The Ottawa area's weekly COVID-19 vaccination checkup: May 20
CBC News | Posted: May 20, 2021 8:00 AM | Last Updated: May 20, 2021
Region passes 1M doses given, all adults now eligible to book a shot
Highlights:
- All adults in Ontario are now eligible for vaccination.
- Not everyone who became eligible this week could get an appointment.
- Quebec lays out what fully vaccinated residents will be allowed to do, and when.
Every Thursday, CBC Ottawa brings you this roundup of COVID-19 vaccination developments throughout the region.
There have been more than 1,070,000 doses administered in the wider Ottawa-Gatineau region, which has about 2.3 million residents. That's about 120,000 doses more than last Thursday.
Ontario has issued broad vaccination guidelines, but has also given local health units some flexibility. There's more information in the links at the bottom of the page.
The provincial picture
Ontario is now offering vaccination against COVID-19 to all adults in the province, including anyone turning 18 in 2021.
Some local health units including Ottawa Public Health (OPH) said all available appointments were booked within two to three hours Tuesday morning.
They're advising people who didn't get a spot to sign up for standby lists and pharmacy wait-lists until more appointments become available.
WATCH | The vaccination waiting game continues for many:
The week of May 31, the minimum age for vaccination drops to 12. Ontario says it's working with school boards to plan for for this age group.
Individual health units and First Nations can choose to vaccinate children ages 12 to 17 before then; Akwesasne and Tyendinaga are lowering the age of eligibility to 12, and Ottawa is vaccinating some 16- and 17-year-olds.
WATCH | A Q&A on vaccinating teens:
Quebec's reopening plan lays out what fully vaccinated people will be allowed to do, and when. It is expected to share its plans Thursday for vaccinating children age 12 to 17.
Quebec has joined other provinces in pausing use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine for first doses, electing to save its supply for second doses.
Federal health officials have given a big-picture look at what summer and autumn may look like if enough people are vaccinated.
The national vaccine campaign has a new boss. Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, who stepped down over a military investigation into a sexual misconduct allegation, is replaced by Brig.-Gen. Krista Brodie.
WATCH | A Q&A on some common vaccine questions:
Ottawa
OPH has stopped doing pop-up vaccination clinics in priority areas. The city says there are permanent clinics near some of its harder-hit areas, and it's still offering support to people needing transportation.
OPH has now included 16- and 17-year-olds with certain health conditions to its list of those eligible for vaccination. Special clinics should be set up for children age 12 to 17 starting the week of June 14.
More than 480,000 doses have now been given to Ottawa residents, including about 33,000 second doses.
Forty-three per cent of the city's population of about 1,050,000 has had at least one dose, or 53 per cent of adult residents.
The 9,792 vaccine doses administered in Ottawa on Saturday is a new daily high.
Western Quebec
It's bringing back walk-in vaccines at downtown Gatineau's Palais des Congrès. They'll be offered as people come in from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
That's a change from its earlier walk-in clinic when people would get a ticket with a time slot later that day.
The Outaouais has distributed more than 217,000 vaccine doses among a population of about 386,000.
WATCH | The journey vaccines take from the factory to your arm:
Eastern Ontario Health Unit
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis said Monday 44 pharmacies should be offering vaccines by the end of May.
More than 90,000 vaccine doses have been administered among a population of about 209,000. Roumeliotis said Monday more than half the region's adults have now had a first dose, and he expects that to rise to 70 per cent by the end of the month.
The Cornwall Community Hospital says its front-line health-care workers are getting their second doses.
Roumeliotis said late last week that while vaccination appointments for eligible school-age children will be available for booking in early June, it's likely going to be mid- to late-June before they get their first doses at special clinics.
He said residents likely won't have to wait the maximum 16 weeks between doses, though that won't be confirmed until June at the earliest.
Renfrew County
With a population of about 109,000, Renfrew County has distributed more than 45,000 doses, or enough for nearly half its adult population.
The region has seen a rise in "no-shows" at vaccination clinics, and health officials are asking people to cancel appointments if they're not planning on getting their shot.
The region's medical officer of health is asking people who have had a first dose not to call and ask about a second dose unless at least 12 weeks have passed.
WATCH | Second doses in Renfrew County:
Hastings Prince Edward
The health unit is requiring agriculture workers have access to transportation to a vaccine clinic during working hours, and information on vaccines in whichever language they speak.
Nearly 78,000 doses have been administered to this area's residents, including more than 6,200 second doses. Forty-three per cent of the local population of about 168,000 has now had a first dose.
People eligible for a sped-up second dose should pre-register with the health unit.
A new clinic at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre in north Belleville should open May 31.
Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington
The health unit is sharing a website listing all pharmacies offering vaccines and whether they have supply or not.
The region, with a population of about 213,000, has given nearly 100,000 vaccine doses to residents, including nearly 4,600 second doses.
It's now given a first dose to more than 45 per cent of its general population, more than 50 per cent of its adult population and 90 per cent of its population age 60 and above.
WATCH | The area's plans for the coming weeks:
Leeds, Grenville and Lanark
Nearly 58,000 of the region's 173,000 residents have received at least one dose, according to the local health unit. That number doesn't include doses administered through pharmacies.
It continues to run weekly pop-up clinics targeted at residents of smaller communities.