The district's medical officer of health is in favour of vaccine supply advocacy.
"We're hoping this has an impact," said Dr. Jim Chirico during this week's North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit media availability in reference to North Bay City Council's recent resolution encouraging government and health officials to consider sending unused or surplus COVID-19 vaccine doses from larger markets north for use here.
"Yes, we would like to get more vaccines — especially if it is unused down there," he added.
Chirico also touched on the district's place in the vaccine roll-out process in Ontario — and by extension — Canada.
"When vaccines first became available, it went to hot spots and areas with high need and we were about six weeks behind," he explained. The Health Unit is appreciative of the efforts of municipalities to advocate on its behalf "to get more vaccines so we can catch up," added Chirico.
The entire vaccination roll-out hinges heavily on a steady supply, something that has not yet been realized in this health unit district.
"Every time there is a change to the groups that are being vaccinated in southern Ontario, it also applies to us and we do not have the vaccine to catch up to them," observed Chirico. "If they open it up to 60-plus in southern Ontario it is automatically opened up to 60-plus up here because we are on a provincial booking system and there really is not any real ability for us to customize that booking system at all."
As of Thursday, the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit reported 23,523 or 21.7 per cent of the district population 18 and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Of those, 1,760 or 1.6 per cent of the population have received two doses. Provincial and national government vaccination data can be found here for Ontario and here for Canada.
Andrea McLellan, the Health Unit's Director COVID-19 Immunization Strategy, said clinics have been an overwhelming success across the district and she believes the vaccine roll-out has truly been a community effort.
The Health Unit will continue to move forward with vaccine roll-out as individuals born in or before 1961 are now eligible to book an appointment for their vaccine.
"As more and more groups are added to the roll-out we continue to advocate with the province for greater access to COVID-19 vaccines," said McLellan. "Our clinics are filling up very quickly and we continue to add more of them as we are provided with vaccine allocation information."
The Health Unit's call centre is available to help anyone who is having trouble booking an online appointment. However, the system is experiencing high call volumes and the Health Unit encourages those who are able to do so to book online.
