With the COVID-19 variants of concern continuing to increase in our communities, vaccinating as many residents as possible has become “a race against time,” according to York Region’s associate medical officer of health.
“The quicker we can get the most number of our residents vaccinated in the short term with even one dose, the better it is for everybody,” said Dr. Fareen Karachiwalla in the public health unit’s weekly video update on March 15.
“More lives can be saved, and we can have a better shot at revitalizing and healing our communities before more COVID-19 takes hold,” she added.
While some residents are concerned about York Region’s move to align itself with the Ministry of Health’s decision to increase the time between the first and second doses of all vaccines available in Canada up to 16 weeks, or four months, it’s crucial to allow more people to get their first doses while the rate of COVID-19 remains “unpredictable” and vaccine supplies are limited, she said.
“Without an unlimited supply of vaccines for every single person to have two doses right away on schedule, it is a race against time,” she added.
York Region is working to reschedule all second dose appointments that were previously booked according to the shorter timeline between doses.
To date, more than 60 per cent of York Region residents aged 80 and older have received their first dose, and nearly 70 per cent of health-care workers in the highest and very high priority groups have been vaccinated under the province’s phase one vaccination distribution plan.
“These are incredible milestones to celebrate. The more we protect the most vulnerable and those at highest risk for COVID-19, the more lives we can save, and sickness and grief we can prevent,” Karachiwalla said.
The first doses of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been shown to provide a “very high rate of effectiveness” of about 92 per cent of protection two weeks after being administered, she said.
“After the second dose, the protection is pushed up further, to 94 to 95 per cent, and that protection is expected to last for many more months
“So, the whole point of the second dose is to boost and lengthen how long you are protected for. But remember, in the short term, people do get excellent protection with the first dose.”
Today, a sixth vaccination clinic has opened in York Region, in Maple, and an additional 19,000 appointments were made available for the phase one priority groups beginning today, March 15.
As vaccine supplies continue to increase in the coming weeks, more clinics will open, she added.
York Region has chosen to continue using its existing booking system at five of six current clinic locations, including the one at Newmarket’s Ray Twinney Recreation Complex, rather than transition to the provincial booking system that launched today, Karachiwalla said.
The Cornell Community Centre clinic in Markham will transition to the provincial booking system as of today, however, it can be accessed the from region’s site, york.ca/Covid19Vaccine, or directly from the provincial system at covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/
York Region will move to the phase two age and priority groups as quickly as possible, Karachiwalla said.
It’s expected that phase two will begin in April, including adults aged 60 to 79 years of age, individuals with specific health conditions, people who live in hotspots with high rates of death, hospitalizations and transmission, and certain workers who can’t work from home, York Region medical officer of health Dr. Karim Kurji said.
Residents of long-term care facilities, retirement homes, and congregate care settings, as well as the Chippewas of Georgina Island, have been immunized, Kurji said.
“We have not forgotten about anyone. We continue to follow the prioritization guidance from the province and work with our partners to reach all our residents as soon as we can,” he said.
The very strict cold storage and transportation requirements of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have limited the public health unit’s ability to provide the vaccine to homebound seniors.
“Please know we are working very hard on finding ways to reach York Region residents who are homebound and cannot travel to a clinic,” Kurji added.
There has been no confirmation of delivery of the AstraZeneca or Johnson and Johnson vaccines in York Region, he said.
According to the neighbouring Simcoe Muskoka public health unit, residents there have been experiencing error messages and unsuccessful attempts to book vaccine appointments on the province’s new online booking system.
Apparently, the province hasn’t included all of the region’s clinic locations or appointments in its system, so residents attempting to book appointments are being told there are none close to home.
A resolution is expected by the end of the day, and the health unit is recommending residents try again later.
— With files from Ericka Engel
