With more than 9,000 Peterborough region residents vaccinated in just the past week, the region’s medical officer of health expects 60 per cent of all vaccine-eligible city and county residents will have received at least their first dose by the end of day Saturday.
“We’ve seen a dramatic jump … we’ve really turned on the tap,” said Dr. Rosana Salvaterra during a Peterborough Public Health media briefing held Friday (May 28).
As of 5 p.m. Thursday (May 27), 79,150 vaccine doses had been administered locally, 72,120 of those going into residents’ arms with 6,659 having received two doses and considered fully vaccinated.
On Friday, the province confirmed 65 per cent of Ontario’s adult population has now received a first dose of vaccine and announced it is accelerating the administering of second doses, starting with those who at at least 80 years of age.
The increased eligibility will be coupled with additional doses of vaccine, according to Dr. Salvaterra.
“We have been assured that those (health units) not in hot spots that have received less vaccine per capita can expect to receive more vaccine throughout June to help us catch up,” she said.
“Starting May 31, anyone who is age 80 years or older who has had their first dose can reschedule an earlier second dose according to local (vaccine) availability,” Dr. Salvaterra explained. “Most of those over 80 do have their second dose appointments (already booked) but even if that’s not the case, the provincial booking system will now allow people to book a single appointment.”
“You must go online if you’re looking to rebook an earlier date for that second dose, or call the provincial vaccine booking line at 1-833-943-3900. New appointments will replace those that had been previously booked.”
Those who received their first dose at a hospital clinic should contact their public health unit for booking details. People who received their first dose through a primary care provider or a pharmacy should contact them for booking details.
Starting on June 14, the age 70 to 79 years old group can begin booking their second dose appointments. The following weeks will see eligibility to book extended to lower age groups, roughly based on four weeks after the date they received their first does.
Meanwhile, those waiting for their second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine will be eligible for that within 12 weeks of their first dose. Those who received a first dose of AstraZeneca may become eligible for a second dose of Pfizer or Moderna, depending on pending guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization.
According to Dr. Salvaterra, 200 doses of AstraZeneca due to expire May 31 were made available to local health care providers to provide second doses to those patients who were immunized with a first dose before March 20.
“Here in Peterborough, primary care immunized more than 5,000 people (with AstraZeneca),” said Dr. Salvaterra, adding “We’ve had indication from the province that more AstraZeneca will be arriving here in June.”
As the vaccination pace picks up speed, local infection numbers continue to show steady improvement.
As of Thursday (May 27) at 4:30 p.m., the number of active cases in Peterborough city and county, Curve Lake and Hiawatha was reported as 80 — a decrease of nine since Tuesday. Meanwhile, the number of close contacts of positive cases being monitored by public health staff has also dropped significantly and now stands at 206, 118 less than what was reported Tuesday.
This week has seen 29 new cases detected. With May winding down, the total news cases count for the month stands at 260, well less than April’s new case count of 353.
Two additional COVID-related deaths have been reported this week. Dr. Salvaterra offered few details but did confirm both are community members, not residents of a long-term care or retirement homes.
She added both had been immunized, noting one of two things occurred: they either became infected before their vaccine protection kicked in, or they became infected despite being vaccinated but had an underlying health condition that contributed to the extent of their illness.
There are currently three outbreaks in the Peterborough region, including one at Fairhaven that Dr. Salvaterra described as “stable” with one resident and two staff members infected and now self-isolating.
With the provincial government confirming Ontario’s stay-at-home order will expire June 2, there has been much speculation as to whether the province will initiate step one of its three-step reopening plan immediately or wait until the week of June 14 as originally scheduled.
“We might be in a position where we have good reason to move ahead,” said Dr. Salvaterra. “It will be a provincial decision. We’re not going back to the regional (colour-coded) framework.”
“I’ve been watching those (provincial) numbers every night. They’re still above 1,000 (new cases daily). We need to see those go down below 1,000 and stay there. That’s what we’ll need to see before the Premier feels confident taking us into the next step of reopening.”
Also commenting during Friday’s briefing were Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef, and Peterborough board of health chair and Selwyn mayor Andy Mitchell.
