The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit’s medical officer of health says the region is the first in the province to complete the first round of COVID-19 vaccinations at long-term care homes.
“Our region has been one of the hardest-hit regions in the province when it comes to COVID cases. We are really happy to report that we are able to complete the first-round vaccination of all the long-term care homes in our region,” said Dr. Wajid Ahmed on Monday.
Chief nursing officer Theresa Marentette explained that residents, staff, and essential caregivers at all of the region’s 19 long-term care homes have received their first doses, though health unit staff will be “circling back with all homes to ensure any outstanding residents, staff, and essential caregivers are provided with their first dose.”
“We are starting vaccination in two retirement homes today. We also completed two previously because they were joined with long-term care homes,” she said Monday.
Last week, the Ontario government said it was prioritizing long-term care homes in hotspot regions such as Toronto, Peel, York and Windsor-Essex with a goal of administering a first dose of the vaccine to all residents, health care workers and caregivers in those homes by Jan 21.
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Moving northeast along Highway 401, the Middlesex-London Health Unit said Monday that it has vaccinated “two-thirds of the long-term care staff in this region” at its vaccine clinic at the Western Fair Agriplex.
Medical officer of health Dr. Chris Mackie previously noted that the Moderna vaccine would allow the health unit to move into long-term care homes to vaccinate residents.
On Monday, he said vaccinations at long-term care homes are now underway.
“We’ve completed our first long term care home already today and several more later this week. On the supply side, I mean, if we had 10 times as many doses, we would be doing 10 times as many vaccinations,” Mackie said.
“If we had more vaccine and more availability as well as more eligibility under the provincial framework, we’d be doing a lot more. We’re doing what we can with doses we have.”
London Health Sciences Centre’s chief medical officer Dr. Adam Dukelow said just under 6,500 people had been vaccinated at the Agriplex as of Sunday night. As well, the vaccination clinic is inching closer to its goal of 1,000 doses per day.
“On Friday, our vaccination clinic achieved our highest volume to date, administering 845 doses on a single day,” he said.
“Pending the availability of vaccine supply, we’re continuing to ramp up its capacity to 1,000 doses per day.”
— with files from Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues.
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