First long-term-care residents in Haldimand-Norfolk get COVID-19 vaccine

Every long-term-care resident in Haldimand-Norfolk who wants to be vaccinated against COVID-19 is set to receive their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine by Sunday night.

The vaccine rollout started on Wednesday, when about 170 residents and a few staff at Norview Lodge in Simcoe were inoculated.

Medical officer of health Dr. Shanker Nesathurai said approximately 1,000 doses" of the vaccine were transferred to Norfolk General Hospital in Simcoe from a Brantford hospital Tuesday afternoon.

The vials are being stored inside a new ultra cold" freezer purchased by the Simcoe hospital to ensure the vaccine remains viable.

The hospital expects another 1,000 doses to be shipped next week, and the same amount the week after that.

As each recipient requires two doses of the vaccine administered three weeks apart, the health unit will use the 3,000 total doses to fully inoculate 1,500 people.

We're working to vaccinate the people who are at the highest risk, which in this health district clearly are people who live in long-term-care and retirement homes," Nesathurai said. Our plan is to vaccinate all the residents of long-term homes by end of the day Sunday."

Nesathurai said it makes sense to prioritize Haldimand-Norfolk's 1,250 long-term-care residents, since that population accounts for 24 of the region's 36 COVID-19 deaths.

Three retirement home residents have also died of the disease, and that group is up next to receive the vaccine.

Any extra doses will be given to front-line staff.

Although each vial gives five doses, on occasion you can actually get six doses out of it," Nesathurai said. And if you can, that provides us with an opportunity to vaccinate some of the staff at long-term-care facilities when we go out to vaccinate the residents."

The health unit estimates there are 5,000 health-care workers in Haldimand-Norfolk.

Lucy Bonanno, CEO and president of Norfolk General Hospital and West Haldimand General Hospital in Hagersville, called the arrival of the vaccine wonderful news for our county" and a huge step forward" in the effort to rein in COVID-19.

We hope this marks the beginning of the end of a difficult time for our hospital and the communities we serve," she said.

Norfolk County Mayor Kristal Chopp welcomed the news.

I can't begin to express how pleased I am to see this initial rollout of COVID-19 vaccines for some of our most vulnerable community members," said Chopp, who chairs the board of health.

Vaccination represents our best chance at bringing this pandemic to an end, but there is still a long way to go. That's why I urge everyone to continue to follow the guidance of public health officials, and when the time comes, to get themselves vaccinated against the virus."

To help with distribution as more doses arrive, the health unit plans to involve family doctors, nurse practitioners, health clinics and hospitals - what Nesathurai called the existing network of vaccine distribution" that co-ordinates yearly flu shots.

Even under best of circumstances, I think it'll be the summer before the vast majority of people are vaccinated and therefore protected," he said.

J.P. Antonacci's reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows him to report on stories about the regions of Haldimand and Norfolk.