The Ottawa area's weekly COVID-19 vaccine checkup: April 15

Every Thursday, CBC Ottawa brings youthisroundup of COVID-19 vaccinationdevelopments throughoutthe region.

There have beenmore than 490,000 doses administered in the wider Ottawa-Gatineau region, which has about 2.3 million residents. That'sabout100,000 doses more than last Thursday.

The provinces, health units and health authorities have more information in thelinks at the bottom of the page.

Ontario has set wide vaccine guidelines and given local health units someflexibility. Some, but not all, of the different ways local health units are doing things are setoutbelow.

The provincial picture

Ontario's pharmacy vaccine pilot project for people age 55 and over has been expanded further, with more than 125 new locations opening this week.

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Ontario province has made all education workers who provide direct support to students with special needs eligible for a vaccine. Those students can still learnin persondespite the current school shutdown.

Quebec has expanded eligibility to include all anyone with a high-risk chronic illness, as well as essential workersincluding teachers, emergency crews and temporary foreign farm workers.

The United States has suspended use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine over concerns about very rare blood clots. Canadais expecting 10 million doses of that single-shotvaccine starting this month.

Ottawa

Residents ages 50 to 54 in three Ottawa postal codes (K1T,K1V and K2V) are eligible for a vaccine through the province's "hot spot" strategy, but the city warnedlast week it didn't have the supply to cover everyone in that group.

There have been noupdates about expanding eligibility in these hot spots to people ages 18 to 49. On Tuesday, the province reminded local health units it's up to them to manage that aspect of the rollout.

• These 'hot spots'are less hard-hit by COVID-19 than the Ontario average

Ottawa is reaching out to residents with health conditions who are having trouble leaving home to get vaccinated, allowing those at "highest risk" to pre-book an appointment, along with a caregiver.

Ottawa is also pre-booking appointments for "moderate" priority health-care workers who work remotely.Ottawa's medical officer of health said this group isconsidered a low priority in Phase 2.

Adelay in Moderna vaccine shipments may delay opening up more appointments.

More than 220,000 vaccine doses have now been given to Ottawa residents, including more than 26,000 second doses.

Eighteen per cent of its population has had at least one dose, including most of its residents age 70 and above.

Ottawa's population is about 1,050,000, but many age groups aren't yet eligible.

Western Quebec

General eligibility has been expanded in the Outaouais to include all residents55 and over.

The AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine isbecoming available at local pharmacies, and theModerna vaccineshould follow by the end of the month.

Health-care workers who are currently eligible to book an appointment regardless of ageincludedentists, physiotherapists and social outreach workers.

The Outaouais has distributed about 87,600vaccine doses among a population of about 386,000.

Renfrew County

Renfrew County isoffering the AstraZenecavaccine to people age 55 and overat its clinics, not just pharmacies.

Here and in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark,eligibility has been expanded to include residentswho have "high-risk" health conditions including lymphoma, obesity, a developmental disability orwho are immunocompromised.

With a population of about 109,000, Renfrew County has distributed more than 21,000 vaccine doses.

Eastern Ontario Health Unit

Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Roumeliotis said he and the mayor of Cornwall have been urging the province to classify the eastern Ontario city as a COVID-19hot spot.

The EOHU held itslargest vaccinationclinics yet in Cornwall andRockland over the weekend.

On Monday, Roumeliotissaid between 20 and 30 local pharmacies shouldeventually be offering the vaccine, and said he's working on a location for South Dundas.

Among a population of about 209,000, more than 35,000 vaccine doses have been administered.

Leeds, Grenville and Lanark

This region has moved its Smiths Falls clinic to the arena pad to offer more space. Eligible education workers can get vaccinated there or at another clinic in Brockville.

More than 27,500of the region's 173,000 residents have received at least one vaccine dose, according to the health unit. That number doesn't include include pharmacy doses.

Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington

The region, with a population of about 213,000,has given more than 58,000 vaccine doses to residents, including about 3,100second doses.

More than 30 per cent of residents have received at least one vaccine dose. That includes more than 93 per cent of its residents age 80 and over.

WATCH | An age breakdown from Monday:

Hastings Prince Edward

The region, with a population of about 168,000, has administeredmore than 43,000vaccine dosesincluding more than 3,200second doses.

It's given a first dose about a quarter of its population, includingmore than 85 per cent of residents age 75 and over.