C.B. not in caboose when it comes to vaccinations

Re: “Vaccines now available," Cape Breton Post & Chronicle Herald, April 12.

The title of the article is correct — vaccines are available at pharmacy and community clinics across Cape Breton. However, some of the claims made in the article, including that our vaccine rollout “left Cape Breton to the end” are not.

I’d like to share some facts about our vaccine rollout in Cape Breton.

The percentage of citizens who have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the Eastern Zone of the province, which includes Cape Breton, is 14.8. That is higher than the provincial average of 12.8 per cent.

Vaccines were administered in licensed long-term care homes in early January. Vaccination at veterans’ units and the Breton Ability Centre started in early February.

The community clinic on the Cape Breton University campus was among our first ones to open — on March 8 in this case.

The first pharmacy clinic in Cape Breton was opened on March 22 and there have been over 60 pharmacy and physician clinics in Cape Breton since then.

All elders over the age of 55 at all five First Nations communities in Cape Breton have had both the first and second doses of vaccine.

We’re also targeting remote Cape Breton communities with clinics. A clinic was held in Neils Harbour just this past weekend.

These facts demonstrate that we have made it a priority to provide equitable access to vaccines across the province.

As Dr. Robert Strang, the premier and I have said many times, this is the biggest immunization effort the world has ever seen. Vaccine supply from the federal government continues to be limited and shipments are distributed across a network of clinics operating in the province and allocated based on population numbers. Our goal is to vaccinate equitably so that we get the same level of population immunity from COVID-19 right across the province.

To all those who have booked appointments and had a long wait, thank you for your patience. There has been a very high volume of people trying to book online and via phone. That is good news, as it means Nova Scotians see the importance of getting vaccinated. We are making improvements to our booking platforms to increase capacity and make booking easier.

If you haven’t booked, and you’re eligible, please try to book an appointment today. If you can’t get anything in your immediate area, please have patience. We are adding more appointments and more locations as we get vaccines from the federal government.

Thank you to clinic providers and immunizers for doing your part to vaccinate Nova Scotians. And thank you to the many Cape Bretoners who have come out to get vaccinated or made an appointment.

Getting the vaccine is our way forward, out of the COVID-19 pandemic.