Responding to inquiries – and citicism from Ajax [see below] – Durham Health yesterday said it has not opened second dose bookings to those who got their first dose on or before May 9, as the region has not been identified as a Delta hot spot.
“The Health Department has received several questions about why appointments for second doses are not yet available for anyone who received a first dose on or before May 9, as has been announced in other regions,”said Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Robert Kyle. “Theprovince announced that individuals who live in Delta hot spots are eligible to receive a second dose if they received their first dose on or before May 9. A Delta hot spot is a region with a high prevalence of the B.1.617 variant, as identified by the province. Thankfully, there have been few cases of the Delta variant locally and the province has not identified Durham Region as a Delta hot spot at this time.”
He said the Health Department staff is working to update the Variants of Concern information on the Covid-19 Data Tracker to show the number of cases confirmed for the Delta variant in Durham Region.
“Our goal is to open eligibility for second doses to more residents as soon as we are able based on vaccine supply and appointment availability. Please stay tuned for further updates in the coming days. As we continue to work on immunizing more residents and as Ontario has moved to Step 1 of the Province’s Roadmap to Reopen, please remain vigilant, stay informed, ensure you get back to permissible activities safely and follow all public health measures.”
Kyle said it is important for residents to book an appointment for a second dose as soon as they are eligible and when appointments become available…
He pointed out that more than 500,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine have been administered across the region, almost 450,000 residents have received at least one vaccine dose and more than 85,000 residents have been fully vaccinated. “Being fully vaccinated is the best protection against Covid-19. Thank you to the residents who are patiently waiting for an appointment for their second dose. Appointments will become available when vaccine supply is confirmed.”
Kyle said residents now have more options available for their second dose of Covid-19 vaccine. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has provided updated guidance and has indicated that authorized Covid-19 vaccines can be interchanged or mixed. It is recommended that residents who received a first dose of Pfizer or Moderna (both mRNA vaccines) receive a second dose of the same vaccine. However, if the same vaccine is not readily available, residents can receive a second dose of either mRNA vaccine.
“Residents who received a first dose of AstraZeneca can choose to receive AstraZeneca or an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) eight to 12 weeks after their first dose. Residents may go to a health care provider or pharmacy offering these vaccines or they may wait for appointments to become available at Health Department mass immunization clinics. Please visit www.durham.ca/covidvaccines for further information on how to book an appointment for your second dose,” Kyle added.
If we wait for so called doctor Kyle to make a decision will all come down with the doubt of Iris and it’ll be too late.
If ivax before is doctor Kyle actually capable of writing a prescription?
We should have the right to vote in are head of health. They should save the taxpayers millions on top of millions of dollars and remove Durham health as it’s nothing more than a mirror of Ontario health.
It’s nothing but duplicated positions that are redundant.