Algoma Public Health (APH) is expecting the COVID-19 vaccine will be available to residents in its jurisdiction in the first months in 2021, according to Dr. Celeste Loewe, public health resident physician at APH.
“We expect that APH will definitely be part of vaccine administration in subsequent phases of the provincial vaccine rollouts, as soon as the province determines that Algoma District will be receiving the COVID vaccine. It is important to know that similar to influenza vaccine administration, APH works with community partners such as hospitals, long-term care homes (LTCHs), primary care clinics, family health teams and pharmacies to ensure Algoma residents have adequate access to vaccination,” Dr. Loewe said in an email to ElliotLakeToday.
“Currently, the province has indicated there are multiple phases to the COVID vaccine roll-outs and that during the phase 1 pilot, vaccines are sent to a small group of designated hospitals, so at this point in time, it is those individual hospitals' responsibility to administer COVID vaccines to the key priority groups,” she added. “This setup is mainly due to limitations of the Pfizer vaccine temperature and handling requirements and the very limited vaccine supply at this time. A Pfizer vaccine must be stored in ultra-cold temperature of between -60C and -80C, and, cannot be moved once it was transported to the hospital storage site. Since the province will only receive a very small quantity of Pfizer vaccine at this time, it has been prioritized for regions in lockdown, red zone and other communities with high number of COVID cases.”
According to the provincial plan, once more vaccines are approved and available, especially those with less stringent storage and transportation requirements, distribution of vaccines will be expanded to more sites.
The federal government expects the Moderna vaccine to be approved by Health Canada within days for use. The Moderna vaccine can be stored at -20C making it easier to transport to remote locations in the Ontario.
Based on the province's current plan, it will likely be sometime in early 2021 when vaccines arrive in Algoma. More information on timing will be shared once details are confirmed by the province.
“Even though we don't know precisely when the province will distribute vaccines here, APH is actively talking to our community partners to plan for when COVID vaccines arrive in Algoma to ensure a comprehensive and consistent approach to COVID vaccine administration across the district,” Dr. Loewe said. “We will be following the priority groups set out by the province, to make sure that the first doses of vaccines go to those who need it most, who are at highest risk. These include groups such as residents and staff of long-term care homes, healthcare workers, and First Nations people.”
“Depending on the type of vaccine, and the group of recipients, in some cases, it will be easier to bring the vaccine to recipients (such as LTC residents); in other scenarios, it will be better to bring people to the vaccine, such as at a community clinic. We will be planning with health partners district wide so that priority groups can start receiving immunization safely and smoothly, as soon as distribution is expanded to Algoma,” Dr. Loewe added.
St. Joseph's General Hospital CEO Pierre Ozolins said the hospital is prepared to assist in any APH plan for vaccination since rightly, this vaccine and the accompanying vaccination program are best suited to our public health agencies.
“I can confirm that we have been asked about fridge and freezer space. If there is a need for our nursing staff to help with the vaccination program or we are deemed suited to help in any other way, be it for storage, human resources, supplies, we will be seized to do so,” Ozolins said. “This will take a coordinated effort on many levels of our great public health system and we are ready to help in any way possible.”