THUNDER BAY – The Thunder Bay District Health Unit will begin administering the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to older adults starting on Wednesday.
The health unit on Monday announced adults over 85 will be the first group eligible to get a vaccine right away, with those aged 80 to 84 being brought into the program in the coming weeks.
It’s great news, said Dr. Janet DeMille, medical officer of health at the Thunder Bay District Health Unit in announcing the clinic, which will open at the CLE’s Coliseum building.
“This is the next step in bringing the pandemic under control. I am pleased to see that vaccine supply now allows us to protect even more individuals from this virus.” DeMille said in a release.
“Age is a significant factor for increased risk of complications for COVID-19, and protecting the senior population is critical.”
Appointments are required and walk-ins will not be seen.
Anyone born on or before Jan. 1, 1936 was encouraged to visit www.tbdhu.com/covidclinics to book an appointment. They can also phone 625-5900 to book an appointment, but high demand could lead to wait times. The health unit later announced that all spots are full for the clinics being held March 3 to March 5, but to keep an eye on their website for future clinics.
Last month, the province announced its vaccine roll-out plan, with those aged 80 and above allowed to start booking appointments by March 15 for vaccine appointments starting the following week.
On April 15 the booking will expand to those 75 and older, and on May 1 for those 70 and older, as well as many essential workers.
By the first week of July, the province hopes to start vaccinating those 60 and older.
Separate vaccination delivery is being planned for TBDHU communities in the district. Other front-line workers are included in Phase 1, including Indigenous adults, and will be vaccinated in coming weeks, according to social media posts from the health unit. +
Thunder Bay has one of the highest current COVID-19 rates in the province at the moment, with 376 active cases.
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre last month opened a vaccination clinic at Lakehead University for those in the highest priority levels.
