There has been some grumbling in some corners of the municipality over a perceived slow roll out of the vaccine program in Chatham-Kent.
Health Alliance CEO Lori Marshall says if we were slow out of the gate, it’s due to of a lack of vaccines because we were doing so well.
“It took us a while to get vaccine, and the reason it took us a while to get vaccine is because we weren’t one of the hot spots in the province,” Marshall explains. “There used to be signs up in the emergency department that would say “Only the lucky ones wait.” Really I would not trade our experience in Chatham-Kent over the last 12 months with some of the other communities that have been hot spots, they really needed to get the vaccine first.”
She points to the collaboration between all the groups involved that allowed the residents 80 and older to get in earlier than expected for vaccines.
“When the province said the over 80s, we want to get to them by March 15th, but if you think you could do them while you’re doing the other priority populations, then go for it,” Marshall says. “I think what we’re ahead with is that ability to do almost that integrated thinking because we have so many partners that are involved and invested in the one centre.”
This week, outreach teams are working on the retirement home residents across CK, while the mass vaccination clinic is focusing on high-risk health care workers, long term care staff and essential caregivers, and those over 80 in the community.
