Editorial – I know this pandemic has been trying on each of us and now, with the end of it in sight, I understand the frustration in wanting to know when you will be vaccinated so that life can begin to return to normal.
First, I want to make sure that we are on the same page regarding the Province’s vaccination rollout plan, so I have outlined the Province’s three-phase approach to immunization below to help explain how the procurement and distribution of the vaccine works.
The Government of Canada has signed purchase agreements with several companies to ensure that there will be enough doses of the vaccine available for all Canadians as soon as possible. Distribution is jointly handled by the federal and provincial governments. Ontario, like all the other provinces and territories, receives a portion of the total number of vaccine doses according to the ratio of its provincial population compared to the total federal population of Canada.
Our approach is based on the expert recommendations of the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force and in line with the guidance from the National Advisory Committee on immunization. We are administering vaccines as we receive them in accordance with our immunization timeline.
Phase One: The Province is already well into phase one of the vaccination campaign. The Province received an additional 90,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine on December 21st. On December 30th, Ontario received nearly 53,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine from the federal government. Vaccines are currently allocated to healthcare workers and essential caregivers who work in:
· hospitals
· long-term care homes
· retirement homes
· other congregate settings caring for seniors
Vaccinations are also allotted for:
· Adults in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit populations
· Adult recipients of chronic home health care
The Ontario government is continuing the rollout of phase one of its vaccine implementation plan by ensuring that all residents, health care workers and essential caregivers at long-term care homes in the priority regions of Toronto, Peel, York and Windsor-Essex receive a COVID-19 vaccination by January 21, 2021.
Keeping these frontline healthcare workers healthy and safe from COVID-19 is the best way to ensure that medical treatment for our fellow Ontarians can continue with no shortage of staff. Vaccinating Indigenous peoples ensures that those who live in remote communities with limited healthcare resources will not fall victim to the virus at a time when the medical capacities of rural community healthcare may be stretched thin. By the end of phase one, the Province plans to have administered 2 million doses of the vaccination with 21 hospital sites across the province.
Phase Two: Phase two will begin as more of the high priority demographics for the COVID-19 vaccine targeted in phase one are inoculated and supplies of the vaccine become more plentiful. During phase two, the Province plans to expand the vaccination campaign to all healthcare workers, long-term care homes, retirement homes, home care patients with chronic conditions and additional First Nation communities and urban Indigenous populations, including Métis and Inuit adults.
Phase two is about making sure that those most at risk of catching the virus or experiencing the worst effects from it are protected. During this phase, the Province plans to expand vaccination efforts to a greater number of sites to make the process more accessible to communities across Ontario. Phase two is expected to begin later this winter.
Phase Three: During phase three, the vaccine will be available to all Ontarians who wish to get it. It will be widely available as the Province expands the number of eligible vaccination sites across Ontario. General Hillier has stated that during phase three, the COVID-19 vaccination will be administered in a similar fashion to how the flu vaccine is distributed annually.
While we are all eager for life after COVID-19, we need to continue to show patience and compassion as our healthcare system vaccinates those among us who are at the most serious risk from the virus. For this reason, phase three will not begin until there are sufficient doses of the vaccine available for the general public and those members of at risk demographics targeted for vaccination in the first two phases have been serviced. The federal government has stated that it believes full vaccination for the general population will be accomplished by September.
In response to comments about the pace of the distribution, I do want to stress that we are not holding or reserving doses, and we are vaccinating as many people as possible. In fact, as of January 5th we have administered over 50,000 vaccines to Ontarians. We anticipate getting through the 90,000 doses at our 19 active hospital sites in the next several days as we await future shipments from the federal government.
This vaccine is great news and we are excited to be able to provide it to as many individuals as possible, but it is important to note that we do not currently have a timeframe for when it will be available to the general public. We are hoping to begin phase two later this winter, but doing so depends on a number of factors in partnership with the federal government.
I wish I could be more specific and provide you with the date of local availability, but at this early stage of distribution, it is simply not available. I will be sure to keep constituents of Northumberland-Peterborough South informed as I know how much this matters to you.
Many of us have experienced COVID-19 fatigue in one form or another, but it is critical that we to continue to follow public health guidance until the vaccine is widely available in our community. Please know that I will continue to advocate for the health and wellbeing of our community within my government.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
