Local health officials are hoping to be able to start administering the COVID-19 vaccine to local residents soon, but exactly when that might happen remains to be seen.
Health Alliance CEO Lori Marshall says a task force involving the Health Alliance, Public Health, and other partner agencies is working on a roll-out plan once the vaccines arrive.
“We continue to wait for news about when it is that we might receive some vaccine in Chatham-Kent,” Marshall says. “In the meantime, the hospital is working with public health towards how to do envision this might occur once, in fact, we receive some supply. We’re already working on some of the logistics, then we just wait and see at this stage.
Marshall expects there should be a fairly quick turnaround between when they’re notified of the vaccine’s arrival to when clinics can begin operating, with likely no more than a week to get inoculation clinics up and running.
“Some of the plans may be dependent on what type of vaccine we receive and what the storage requirements are and how it’s envisioned to be distributed, because the Pfizer and Moderna (vaccines) have different approaches that would be required, so we’re looking at every eventuality.”
Last week, the province fleshed out its vaccine distribution framework – the first phase is underway with a focus on health care workers, and long term care workers and residents.
The second phase is expected to run April to July with mass vaccination sites established.
And the third phase is expected to be in place by August with the vaccine readily available in family doctors’ offices.