The Canadian Press
Who has provinces indicated to receive COVID-19 vaccines in the coming weeks?
As COVID-19 vaccine supplies increase across the country, most provinces and territories have released details of who can expect to receive a vaccine in the coming weeks. Here is a list of his plans so far: Newfoundland and Labrador The province says it is in Phase 1 of its vaccine launch. Health professionals on the frontline of the pandemic, employees in long-term care homes, people of “old age” and adults in remote or isolated indigenous communities have priority. The director of medical health, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, said that Phase 2 will begin in April if the supply of the vaccine remains stable. The second phase prioritizes adults over 60, starting with those over 80, as well as indigenous adults, first responders, rotating workers and adults in marginalized populations, such as those living on the streets. Adults aged 16 to 59 will be vaccinated in the third phase of the launch, and Fitzgerald said he expects this to begin this summer. — Nova Scotia Health officials in Nova Scotia announced on Tuesday that vaccination plans for the month included the province’s first pharmaceutical clinics. The pharmaceutical clinic prototype will be launched in Halifax and Shelburne on March 9, Port Hawkesbury on March 16 and Springhill on March 23. Nova Scotia plans to have vaccine available to at least 75 percent of the population by the end of September 2021. — Prince Edward Island health officials say they will shift their focus to getting a first dose of the COVID- 19 for all adults until July 1, even if it means postponing the second injection for some. Chief physician Heather Morrison said people over 80 will receive a second dose based on their existing consultations. In the future, she said, other residents will have a longer interval between the first and the second dose, but she did not specify how long it will take. — New Brunswick The province is also focusing on vaccinating people living in long-term care homes, health professionals with direct contact with the patient, adults in First Nations communities and elderly people in New Brunswickers in the first phase, which lasts at least until March. The next phase is scheduled to start in the spring and includes residents and employees from community settings, other health professionals, including pharmacists, rescuers and critical infrastructure workers. The government website says that once the vaccine is supplied in large enough quantities, the entire population will receive the vaccines. — Quebec Quebec started vaccinating elderly people on Monday, after a first phase that focused mainly on health professionals, remote communities and long-term care. In Montreal, mass vaccination sites, including the Olympic Stadium, opened their doors to the public when the province began vaccinating elderly people living in the hard-hit city. The government announced last week that it would start scheduling appointments for people aged 85 and over across the province, but that age limit has dropped to 70 in some regions, including Montreal. Quebec announced on Tuesday that it has reached an agreement with pharmacies that will allow them to begin administering the COVID-19 vaccines in mid-March. Health Minister Christian Dube said that about 350 pharmacies in the Montreal area will begin receiving consultations by March 15 for youths up to 70 years old. The program will eventually expand to more than 1,400 pharmacies across the province, which will administer around two million doses. The Montreal region is being prioritized in part because of the presence of more contagious variants, such as the one first identified in the UK, Dube said. — Ontario The province has started vaccinating people with the highest priority, including those in long-term care, residents of high-risk nursing homes, certain classes of health professionals and people living in congregational care settings. Several Ontario regions moved forward on Monday with their plans to vaccinate the general public, while others used their own systems to allow residents aged 80 and over to schedule appointments. Toronto also began vaccinating members of its police force on Monday after the province identified frontline officials as a priority group. Police officers and sergeants responding to emergency calls where medical assistance may be required are now included in the first ongoing phase of the vaccine’s rollout in Ontario, a spokesman for the force said. A day earlier, Toronto said the province had expanded the first phase of its vaccination campaign to include homeless people. The provincial government said it plans to start vaccinating Ontarians aged 80 and over from the week of March 15, the same day that it plans to launch its vaccine reservation system, which will offer a service desk and an online portal. He said the vaccine launch will look different in each of its 34 public health facilities. When asked about the lack of cohesion across the province, the Minister of Health, Christine Elliott, said that public health units know their regions better and that is why they were given the responsibility to set the pace locally. She also said that the province will soon share an updated vaccine plan that takes into account expected shipments of the newly approved Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. The province will do this after obtaining guidance from the federal government on potentially extending the time between the first and the second dose, as BC is doing, of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines to four months, Elliott says she also says the elderly from Ontario will not make you receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, as there are limited data on its effectiveness in older populations. — Manitoba Manitoba is starting to vaccinate people in the general