Drive-thru clinics planned for vaccinations

Peterborough expected to be in green zone of new colour-coded system

Early plans are being made for drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Peterborough in case a new vaccine becomes available soon.

There’s a local precedent: a drive-thru vaccination clinic for influenza was recently organized by family physicians at the King Street Parking Garage downtown, said Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, medical officer of health.

“We were there. We studied it carefully,” Salvaterra said during a virtual news conference on Wednesday. “You can accommodate a large number of people very efficiently in that space.”

Salvaterra said it’s been encouraging to hear about how a COVID-19 vaccine has been in development.

“For me personally, the hope of a vaccine renews my energy. I certainly understand how powerful a vaccine will be in protecting all of us,” she said.

Peterborough Public Health holds a virtual press briefing every week to update the public on COVID-19.

Women and Gender Equality Minister Maryam Monsef, the MP for Peterborough-Kawartha, took part on Wednesday and mentioned that the federal government has signed a contract to procure 76 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from the Quebec company Medicago. Medicago is developing a vaccine along with British company GlaxoSmithKline. The two companies have said the vaccine could potentially be available in the first half of 2021.

Monsef said this is one of seven agreements the federal government is making to procure a total of 358 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for Canada. Whether or not there’s a vaccine available it could still be a difficult winter, Monsef said — but don’t be discouraged.

“The government of Canada will have your back. Our wonderful public health leaders will have your back,” she said.

New local case

A new confirmed COVID -19 case in Peterborough city and county, Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation was reported Wednesday afternoon by Peterborough Public Health. One case was also reported as resolved on Wednesday, resulting in seven active cases.

The jurisdiction has now had 153 cumulative confirmed cases since the pandemic began in March, with 144 resolved and two earlier deaths. The health unit has a cumulative rate of 103.5 confirmed cases per 100,000 people, less than one fifth of the provincial average of 570.8 cumulative confirmed cases per 100,000 people as of Wednesday.

There is one outbreak, at Fairhaven long-term-care home, declared Saturday after a caregiver for a resident tested positive.

More than 34,650 people, or about 23.4 per cent, have now been tested at least once for the virus, the health unit also reported Wednesday.

In the green zone

On Saturday the Ontario government will institute a new colour-coded system to indicate COVID -19 prevalence across different areas of the province. Peterborough is expected to be in a green-coloured zone, meaning a lower prevalence of COVID-19 compared to the red hot spots.

Salvaterra was asked during the briefing whether she expects some out-of-town visitors coming to green-zone Peterborough to escape hot spots such as the GTA. That’s a concern, she said, but that the colour-coding system also advises against non-essential travel within Ontario.

“So I’m hoping people will follow that guidance,” Salvaterra said.

Meanwhile, the Public Health Agency of Canada is now recommending three-layer face masks, The Canadian Press reported on Wednesday. Face masks should be comprised of two layers of tightly woven fabric such as cotton or linen, plus a third layer of a “filter-type fabric” such as polypropylene, according to those recommendations. Salvaterra mentioned it in the news conference, as did Monsef.

“Look — the third layer is simply an added layer of protection on top of the other precautions” such as hand washing and physical distancing, Monsef said.

Salvaterra added that while getting a flu shot is another “great way” to protect your health this season, there have been vaccine supply issues.

There’s been a surge in demand for flu shots this year so far, Salvaterra said, and while that’s “great” it may be that demand outstrips supply.

Procurement plans were made prior to the pandemic, Salvaterra said, and the estimated number of doses Ontario would need for this year was based on previous years’ statistics.

Although the provincial government was able to secure additional doses, Salvaterra said, it’s still unclear whether all Ontarians who want a flu vaccine will get one.

New case in Haliburton

An additional confirmed COVID -19 case in Haliburton County was reported Wednesday by the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit.

The case had been previously reported by another health unit and was transferred to the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit because that’s where the person has resided for most of the time.

The cumulative total of cases for the health unit since the pandemic began in March has increased to 256, with four active cases, two in Northumberland County and two in Haliburton County.

The health unit is also monitoring eight people in the City of Kawartha Lakes, six in Northumberland County and four in Haliburton County who are at high risk because of close contact with confirmed cases.