Nawash Health Staff Administer First COVID-19 Vaccinations

We are pleased to inform the membership that the Nawash Health Centre held our first COVID-19 vaccination clinic today at the Maadookii Centre. We received 30 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which were allocated to residents of the Seniors Apartment Complex. Today, residents received the first dose of the two-part vaccination process. The recipients will return for the second, booster shot of the vaccine after 28 days.

Berdina Johnston, Elder and former Community Health Nurse, receives the COVID-19 vaccination.

Nobody is considered immune after receiving their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, or even after their second dose. It takes another 10 to 14 days after the booster shot to develop full immunity to COVID-19. Even vaccinated persons should continue to observe all pandemic health and safety guidelines, including wearing a mask, washing hands frequently, and staying at least 2 meters away from people you don’t live with.

We will be advised by Grey Bruce Public Health when more vaccine is available. Currently, demand for COVID-19 vaccines is far greater than the available supply and we cannot reliably predict when we will receive more vaccine doses. Provincial and federal health authorities are manage the distribution of vaccines around the country. We expect that notice of a vaccine delivery will likely be short, so we will remain ready to hold future clinics as soon as possible.

Paul Lavalley receives his shot from Community Health Nurse, SpringDawn Cook-Akiwenzie.

We know that most people are eager to receive a vaccination. We are doing all we can to vaccinate as many residents and staff as quickly as we can, but our Health staff and administration do not control how much vaccine we receive, or how the vaccine is to be allocated. The Health staff, in collaboration with the Grey Bruce Public Health unit, implement the vaccine priorities set by the Federal and Provincial health ministries.

The Federal and Provincial health ministries have planned a phased roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccines that addresses the most vulnerable populations first, as well as those situations where the virus is most likely to spread.

Phase One: January – March

During Phase One, vaccines will be prioritized to long-term care and retirement home residents, essential caregivers and staff; Indigenous communities and populations; healthcare workers; and chronic home care recipients.

Phase Two: April – July

During Phase Two, vaccines will be prioritized to older adults, beginning with those 80 and older, and decreasing in 5-year increments as the groups are vaccinated; people who live and work in high-use settings with other people; frontline essential workers, including first responders, teachers and other education staff and the food processing industry; individuals with high-risk chronic conditions and their caregivers; and other populations who are at greater COVID-19 risk.

Phase Three: August and beyond

During the final Phase, remaining Ontarians in the general population who wish to be vaccinated will receive the vaccine.

We recommend that every resident get a COVID-19 vaccination when it is offered to your category.

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