Morrison lays out more details of P.E.I. vaccination plan
More doses of vaccine due early in new year; Moderna version coming soon as well
With P.E.I. expecting to have 1,500 people vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of the day Tuesday, the province is looking ahead at who's next on the list.
Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison discussed the plans at her regular briefing Tuesday morning.
The province started its COVID-19 campaign with health care workers receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine — in particular, those who are connected to long-term care facilities or who are likely to be exposed to the coronavirus.
In the next rounds of vaccinations, the vaccine will be offered to the following communities, Morrison said:
- Residents and staff in long-term care facilities.
- Adults over 70, starting with those over 80.
- Other health-care workers.
- Adults in Indigenous communities.
Morrison said that over the coming months, all Islanders will have the opportunity to get a COVID-19 vaccine, and it will be administered free of charge.
"Knowing there is a safe vaccine available for COVID-19 is very exciting for our province," said Morrison.
"It signals hope and it is a sign there may be an end to this pandemic."
Slotting appointments took longer than they expected in the first week of vaccine delivery, she said. The first order of vaccine allowed for 1,950 vaccinations, and the remaining Islanders in that first round will receive their vaccines next week.
Responding to a media question, she said the first doses of the Moderna vaccine may be here last couple of days of December or early January, if Health Canada gives its approval as expected.