While Northern Ontario's first COVID-19 vaccine was given today, it will still be a while before doses arrive in Timmins.
Today, Porcupine Health Unit medical officer of health Dr. Lianne Catton said local vaccination planning is ongoing with the province and local healthcare partners.
“But it will take time. We are not likely going to see vaccines locally until later in January and then we are looking at how that is rolled out,” she said.
At this point, she said the planning is around the Moderna vaccine, which has not been approved by Health Canada yet. The vaccine currently being used is Pfizer, which requires a special freezer capable of -70 C to store.
The Moderna vaccine, said Catton, can be stored at warmer temperatures than Pfizer, “which makes it a little more accessible and easier for distribution purposes."
She said there is still a lot of planning to be done with mass immunization programs, especially with COVID-19 precautions. This year's flu clinics were a dry run of how the vaccine clinics may look.
“We need to be patient with the measures and recognize it will take time for that herd immunity, that 75 per cent of the population to be vaccinated for us to really see changes in how we’re functioning across our communities, but we will get there and we need to continue to work together,” she said.
So far in the Porcupine Health Unit region there have been 125 lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases. Of those, 108 are recovered and nine people have died. There are eight known active cases.
To help curb the spread of the virus, a province-wide shutdown starts Dec. 26. It's effective for two weeks in Northern Ontario and 28 days in southern Ontario.
“This is so incredibly important right now that we work together as a province, as a broader community to really, really try and protect lives and ensure that we are responding to COVID in a manner that helps us move forward and get through to the end in sight that we know is coming with vaccines on the horizon and much planning being done for vaccine implementation,” she said.
For the shutdown, Catton explained indoor public events and private social gatherings aren't permitted.
"It is recommended that individuals stay within their household completely for any type of gathering unless there is someone who is living alone, obviously, then there is still really important recognition that connection, mental health and social connection are incredibly important and there’s opportunities for that,” she said.
Non-essential travel outside of the region or Northern Ontario isn't recommended.
“We have been recommending and urging any community members against any non-essential travel outside of the north for some time now,” she said.
With yesterday's provincial changes, she said people travelling outside of Ontario are now recommended to isolate for 14 days after arriving home.
To access COVID-19 testing, call your health care provider or the health unit.
The Porcupine Health Unit COVID-19 information line is open today from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and can be reached at 705-267-1181 or 1-800-461-1818.
There are COVID-19 assessment centres in Timmins, Cochrane, Iroquois Falls, Kapuskasing, Smooth Rock Falls, Hearst, and Hornepayne.
