On the one-year anniversary of the first COVID-19 vaccine dose administered in the Peterborough area, Peterborough Public Health is expanding walk-in clinic opportunities to some eligible residents.

On January 26, 2021, Elizabeth Campbell — a 106-year-old resident at Fairhaven long-term care home — was the first person in the Peterborough are to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. A dose of the Moderna vaccine was administered by Lori Rowsell, infection prevention and control practitioner at Fairhaven.

On that date, there were confirmed 42 active cases in the Peterborough area and three outbreaks; one year later, there are 328 known active cases (the number of active cases is likely higher due to reduced PCR testing) and 16 outbreaks.

“In one year, all vaccination partners in our region have been able to administer 321,186 doses of COVID-19 vaccines,” says Dr. Thomas Piggott, Peterborough’s medical officer of health, in a media release. “I want to thank our vaccinators, administrative support, volunteers, and every partner organization that have supported COVID-19 vaccine efforts across the region.”

To increase access to the COVID-19 vaccine, Peterborough Public Health is expanding walk-in clinic opportunities to some eligible residents effective Wednesday (January 26):

• Residents 12 years of age or older who require a first or second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can walk-in to vaccine clinics designated for residents 12 years of age or older.
• Residents 18 years of age or older who require a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can walk-in to vaccine clinics designated for residents 12 years of age or older.
• Residents five to 11 years of age who require a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can walk-in to vaccine clinics designated for residents five to 11 years of age.

At this time, residents five to 11 years of age who require a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine are asked to book an appointment at available COVID-19 vaccine clinics.

“We are aiming to reduce the barriers to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine by expanding walk-in opportunities for many residents,” Dr. Piggott says. “Peterborough Public Health will continue to host vaccine clinics in the City of Peterborough and throughout Peterborough County to increase access to the vaccine.”

Available COVID-19 vaccine clinics can be found at peterboroughpublichealth.ca/vaccineclinics.

Appointments are still available for most COVID-19 vaccine clinics and can be booked through the provincial booking system online at ontario.ca/covidvaccine or by calling 1-833-943-3900.

Campbellford Memorial Hospital in Trent Hills has temporarily converted its day surgery recovery area into acute care beds as a result of a surge of patients due to the COVID-19 omicron variant.

According to a media release issued Wednesday morning (January 26), the hospital has seen sustained patient volumes above 100 per cent of the its bed capacity, peaking at 140 per cent over capacity.

If the surge in patients continues to grow, the hospital is planning to convert its ambulatory care clinic into acute care beds as well.

Despite increasing bed capacity, the hospital is also facing staffing challenges due to the number of staff required to self-isolate at home because of the omicron variant.

“Our staff have been at this for nearly two years,” states Eric Hanna, the hospital’s interim president and CEO, in the media release. “They are exhausted and they continue to give it their all day in and day out. Our part-time and casual workers are putting in full-time hours. Our full time staff are coming in on their off days. It’s truly been an all-hands-on-deck effort.”

The hospital is reminding residents that omicron is “still very active” in the community and to follow public health guidance including washing hands frequently, wearing a mask, and getting vaccinated.

“Although we are seeing fully vaccinated patients presenting with COVID-19, I will note that the vast majority of severe COVID-19 cases that require admission to the hospital are in people who are not vaccinated,” Hanna points out. “That’s why vaccination is so important: not only to protect you and your loved ones, but also to preserve hospital capacity.”

The hospital states residents can expect to slightly longer than normal wait times in the emergency department, and encourages those requiring non-urgent care to seek out alternative options such as their family doctor, telehealth, or virtual care clinics.

Aimeé Le Lagadec is the new executive director of YES Shelter for Youth and Families, a non-profit organization that helps youth and families experiencing homelessness in Peterborough by providing shelter, education, and transitional supports.

Le Lagadec has been acting in the position since September 2021, when former executive director Meagan Hennekam left the position after five years.

