Cotton candy and a COVID-19 vaccine? Fall fairs double as vaccination sites in Haldimand-Norfolk
People left the Caledonia Fair with midway prizes, cotton candy and maybe a touch of dizziness from riding the Scrambler.
But only a few left better protected against COVID-19.
The province's mobile GO-VAXX vaccine clinic - a retrofitted GO Transit bus where medical professionals offer walk-in vaccine shots - was parked at the fairgrounds for 10 hours on Saturday but fewer than 10 people stopped by to get their first or second dose.
That was a letdown for Norfolk EMS Chief Sarah Page, who leads the vaccine rollout in Haldimand-Norfolk and was left wondering why turnout was so low.
We're not sure if it's a matter of, Well, I have plans to go to the fair, and I'm not going to get my shot in case I have a sore arm or in case I feel ill afterwards,'" Page said.
She also wondered if younger fairgoers were reluctant to get vaccinated without first asking their parents.
Caledonia is not unique when it comes to poor uptake for the province's mobile vaccination clinic. The GO-VAXX bus recently visited a Hamilton neighbourhood with a markedly low vaccination rate but only 56 of a possible 324 doses were administered, mostly as second shots.
Page hopes for better luck this weekend at the Norfolk County Fair and Horse Show in Simcoe, where the GO-VAXX bus will be parked outside the South Drive gates on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
In terms of whether attending the weeklong fair - which starts Tuesday - is a good idea during a global pandemic, Dr. Matt Strauss, Haldimand-Norfolk's acting medical officer of health, said fully vaccinated fairgoers are very unlikely to get very sick from attending the county fair."
Outdoor events are much safer than indoor events in terms of transmission of all sorts of respiratory pathogens," Strauss said.
Offering the vaccine at fall fairs is part of the health unit's strategy to reach the remaining 16.2 per cent of the 12-plus population in Haldimand-Norfolk who have yet to receive any vaccine doses.
That strategy includes running vaccine clinics at rural fire halls and high schools, as well as welcoming residents to clinics at the Vittoria community hall every Tuesday, the health unit's Dunnville office every Thursday, and Norfolk General Hospital in Simcoe every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Health unit staff also deliver doses to homebound residents and will pick up people who need a ride to a clinic.
We're trying to encourage vaccination any way we can," Page said, inviting residents to call 519-427-5903 or email the health unit if you have any problems with transportation, identification, any barriers that you feel are not allowing you to get vaccinated."
Dr. Dominik Mertz, associate professor of infectious diseases at McMaster University, said bringing the vaccine to the people" should help to complete what the province is calling the last mile" of the rollout.
We probably still have some people who just didn't get around to it," Mertz said.
If they hear, OK, I can just walk a couple blocks down the street and get my vaccine,' it may ease some of the concerns because there's not an awful lot they need to do."
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.