The Ottawa area's weekly COVID-19 vaccine checkup: April 22

Highlights:

• Ontario and Quebec have lowered the age of eligibility for the AstraZeneca vaccine.
• Doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are expected to arrive next week.
• Vaccines have been transferred from the Belleville area to COVID-19 hot spots.
• Renfrew County takes a step toward vaccinating pregnant people, diabetics.

Every Thursday, CBC Ottawa brings you this roundup of COVID-19 vaccination developments throughout the region.

There have been about 600,000 doses administered in the wider Ottawa-Gatineau region, which has about 2.3 million residents. That's about 100,000 doses more than last Thursday.

Ontario has set wide vaccine guidelines and given local health units some flexibility. There's more information in the links at the bottom of the page.

The provincial picture

Ontario lowered the age of eligiblity for the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine at pharmacies to 40, starting Tuesday. Pharmacies are also allowed to offer walk-ins if they wish.

WATCH | Vaccination slots fill up fast as eligibility lowered:

Many Ottawa residents ‘ready and willing’ to get AstraZeneca vaccine, pharmacist says

4 years ago

Duration 1:02

Jordan Clark, owner of a Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacy in Westboro, says residents who are now eligible for the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine seem enthusiastic about getting it, with the pharmacy seeing a big increase in calls in the last week.

Quebec has lowered its eligibility age to 45.

Health authorities don't know when the next AstraZeneca shipment is coming. On Friday, the federal government announced Moderna would be shipping fewer doses than expected, Pfizer would be shipping more than expected, and deliveries of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine will start the week of April 27.

Ottawa

City officials said Monday they're looking at vaccinating younger essential workers in May and June. Education and food manufacturing workers will be among the first in line.

WATCH | Dr. Vera Etches on the essential worker timeline: 

Ottawa residents who cannot work from home are next to be vaccinated, OPH says

4 years ago

Duration 1:30

Vera Etches, Ottawa’s medical officer of health, says most residents aged 60 and over will have received their first vaccine dose by the end of April, making way for other high-risk groups to be vaccinated, including those who work in food distribution, child care and transit.

They say one reason they're not yet moving to essential workers is that most COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths involve people over 50.

About half of residents in their 60s and about 70 per cent in their 50s still need a first dose.

WATCH | Union calls for better protection after surge in OC Transpo COVID-19 cases:

Transit union pushing for access to vaccine as cases among OC Transpo workers rise

4 years ago

Duration 1:15

Clint Crabtree, president of ATU local 279, says anxiety and fear among OC Transpo workers is on the rise as COVID-19 cases increase, leading members to push for more safety measures and access to the vaccine.

Ottawa is expanding pop-up vaccination clinics in priority neighbourhoods, and getting shots to higher-risk congregate settings. Essential workers may get their first dose at those clinics.

More than 275,000 vaccine doses have now been given to Ottawa residents, including more than 26,700 second doses.

Twenty-four per cent of its population has had at least one dose.

Ottawa's population is about 1,050,000, but many age groups aren't yet eligible.

Western Quebec

Local pharmacies have started giving both the AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccines.

The Outaouais has distributed about 107,000 vaccine doses among a population of about 386,000.

Hastings Prince Edward

In a statement late last week, health authorities in Hastings Prince Edward said the province's decision to target COVID-19 hot spots would reduce this region's available doses by about one-quarter, forcing them to cancel some appointments.

That means delaying first doses for some people in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. Less than 40 per cent of the area's Indigenous population has had a first dose.

More than 48,000 doses have gone to its residents, including more than 3,500 second doses. About 27 per cent of the population of about 168,000 has now had a first dose.

Renfrew County

Health officials in Renfrew County said Friday they're working to get second doses lined up.

It's opening up vaccine pre-registration for people with all the province's priority health conditions, including pregnancy and diabetes.

A vaccine clinic is open at CFB Petawawa.

With a population of about 109,000, Renfrew County has distributed more than 21,000 doses. It hasn't updated its numbers in the last week.

Eastern Ontario Health Unit

Teams of local paramedics are bringing vaccines to residents who have trouble leaving their homes.

Pop-up clinics are coming to Embrun and South Dundas. Akwesasne is hosting walk-in clinics in the coming days.

Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis said Monday plans are in the works to nearly triple the number of family doctors offering shots in the area from the current eight.

Among a population of about 209,000, more than 42,000 vaccine doses have been administered.

Leeds, Grenville and Lanark

LGL has started offering vaccines to residents and staff in congregate living settings such as group homes and shelters.

There will be mobile vaccination clinics for local residents in Elgin on April 27, and Athens on May 11. Those people can book through their doctor or at 1-844-369-1234.

More than 32,000 of the region's 173,000 residents have received at least one dose, according to the health unit. That number doesn't include include pharmacy doses.

Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington

The region, with a population of about 213,000, has given more than 68,000 vaccine doses to residents, including more than 3,500 second doses.

About 36 per cent of residents have received at least one vaccine dose.