Pierrefonds-Roxboro Mayor Jim Beis wants to see a drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination clinic in his borough.
“We are willing to do what is necessary logistically to accommodate such an initiative, which could include closing streets and putting up barriers,” he said.
Beis wants the local public health authority to approve the idea and is suggesting it be located in the parking lot next to the borough hall.
Beis says drive-thru vaccination centres have worked well in the United States. He says it could be one way to help speed up the process of getting the West Island’s population of people vaccinated.
Currently, about 3,500 people get vaccinated daily at several large West Island vaccination centres, including those in Pointe-Claire, Dollard-des-Ormeaux and Lasalle.
‘We are looking at the possibility of Quebec receiving millions of doses in the coming weeks and if that’s the case and we don’t have these sites available to us necessarily, can we look at other options to speed up the process,” he said.
Beis says it would also make the vaccination process easier for groups like the elderly and single parents.
“We look at some of the elderly that are being driven which may not be as easy as it sounds,” he said. “Could that happen as well through a drive-thru? We are looking at providing a service to the community.”
The process would likely mirror drive-thru mobile testing sites offered in Montreal last spring. They are widely used in the United States for COVID vaccines.
The West Island public health authority says it is studying the idea, as well as other options including mobile testing units.
Vaccination director Dalia Toledano agrees drive-thru vaccination sites offer several advantages.
“People can stay in their cars, they can drive right through, you can do a few people at the same time, they don’t have to get out. So there are some advantages,” she said.
Doctors say with variants spreading, mass vaccination is needed quickly.
“An unvaccinated person is like fuel for a virus to move,” said Dr. Brian Ward, an epidemiologist with McGill University. “We are clearly in a race now between vaccinating the population and emergence of different variants that are much more transmissible. So I for one am very much in favour of getting as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible.”
Beis says he’d love to see drive-thru sites offered not just in Pierrefonds but across Quebec. Ultimately, the Quebec Ministry of Health will decide whether drive-thru vaccination sites are allowed or not.