“Stepping into this role in the midst of COVID-19 has been extremely challenging,” Le Lagadec states in a media release. “That being said, I am proud to be the one who will lead the YES Shelter for Youth and Families through the remainder of the pandemic.”

Originally from South Africa, Le Lagadec has a bachelor’s degree in social work and more than 10 years of experience in the social services field, specializing in youth homelessness. She previously worked at Eva’s Initiatives for Homeless Youth in Toronto.

Since 2018, Le Lagadec was YES’s outreach program manger, overseeing a team of staff directly supporting youth and families to avoid, recover from, and exit homelessness.

“We know that Aimeé will continue to inspire the vision for the organization that is aligned with the overall strategic direction, mission and values, and provide executive leadership for the development and delivery of long-term strategies and programs to support vulnerable youth and families in our community,” states YES board chair Kerri Boyd.

A 25-year-old man from northern Hastings County has been charged with attempted murder following a shooting incident last Wednesday night (January 19).

At around 11:30 p.m. last Wednesday, officers from the Bancroft OPP responded to a disturbance on New Carlow Road, east of Maynooth, in Carlow Mayo Township.

A police investigation revealed the accused man had discharged a firearm at two people at the location, neither of whom were struck or injured. The accused man fled the scene after the incident.

On Sunday (January 23), the Bancroft OPP and the OPP Emergency Response Team arrested the accused man in the Bancroft area.

Konner Brewitt, 25, of Carlow Mayo Township has been charged with two counts of attempting to commit murder using a firearm, two counts of discharging a firearm with intent, two counts of assault, pointing a firearm, and careless use of a firearm, weapon, prohibited device or ammunition

Brewitt is in police custody and is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Belleville on Monday (January 24) in relation to the criminal charges.

A groundswell of support for Peterborough medical officer of health Dr. Thomas Piggott has evolved into a public Facebook group where local residents can express their appreciation for his dedication to their health and well-being.

Conceived and organized by a small group of Peterborough-area residents, Nogojiwanong Peterborough Stands with Dr Piggott — which has gained over 400 members in the first few hours since it was created — comes in the aftermath of recent protests by anti-vaxxers at the Peterborough Public Health office on King Street as well as outside Dr. Piggott’s residence in East City on January 15 and again on January 19.

The latter occurrence, which led to two people being arrested and charged with criminal harassment and intimidation of a health official, saw a woman knock on his door, pretend to be a neighbour welcoming him to the community and then attempt to “serve” him papers headed ‘Notice: Trespass, Liability’ and ‘Cease and Desist’ — purporting COVID-19 to be a hoax — while a companion videotaped the encounter. After Dr. Piggott caught on and slammed the door shut, she put the papers in his mailbox. Shortly after, city police arrived on scene.

A newcomer to Peterborough, Dr. Piggott was previously the medical officer of health in northern Labrador and a practising family physician who has worked as a field doctor with Médicins Sans Frontières in the Congo in central Africa. Dr. Piggott’s wife is also a family physician, and the couple has two young daughters.

“They (anti-vaxxers) crossed the line, causing a lot of stress and unnecessary grief for him and his family,” says kawarthaNOW publisher Jeannine Taylor who — along with kawarthaNOW managing editor Bruce Head and kawarthaNOW writer Paul Rellinger, graphic designer Amy E. LeClair, and communications professional Justin Sutton — is behind the online show of support.

“People have repeatedly been asking ‘What can we do?’,” Taylor says. “They’re showing concern for Dr. Piggott and for his family. We want to show him that these groups (of anti-vaxxers) represent a very small number of people.”

Noting Dr. Piggott has been on the job less than two months — he started in his new role December 1 following the departure of his predecessor Dr. Rosana Salvaterra — Taylor says the idea is to show him, in a big way, that the residents of Peterborough city and county and Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations have his back.

To that end, residents are invited to post messages of support for Dr. Piggott (and by extension all public health staff and frontline health care workers) in the Facebook group, as well as post any images and videos that do likewise. Taylor notes there will “zero tolerance” for any hateful vitriol, which will be removed as quickly as possible.

