Two more deaths tied to COVID, as health unit promotes fall booster vaccine

THUNDER BAY — On the same day that Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janet DeMille was advising residents to get the new bivalent COVID-19 vaccine,  the Thunder Bay District Health Unit announced two more deaths connected to the virus over the past week.

Its weekly update of COVID-related data revealed Thursday that the number of deaths in which the virus played either a contributing or underlying role had reached 115.

Sixty-five individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 are currently admitted to district hospitals, an increase of  more than 50 per cent from the previous week.   

It's the largest number the health unit has reported so far this year.

Only one of the 65 patients is in intensive care.

In an interview, Dr. DeMille said indicators for COVID activity in the district have recently plateaued, but are not going down.

"That's manifesting in our case numbers, and manifesting in outbreaks. Right now we're managing 11 outbreaks, and that's fairly high."

She said a higher rate of COVID activity is also being reflected in wastewater samples from the city's sewage system.

"It, too, seems to have plateaued a little bit. So we're going to watch it closely over the next week or two. Of course I hope it goes down, but the reality is we're getting into fall, going indoors more, gathering more... COVID will have an easier time to spread."

Dr. DeMille said supplies of the new bivalent Moderna vaccine, which targets both the original virus and the first Omicron variant,  have now arrived.in Thunder Bay.

Booster shots with this vaccine are available at TBDHU clinics, pharmacies and other health care providers.

Details of vaccine clinics can be found online.

DeMille said there will be "lots of opportunities" for people to get their fall booster shot both in the city and in district communities in the coming days and weeks.

The health unit encourages people to book appointments online when feasible, or alternatively by phoning the provincial call centre at  1-833-943-3900.

"This week and next week, the focus is on higher risk. That includes anybody over 70, anybody who's immunocompromised, health care workers, and Indigenous people" are examples, DeMille said.

All other individuals over 18 may also book their appointments, but may not receive their booster shots until Sept. 26 or later.

The recommended interval for most people is six months after the last dose of vaccine – or after a COVID infection – but an interval as short as three months for higher-risk individuals may be appropriate.

DeMille made a point of noting that there are thousands of area residents over 70 who received their last dose six months or more ago.

She said she wanted to give "a particular callout to those individuals, to come forward over the next couple of weeks to get a booster" because they are at higher risk of being infected.

Even though appointments are recommended, DeMille said there will also be walk-in opportunities at clinics, including Mon. Sept. 19 for people 70 and over.

It will be held at the DaVinci Centre on Waterloo Street from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. that day.

In her closing remarks, the medical health officer observed that "there is a lot of uncertainty over what's going to happen over the next few months and into the winter season. Certainly we are in a better place, in many ways, than last year when we were dealing with the Delta variant."

But she added that she's not seeing many people wearing masks these days.

"I think we have to bring out those masks again, and make sure everybody has masks to use. That will be a really key thing as we navigate through this."