2 MUSKOKA COVID CASES AS FIRST VACCINE INJECTION IN BARRIE
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — As the first LTC worker got the vaccine today in Barrie, 2 more people in Muskoka tested positive yesterday and 42 in Simcoe according to Tuesday reports.
A Bracebridge woman aged 18-34 and a Huntsville woman aged 45-64.
Both received it through close contact.
So says Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit medical officers of health Charles Gardner, who continued to tell the media this afternoon about challenges he is having with getting timely statistics and then doing the contact tracing to inform those around the person with the coronavirus.
He says the daily increase in cases in Muskoka proves the “migration north” is a “warning” to be heeded by northern residents and the province.
And while he said yesterday’s provincial lockdown announcement starting Saturday, Boxing Day, was “necessary,” he added “every day’s delay” isn’t recommended.
He said the Ontario-wide move was to avoid people moving about from one high region to a low region to shop and thus spread the virus.
Gardner was, however, “very, very happy” about today’s “historic” first vaccine injection at the distribution centre at the old Barrie police station on Sperling Drive.
He said it was “moving to be there and part of all of this.”
Especially since the health unit was originally told it would be late 2021, then early next year before they’d get the vaccine.
“To get it this early” is great, said Gardner sounding like it was an early Christmas present.
“A big fan of the vaccine,” which he said “usually” takes a couple of years to develop, it’s “absolutely essential to bring the virus under control.”
But he wouldn’t say “for security reasons” how many doses the health unit received, or where it’s being secretly stored or even when their next shipment will be.
He did say that when they receive it, that it take three hours to thaw to a useable temperature.
And it can be kept at fridge temperature for five days to use; and up to two hours at room temperature.
The health unit did a dry test run Monday and using a “very elaborate process” they have set up a list of the first front-line health care workers to receive the vaccine.
They will all be re-booked for the second half of the Pfizer vaccine in 21 days.
Gardner said that when they get the Moderna vaccine — he didn’t say when — that they will be able to take it beyond its one distribution location now to LTCs, retirement homes and other congregate settings, possibly with the help of paramedic services.
NOTES:
As of Monday the health unit reported:
There were 3,075 cases across the region with 2,398 in Simcoe and 124 in Muskoka.
In hospital 18 were in Simcoe and 2 in Muskoka.
Deceased included 57 in Simcoe and 2 in Muskoka.
Ontario saw 2,202 more cases and 21deaths. In Toronto there were 636 cases, Peel 204, York 218 and Windsor-Essex 172.
Quebec reports 2,183 with 28 deaths.
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