Writer Paul Rellinger, who regularly covers Peterborough Public Health media briefings for kawarthaNOW, says the small group of anti-vaxxers who have targeted Dr. Piggott for simply doing his job in no way represents the broader community.

“Peterborough is better than this … much better,” Rellinger says.

“That’s the message I’d like to see sent to Dr. Piggott. He has to know, if he doesn’t already, that his 24-7 efforts to see us through the pandemic are greatly appreciated by the vast majority, and that there’s wide and extreme disgust for anyone who trespasses on his personal property, creating fear in him and in his family. In a word, that’s cowardly.”

Peterborough’s medical community is also standing behind Dr. Piggott. On Friday, a group of Peterborough-area physicians issued a joint statement in support of Dr. Piggott and public health staff, praising their “compassionate leadership and hard work.”

“These are professionals who dedicate themselves to keeping our community protected against a deadly virus,” the statement reads in part. “We find it disheartening and astounding that not only do these events disrupt the public health workplace but they have escalated to the front door of a private home, with no consideration to the children inside.”

Also on Friday, during the weekly Peterborough Public Health media briefing, local leaders spoke out strongly against anti-vaxxers taking their beef to Dr. Piggott’s home.

Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien condemned “this nonsense behaviour in the strongest terms possible” while Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith said “It is never appropriate to protest at anyone’s home. That is where their family should feel safe. It is 100 per cent wrong.”

Taylor notes she expects kawarthaNOW will hear, in some form, from anti-vaxxers concerning this online initiative.

“We’ve been dealing with that for two years,” she says, noting the media often faces animosity from anti-vaxxers for simply reporting pandemic news. “We’ve had threatening calls. I know other media have been threatened too. It’s a problem. I have a sense of how Dr. Piggott must feel, but I can’t imagine what it’s like to be accosted at your own front door.”

“Because of the shameful behaviour of a handful of people, Dr. Piggott’s neighbours won’t be able to knock on his front door to welcome him,” adds kawarthaNOW managing editor Bruce Head. “The Facebook group is a virtual way to let Dr. Piggott and his family know they are welcome and that we appreciate his leadership in keeping us safe during the pandemic.”

Amy LeClair, who owns and operates a graphic design and brand studio in Cavan Monaghan Township, volunteered to donate her skills and time to create the graphics for the new Facebook group.

“I feel very strongly that Dr. Piggott deserves to hear how important he is to this community,” LeClair says. “If I can be a part of that through my work and community spirit, count me in.”

For Justin Sutton, seeing what was happening to Dr. Piggott was all the motivation he needed to help organize the group.

“I felt compelled to join this initiative because I think what happened to Dr. Piggott is wrong and dangerous and I wanted him to know the vast majority of his neighbours disapprove of such tactics and won’t stand for it anymore,” Sutton says. “We want him to know he’s valued and we support him.”

Meanwhile, Peterborough’s police chief Scott Gilbert has served notice his officers are watching and will lay charges as required.

“Ignorance of the law is no excuse,” said Chief Gilbert at Friday’s Peterborough Public Health media briefing. “If you attend at a health care worker’s home and engage in the activities engaged in over the last week, that is causing fear. You should be on notice you will be subject to what the legislation (Bill C-3) states. If you’re going to protest, go to City Hall, go to Queen’s Park. Don’t go to someone’s house. That’s just unacceptable.”

Bill C-3, which received Royal Assent on December 17 and came into force on January 16, amends the Criminal Code to make it an indictable offence to “provoke a state of fear” in a health professional or a person who assists a health professional in the performance of their duties. A person convicted of the offence is liable to imprisonment for up to 10 years.

To join the ‘Nogojiwanong Peterborough Stands With Dr Piggott’ Facebook group, visit www.facebook.com/groups/nogoptbostandswithdrpiggott.

All photos of children/youth and their artwork have been used with the permission of their parents. Last names have been withheld in the interests of privacy.