Top doctor encourages 40-plus to get jabbed
The vaccine rollout in Windsor-essex and across Ontario is opening up to anyone age 40 and older starting Tuesday, and the region's medical officer of health wants those eligible to book an appointment.
“As many Canadians are contracting COVID, it is critically important for everyone to get the first vaccine available to them,” said Dr. Wajid Ahmed on Monday.
Earlier that morning, Dr. David Williams, the province's chief medical officer of health, announced pharmacies and primary care settings would begin offering the Oxford-astrazeneca vaccine on Tuesday to anyone born in 1981 or earlier. Previously, that jab was only available to those age 55 and older.
While rare cases of people developing blood clots after receiving the Astrazeneca vaccine have led to increased scrutiny of the shot, Williams said Health Canada is not restricting its use in any specific population based on a review of available data from Europe and the United Kingdom.
“As we continue to fight COVID-19, we are doing everything possible to get as many vaccines into arms as quickly and safely as possible,” Williams said. “We continue to be actively engaged with Health Canada on updated Astrazeneca COVID -19 vaccine safety.”
The vaccine review indicates the risk of blood clots from the vaccine is much lower than the risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing the medical complications associated with it, Ahmed said, adding that blood clots are a rare side effect of many medications.
“When you're looking at the overall benefit, the benefit clearly outweighs any of the risks associated with the vaccine,” Ahmed said.
In Windsor-essex, 119,275 residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine — including Astrazeneca, Pfizer-biontech, and Moderna — and 12,706 of them have received two doses. Not included in those numbers are local cross-border essential workers who were immunized in the United States.
In Ontario, more than 3.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered to date, with roughly 346,000 people fully vaccinated.
A list of the 57 pharmacies that offer COVID -19 vaccines in Windsor-essex is available at the health unit's website, wechu.org. To schedule an appointment, contact the pharmacies directly.
Windsor-essex residents age 60 and older can book appointments at area mass vaccination clinics by visiting Wevax.ca, or by calling 227-773-2200 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.
Mass vaccination clinics are also open to those age 50 and older who live in “hot spot” postal codes beginning with N8X, N8Y, N9A, N9B, N9C, N8H, or N9Y.
Individuals with “highest-risk” health conditions and one primary essential caregiver, those with “highrisk” health conditions, adults in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit populations, adult recipients of chronic home health care, and prioritized health-care workers are also eligible for vaccination.
Farm workers in Essex County are also being vaccinated. Roughly 440 were inoculated at Nature Fresh Farms Recreation Centre in Leamington on Sunday.
Anyone who is unsure if they qualify for a COVID-19 vaccine at this or any stage of the rollout can visit WEVAX. ca.