Volume 6 – Issued March 4, 2021
All COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and have shown promising early results against the B.1.1.7 COVID-19 variant of concern. In addition to public health measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, choosing to get vaccinated when the vaccine is available to you, will protect you and the community against COVID-19 infection as well as potentially devastating outcomes.
Every week, a new COVID-19 vaccine bulletin is released where readers will learn about COVID-19 vaccines, receive updates on COVID-19 vaccine rollout across the Porcupine Health Unit district, as well as provincial and federal COVID-19 vaccine announcements.
The Porcupine Health Unit is responsible to lead the local COVID-19 vaccination program. To date, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout throughout the district has been a success and would not have been possible without the ongoing collaboration and commitment of hospitals, Primary care, First Nation communities, Emergency Medical Services, Indigenous representatives, and the North East Local Health Integration Network to plan the immunization program and mass immunizations clinics.
On February 26, 2021, after independent and thorough scientific review to ensure safety, efficacy and quality, Health Canada announced the approval of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine. Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, has announced that 2 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine will be received in Canada over the next few months from the Serum Institute of India, with:
The Canadian Government has purchased an additional 20 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the United States. The expected delivery date of these 20 million doses is yet to be determined.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) is now recommending an extended interval between doses for COVID-19 vaccines (up to 4 months). This recommendation is based on best current available scientific information. Extending the interval between doses of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines will maximize the number of people who will benefit from the protection offered by the first dose of these vaccines. This updated recommendation will allow access to COVID-19 vaccine sooner and provide protection to more adults across Canada. Real-world evidence indicates that there is still high effectiveness several weeks after the first dose of COVID-19 vaccines in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 infection and hospitalization. Effectiveness after two doses is higher than with the first dose therefore it remains important to still receive the second dose of vaccine. Based on the anticipated supply of vaccine in Canada, the second dose of vaccines will be available within 4 months from the first dose.
The Porcupine Health Unit wants to keep you informed about COVID-19 vaccines. Our website now includes a COVID-19 Vaccine page with more information on approved vaccines, vaccine safety and other general information.
Our COVID-19 phone lines remain open. Call us with any COVID-19 related questions you have at 1-800-461-1818.
The authorization of additional vaccines to fight this pandemic can only help. The advantages of earlier vaccination outweigh the drawbacks of vaccinating with a less effective vaccine. They provide additional tools to fight this pandemic as quickly as possible and will provide more supply to meet the public health need of our communities and the country and help protect lives. All COVID-19 vaccines authorized by Health Canada, regardless of differences in efficacy against symptomatic disease, will contribute to reducing severe COVID-19 illness and death in Canada.
Public health measures are effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19, including the variants of concern, and our joint effort is required to reduce the spread and protect those at highest risk to COVID-19 infection and poor outcomes while vaccine efforts are rolled out.
Visit Employment (porcupinehu.on.ca) to learn about opportunities to become involved in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout or call 1-800-461-1818.