The Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington (KFL&A) region has been chosen to be part of a pilot program that will bring up to 20,000 COVID-19 vaccines to local pharmacies over the next two weeks, the health unit announced Tuesday.
In an interview with media, Dr. Kieran Moore says the vaccines could be in pharmacies ready to be administered as soon as the weekend.
Previously, only 10 pharmacies were chosen to deliver the vaccines, but now, Moore says somewhere between 40 and 48 local pharmacies will receive shots over the next week.
Canada is supposed to receive a shipment of AstraZeneca vaccines Wednesday, which will be distributed to Ontario Thursday and hopefully be available for the public in Kingston on Friday, the health unit said.
Due to age limits on the AstraZeneca vaccines by Health Canada, only those between 60 and 64 years of age will be offered the vaccine in the pilot program, which will run over two weeks.
Moore said it’s possible that Canada revises those age limits in the near future, but for now, they’re aiming to get the oldest age group eligible for AstraZeneca immunized.
“Health Canada is reviewing the indications for AstraZeneca as there’s, day in and day out, new science and new studies there will be reviewing whether it can be used effectively in older age groups as it is in other areas of the world,” he said.
Moore says each pharmacy could vaccinate up to 40 people a day, with each participating location receiving up to 500 doses over the pilot program period.
Two other regions, Toronto and the Windsor-Essex region, will also be receiving vaccines in the program starting Friday.
The health unit has not been able to provide a list of local locations that will be administering the vaccines, but hopes to do so soon.
Moore said the majority will have an online booking system where those 60-to-64 patients will be able to book a vaccine with their health card number.
Some pharmacies may not have this option and will need to book vaccines by phone.
Jenn Baker, chair of the board of directors for the Ontario Pharmacists Association and pharmacist and owner at Pharmasave Loyalist Pharmacy, says her pharmacy has been fielding a lot of calls about the program.
“We’ve had a high volume, so definitely when you’re calling your pharmacy, I’d say just please be kind and patient with your staff just as you are with any other service that you’re looking to reserve at this point in time,” Baker said.
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Baker’s pharmacy will be one of the locations participating in the pilot program.
After the two-week period is up, Moore said the vaccinations will hopefully continue to be delivered across these pharmacies and expand to other health-care professionals in the region.
“You’ll find in April that your family physician, your primary care clinic, your pharmacist will be immunizers in partnership with KFL&A Public Health and you’ll also have our mass immunization clinics available to you,” he said.
So far, Moore says 13,000 people have been immunized in the region, but in April, he expects the numbers to jump significantly.
He also looked ahead to March 15, when the province’s COVID-19 booking system is set to open.
“Only those over 80 will be asked to go online and or to call the call centres. It’ll be very clear as we go through the age groups of 80, 75, 70, when the general population and younger population … will be offered the vaccine,” he said.
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