Northeastern Ontario health units have received the first shipments of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
Today, the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit and Timiskaming Health Unit received vaccines, and Public Health Sudbury & Districts said it's expecting to receive vaccines in the coming weeks. The Porcupine Health Unit, which covers Timmins and area, is slated to give an update on the program tomorrow.
The Timiskaming Health Unit is working with long-term care facilities to support vaccination clinics, according to a news release.
“It is impressive that we have received our doses on the one-year anniversary of the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Canada,” said Dr. Glen Corneil, acting medical officer of health, in a statement. “Health Canada conducted an expedited, or rolling, approval process for the vaccine that made it possible for Canadians to receive vaccines quickly, while at the same time taking no shortcuts in vaccine approval.”
The health unit is immunizing all long-term care residents in the Timiskaming district to meet the provincial expectation of Feb. 5.
“It is impressive that we have received our doses on the one-year anniversary of the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Canada,” said Corneil. “Health Canada conducted an expedited, or rolling, approval process for the vaccine that made it possible for Canadians to receive vaccines quickly, while at the same time taking no shortcuts in vaccine approval.”
North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit also anticipates having "all long-term care home residents and eldercare residents of First Nations communities immunized by the provincial deadline of Feb. 5."
"The shipment is small and is allotted to residents of long-term care, as prioritized in phase one of the province of Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccination program," reads a health unit release.
Also, Public Health Sudbury & Districts said today that the much-anticipated vaccination program for residents of long-term care and high-risk retirement homes will begin this week.
PHSD is expecting to receive shipments of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine over the next two weeks in quantities sufficient to immunize all residents of these facilities in its service area by Feb. 5.
