Focus shifts to LTC residents in Ontario
With delays in deliveries of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, most vulnerable will receive doses earlier
TORONTO — Ontario is pausing COVID -19 vaccinations of longterm-care staff and essential caregivers so that it can focus on administering the shots to all nursing-home residents amid a shortage of doses.
The province announced the change of focus for its vaccination plan Monday as it deals with delays in deliveries of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, with no shots expected to arrive this week.
Premier Doug Ford said the shift will mean some of the most vulnerable seniors will receive the first dose of the vaccine by Feb. 5, earlier than initially planned.
“If the past week has taught us anything, it’s that we can’t take vaccine shipments for granted,” he said. “I want to be clear, we’re using every single vaccine we can to protect our most vulnerable. But delivery delays are now forcing us to be careful and cautious.”
The province will now prioritize vaccinating long-term care, high-risk retirement, and First Nations elder care residents across Ontario.
The government had initially promised to complete the vaccination of all long-term-care home residents, staff and caregivers by Feb. 15.
Health-care workers who have already received their first dose will still get a second, but the province said that shot may be delayed by up to 42 days depending on supply.
The government also said it will reallocate vaccines to ensure 14 public health units that have not yet received the shot can begin to immunize residents
in long-term care this week.
Ford said Ontario still hopes to be able to offer immunizations more widely to people across the province this summer.
“As soon as we can start receiving regular shipments of vaccines from the federal government, it will be full-steam ahead,” he said.
The province said Monday it has administered the first dose of the vaccine in 479 long-termcare homes and 540 retirement homes.
A total of 286,110 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the province so far.
Ontario said it expects 26,325 Pfizer-BioNTech doses next week, which are far fewer than the amount originally expected.