The Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) announced on Thursday that all of the long-term care home residents in the region who are eligible and consenting have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Dr. Kit Young Hoon, medical officer of health at the NWHU, said they received some additional vaccines on top of the 300 allocated to reach their target.
Young Hoon said this is an important step in protecting some of the region’s most vulnerable community members from severe outcomes of a COVID-19 infection. Young Hoon added that at this time the NWHU does not know what population will be vaccinated next.
“Things change very rapidly and we will share information when it is available,” Young Hoon said. “In the meantime, we are working hard to plan for clinics and ensure when the vaccines arrive we can get it into arms as quickly as possible.”
With respect to the second dose of the COVID vaccine, Young Hoon said they are waiting for more information from the province. She adds that she believes the second dose will arrive in order to vaccinate people at an appropriate time.
“For the Moderna vaccine, it’s given at 28 days after the first dose but the National Advisory Committee on Immunizations have indicated that it can be given later up to 42 days after the first dose,” Young Hoon said. “They’ve also noted that there’s a lack of information on whether it can be given beyond 42 days but it still can be given after 42 days but we just need to monitor the response.”
Young Hoon said the province is aware of when the NWHU began vaccinating and when they need second doses. She adds that the province is monitoring that situation very closely because they have to think about supply coming from the national level.
Young Hood adds that even if second doses are given later, it does not mean that the first dose is necessarily wasted.
The NWHU reported 11 new cases in the region on Friday, 10 in the Kenora region and one in the Rainy River District. Young Hoon also notes that the case reported in the Rainy River District this week has been switched to a different health unit as the person is currently isolating outside of the NWHU catchment area.
There are currently 22 active cases of COVID-19 in the region. Twenty in the Kenora region, one in the Rainy River District and one in Sioux Lookout.
Since March, there has been a total of 300 cases of COVID-19 in the region.
Although lockdown restrictions will be lifted on Feb. 16 and northwestern Ontario will be moving into the yellow level under the colour-coded response framework, Young Hoon said the NWHU is still recommending that people avoid non-essential travel to other regions including outside of the NWHU catchment area.
“Avoiding nonessential travel reduces the likelihood of introducing those variants into our region,” Young Hoon said. “If a variant were to enter into our region it can be very challenging to control the spread of the variants because it’s a lot more transmissible.”
Young Hoon said at this point there is increased risk in the region and the public needs to be vigilant with public health measures whether most of the cases are in their community or not.
Young Hoon adds that the public should continue following good hand hygiene, wearing a mask, and social distancing from those not from your household.