population. Nominations are now available to most people aged 94 or older, or 74 years old or older to First Nations people. Until now, vaccines have been targeted at certain groups, such as health professionals and people in personal care homes. Health officials plan to reduce the minimum age, little by little, in the coming months. Dr. Joss Reimer, chief medical officer of the provincial vaccination task force, said that vaccines can be opened to all adults in the province until August, if supplies are stable. — Saskatchewan The province is still in the first phase of its vaccination implementation, which reserves doses for residents and long-term care workers, health professionals at high risk of exposure to COVID-19, elderly people over 70 and anyone 50 years or older living in a remote area. In all, about 400,000 doses are needed to complete this step. The next phase will focus on vaccinating the general population by age. He hopes to start his mass vaccination campaign in April, but there if there is not enough supply, which could be postponed until June. Saskatchewan will begin to immunize the general population in 10-year increments, starting with those aged 60 to 69. Also included in this age group will be people living in emergency shelters, individuals with intellectual disabilities in nursing homes and people who are clinically vulnerable. Police officers, prison staff and teachers are among frontline officials not prioritized for early access to shots. The government says the offer is scarce. The province said this week that it could follow British Columbia’s example of postponing a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to speed up immunizations. The government says it expects a national committee that provides guidance on immunizations to support the wait of up to four months to give people a second dose. If that happens, the province can speed up the time when residents give their first chance. — Alberta Alberta is now offering vaccines to anyone born in 1946 or earlier, a group that represents about 230,000 people. Consultations are being offered through an online portal and the 811 Health Link phone line. Shots are also being offered to this cohort at more than 100 pharmacies in Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton beginning in March and the government said there are also plans to include doctors’ offices. Health Minister Tyler Shandro said that all eligible seniors should have their first vaccinations by the end of March. But he said on Monday that the province will not give the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to anyone over 65, after the National Immunization Advisory Committee expressed concern that there is limited data on how it will work in older populations. The first phase of the vaccine’s launch also included anyone over 65 who lives in a First Nations or Metis community, several frontline health professionals, paramedics and emergency medical first responders. Phase 2 of the deployment, which will begin in April, is expected to begin with those aged 65 and over, indigenous people over 50 and employees and residents of facilities for seniors with a support license not previously included. — British Columbia British Columbia will extend the time between the first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccines to four months, so that all adults can receive their initial vaccine by the end of July. The provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, says evidence from the province and around the world shows protection of at least 90 percent of the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. The province launched the second phase of its immunization campaign on Monday and health officials will begin contacting residents and staff from independent living centers, those living in care homes for the elderly, as well as clients and home support staff. . Seniors aged 90 and over can call to make an appointment from next Monday, followed a week later by those aged 85 and over and a week later by those aged 80 and over. Henry says approval of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine means that some people will receive their first injection sooner than planned. She says the BC will focus on launching the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine among essential workers, first responders and younger people with more social interactions who would have to wait longer to receive their first doses of the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines. It is now possible for all adults to have their first injection in July, says Henry. — Nunavut The territory says it expects enough vaccines for 75 percent of its population over the age of 18. After a COVID-19 vaccine is administered, patients will be screened to ensure they are properly notified to receive their second dose. Priority populations in Nunavut are being vaccinated first. They include shelter residents, people aged 60 and over, employees and inmates and correctional facilities, first responders and frontline health teams. — Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories, its priority groups – such as people over 60, frontline health professionals and those living in remote communities – are being vaccinated The territory says it hopes to vaccinate the rest of its adult population as of this month. — Yukon Yukon says he will receive enough vaccine to immunize 75 percent of his adult population by the end of March. Vaccination priority was given to residents and staff in long-term care homes, collective homes and shelters, as well as health professionals and personal support staff. People over 80 who do not live in long-term care facilities and those who live in rural and remote communities, including indigenous peoples, are also on the priority list for vaccination. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published on March 3, 2021. The Canadian Press