Despite reaching a critical threshold of Covid cases in Grey Bruce, the health unit confirms all currently scheduled vaccine clinics will proceed as staff have been redeployed to address this situation.
This follows the surge in cases that Grey Bruce Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ian Arra announced earlier this week, when over 70 new cases were confirmed in less than 36 hours.
In a release, the health units notes that a contingency plan was designed to reallocate more vaccines to high-risk congregate settings like shelters to protect vulnerable groups and as case and contact management is progressing as planned, they expect to regain full control of the situation by the end of the day (April 17).
One large vaccine clinic was deferred to next week. The vaccines that were supposed to have been administered have instead gone to residents in shelters and congregate settings where, according to the release, the risk of transmission is higher during the current surge of cases.
Mobile teams will be providing vaccines to 42 of these locations by next Tuesday.
“All of the vaccines delivered to the Grey Bruce Health Unit are administered in the same week that they are received, with the exception of a small carry over quantity used for any clinics scheduled early in the following week,” the release from Public Health explains.
Currently, 46,285 doses of the vaccine have been administered within Grey Bruce. According to the health unit, that is 69 per cent of the people over the age of 70, and 30 per cent of the eligible adult population who have received their first dose.
