February 26, 2021

VACCINATION OF 375,000 PEOPLE X 2 MASSIVE JOB FOR HEALTH UNIT

SIMCOE-MUSKOKA — Vaccine bookings have begun with people reporting on social media they already have appointments for early next week.

Simcoe-Muskoka is among health units that yesterday allowed residents to go online or call by phone to get injected in Bracebridge and Huntsville.

Those 85 and older — along with Indigenous Canadians, high-risk residents and even more front-line health-care workers — are eligible.

See details on how to book here.

But the number appointments available will depend on how much of the Pfizer vaccine Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) receives.

And it’s based on the number of eligible residents in each of the six sub-regions.

That’s 375,000 people over the age of 15.

There are 13 vaccine clinics in the region that will be open at various times.

Health unit staff has been busy preparing for Monday’s March 1 rollout.

A 104-page SMDHU report last week, Feb. 18, details plans and scenarios.

It notes that Muskoka only represents 11.6 per cent of Simcoe-Muskoka’s population.

So if SMDHU gets 10,000 doses per week, Muskoka would get 1,160 doses. And if 25,000 doses arrive, Muskoka would get 2,900 and with 50,000 doses Muskoka would get 5,800 doses.

On a daily basis that would allow for 166, 414 and 828 people each day — if the health unit gets 10,000, 25,000 or 50,000 doses.

The reports looks at how the health unit can achieve the overall goal of immunizing 75% of the eligible population* 375,000 people x 2 doses = 750,000 doses in the six months March to August

(*Based on Statistics Canada population data 502,775 people 15 years and older).

This would require:

125,000 doses per month for 6 months
41,665 doses per month in Barrie
16,665 doses per month in other 5 areas

This equates to:

4,165 doses per day administered across the region based on 30 day month
1,385 doses per day in Barrie
555 doses per day in each of the other 5 regions

Then there is staffing.

It says to achieve this would require a pool of 120 immunizers based on the following:

1,385 doses per day in Barrie (28 immunizers per day) = 196 shifts per week based on clinic operating 7 days a week divided by 5 days (full Full-time Equivalent (FTE)) = 40 immunizing staff
555 doses per day in each of the other 5 areas (11 immunizers per day) = 77 shifts per week based on clinics operating 7 days a week divided by 5 days (full FTE) = 16 staff per area.