There’s still no word on exactly when the COVID-19 vaccine will arrive in Chatham-Kent, but local health officials are working to make sure they’re ready when it does.
A task force including public health, the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, CK Ontario Health Team, and other community partners is working on Phase 1 of the distribution plan
“When the vaccine arrives and when we get the go-ahead, we’ll be able to get out very quickly to be able to vaccinate our long term care homes,” CKHA CEO Lori Marshall says. “That’s the residents, staff, and essential care partners.”
The provincial goal is to have everyone associated with LTC homes vaccinated by the middle of February, so Marshall says that gives them a hint at the time frame for local distribution.
One of the challenges in creating a local plan is knowing which vaccine Chatham-Kent will be getting.
Marshall says one good piece of news is the Pfizer vaccine that has to be stored at extremely cold temperatures can be transported, so local officials will be able to offer mobile inoculation clinics to help speed up the process.
