Nova Scotia has released its phased approach to COVID-19 vaccine distribution in 2021, and it includes plans to receive enough doses to vaccinate half a million people in the next six months.
The goal is to have vaccination available to at least 75 per cent of the eligible population by Sept. 30.
The province says the first step (Phase 0) happened in December, when the province received a total of 9,550 doses of the vaccine.
Of those, 2,720 doses of the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine have been distributed, and the same amount is being reserved for the second dose needed.
Another 3,700 doses of the Moderna vaccine were received on Dec. 30. The province says this vaccine is reserved for staff and residents of three long-term care homes: Northwood in Halifax, Shannex in Parkstone and Oceanview Manor.
“We all want to see Nova Scotians getting shots in their arms as quickly as possible,” Premier Stephen McNeil said in a news release.
“We have a long road ahead of us before everyone who wants the vaccine can receive it. I ask Nova Scotians for their patience as our health system works as quickly as possible to distribute the vaccine.”
In this initial phase, the focus was testing delivery, distribution and administering the first doses.
Target groups in December included health-workers in COVID-19 units, immunization teams, the IWK birth unit, long-term care staff in the central zone and long-term care residents in the three nursing homes.
In January, several new clinics are opening across the province.
New coronavirus immunization clinics at Cape Breton Regional Hospital and Valley Regional Hospital will each receive 1,950 doses of the vaccine this week and begin administering them next Monday, the province says. Next week, the Colchester East Hants Health Centre will receive 2,925 doses, with a clinic starting Jan. 18.
Phase 1
Phase 1, or the limited supply phase, of the plan runs from January to April. The province says it plans to vaccinate approximately 30,000 staff members and residents in long-term and residential care. This will start with the three biggest care homes, Northwood in Halifax, Shannex in Parkstone and Oceanview Manor.
All front-line health-care workers are expected to receive at least the first of two doses by the end of the month.
In Phase 1, the province expects to vaccinate 86,000 adults over the age of 75. It also expects to vaccinate 7,000 staff involved in COVID-19 response, as well as family physicians, paramedics and home-care workers.
“We expect to receive small allotments of vaccine through the first few months of 2021, which will be distributed to cold storage sites and clinics across the province,” Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health, said in the release.
“How, when and where the vaccine rolls out in communities across the province may look different from region to region. Our focus in Phase 1 is to immunize the highest priority groups and develop different vaccine delivery models ahead of receiving larger amounts of vaccine in Phase 2.”
During Phase 1, steps will also be taken to develop community and provider-based clinics with vaccines delivered by physicians and pharmacists in preparation for later phases, the province says.
Phase 2
Phase 2, or the ramp-up phase, will begin in May with large-scale immunization capability. The province expects to receive around a million doses of vaccine in this phase to vaccinate all remaining health-care workers and essential workers that are still being defined.
Public Health says it expects to have additional community clinics open for vaccination in May.
Phase 3
The province says Phase 3, beginning in the summer, will continue large-scale vaccination. This is when vaccines will be made available to all Nova Scotians who were not a part of priority groups in the first two phases.
According to health officials, the province is expecting to receive enough doses in the next six months to vaccinate 500,000 people.