THUNDER BAY — Some pharmacies are inviting customers to register for COVID-19 vaccinations, even though the Ontario government has yet to expand pharmacy vaccine clinics beyond selected areas of southern Ontario.
Pharmacies have established online registration systems.
However, the registration process does not provide any actual appointment dates.
Participants are only advised that they will be contacted when updated information is available.
Spokespersons at two Thunder Bay pharmacies said Wednesday they have not been told yet when they will be allowed to participate in the province's vaccination program.
A pilot for individuals between 60 and 64 started this month at pharmacies in Kingston, Lennox and Addington, Toronto and Windsor-Essex.
Premier Doug Ford has said the pilot will be expanded to additional sites in Toronto as well as in York and Peel, which are all designated COVID-19 hotspots.
The government has also said it expects to expand the program to 700 sites over the next few weeks.
It's been criticized for passing over hot spot neighbourhoods and regions in the initial rollout, but has said it was limited by vaccine supply from the federal government and a looming expiry date for first doses.
Janzen's Pharmacy in Thunder Bay said it would be ready at any time to start administering vaccinations in a matter of hours.
However, it is not currently taking a wait list because it feels it's premature in the absence of a committed start date from the province.
The Thunder Bay district has recently experienced the highest incidence rate of COVID-19 in Ontario, but the Thunder Bay district is not a designated hot spot.
In the legislature on Tuesday, Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Judith Monteith-Farrell said she's hearing from constituents who are angry and frustrated by the lack of available appointments for vaccinations.
"Will you declare Thunder Bay a COVID-19 hotspot and get this situation under control", she asked.
Health Minister Christine Elliott replied that the province had just received over 466,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
"Those are going to be sent to the public health units, based on their population and based on their need. So if there's still a significant need in Thunder Bay, there will be additional volumes of vaccine that will be sent there."
Elliott did not address whether Thunder Bay might still be declared a hot spot.
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit on Wednesday reported the deaths of five more people who contracted COVID-19.
However, the number of active cases in the district fell for the eighth consecutive day.
Since peaking at 470 on March 7, it has now dropped to 286.
The Ontario College of Family Physicians called on the government this week to provide vaccine to family doctors as soon as possible to expedite the vaccination process for their patients.
