COVID-19: Vaccine appointments on the rise in Northern Ontario

But most older children are still unvaccinated, nine months after they became eligible.

The various public health units in Northern Ontario, which keep their vaccination data up to date, show vaccination rates for 5 to 11 year olds below the 50% mark.

Vaccination rates among 5 to 11 year olds

• Timiskaming Health Unit: 39%
• Algoma Public Health: 38%
• Public Health Sudbury & Districts: 35%
• North Bay-Parry Sound District Health Unit: 33%
• Porcupine Health Unit: 27%

We have work to dosays Kendra Brunet, COVID-19 response manager for the Porcupine Health Unit.

Over the next few weeks, we have set up several clinics suitable for children and young people, as well as outdoor vaccination sessions, in order to increase vaccination rates for the start of the school year.she adds.

Nastassia McNair, Manager of COVID-19 Planning for Public Health Sudbury & Districts, says given the low uptake of children, she will be happy if vaccination coverage reaches 30 or 40 per cent for the six-month to five-year-old age group. newly eligible.

She says the vaccination clinics have been quiet over the summer, but are starting to get busier.

It’s kind of the nature of our work in generalshe says.

Even now, with our routine vaccinations, we’re starting to see August busier than July, so when people are in that back-to-work, back-to-school mentality, we tend to see more appointments madeshe adds.

Some of these reservations are for the newly available second booster dose for over-18s.

The take-up rate for the first booster dose, however, has not been as popular as the first two doses, according to figures from public health units.

Rate of obtaining the first booster dose of a vaccine against COVID-19 among 18 years and older

• Timiskaming Health Unit: 55%
• Algoma Public Health: 60%
• Public Health Sudbury & Districts: 57%
• North Bay-Parry Sound District Health Unit: 61%

A new vaccine could be a game-changer

The expected arrival of a vaccine specifically designed to protect against Omicron subvariants awaits federal government approval.

Public health officials in Northeastern Ontario anticipate the vaccine will be available this fall and are incorporating it into their plans to expand vaccination clinics over the coming months.

However, anyone who received a booster this summer is advised to wait five months before receiving this new and improved vaccine.

Waiting for this vaccine to be approved is certainly a bit of a game-changer, but we recommend that if you are planning on getting your second booster at this point, you discuss it with your primary care provider to determine what the best time for youadds Ms. Brunet.