a great channel coming on board and increasing people’s access to immunization and second doses.”
As vaccine availability continues to increase across the province, DeMille is also hopeful there will be more flexibility when it comes to receiving a second dose.
Currently, second dose appointments are 16 weeks from the first dose, but if supply remains steady or increases throughout the summer, DeMille said people could receive that second shot sooner.
“We do want people to have those second doses,” she said. “I suspect there will be more information around second doses coming in the next week or two.”
Vaccination rates in the Thunder Bay District have once again increased following a slight decline in the past two weeks due to vaccine doses being allocated to hotspot areas in Southern Ontario.
Last week, the health unit and partnering organizations administered more than 9,000 doses across the district and that is anticipated to continue as the a high number of doses are expected to be shipped to the district.
Vaccine clinics in Thunder Bay administer between 750 and 800 doses per day, but DeMille said they have the capacity to do even more and she anticipates surpassing that in June.
“I actually think we are doing very well on that vaccination side,” she said. “There are clearly people who really want to be vaccinated. As soon as we open it up, we start to fill the appointments. I think that really helps to drive our numbers up.”
DeMille added that she is really optimistic regarding the vaccination rates in the district though she does understand that some people may still have questions or concerns regarding the vaccine.
“That is completely valid to have questions about the vaccines and to be informed about making the decision to get vaccinated or not,” she said. “Certainly many people have made that decision to do that. If they have concerns or questions, seek answers to those.”
High vaccination rates will also be one of the key factors in reopening as it not only protects individuals, but families, households, and the broader community.
More details on the province’s reopening plan are expected Thursday afternoon and DeMille said the district is in a good position to start easing some restrictions.
“I think we’ve shown we are able to control COVID-19 here,” she said. “It’s not that the risk is gone. The risk is still here. But the downward trend is reassuring. I think it’s reasonable to do some reopening in our area and I would like to see the reopening of schools in our area and outdoor opportunities. It is much safer to be outside than it is to be inside in terms of transmission.”
DeMille reiterated the importance of getting students back into the classroom, even if it is just for a few weeks this academic year.
“We did really well with the schools. Schools have tremendous measures in place to reduce the virus spreading,” DeMille said.
“Last November and December when we had a higher level of cases than we do now, schools remained opened. We didn’t really have any school related outbreaks where there was spread inside the school. I think that’s a testimony to the amount of work done to keep schools safe.”
