New Thunder Bay COVID-19 vaccination centre expected to deliver more than 500 doses a day

A new COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Thunder Bay is expected to be giving between 500 and 600 vaccine doses per day starting Monday, the CEO of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) said.

According to a media bulletin issued by the TBRHSC, the new clinic which opened Thursday andis located at Lakehead University is now open, and the city's vaccine rolloutis up and running after "a few weeks of stoppage and slow down due to supply issues with the Pfizer vaccine."

Regular vaccine deliveries are expected going forward, the bulletin said, andTBRHSC CEORhonda Crocker Ellacotttold CBC News that the capacity to administer the vaccine will quickly increase.

"We were once doing 168 vaccines per day," she said. "By Monday, we expect to be doing 5-600 vaccines per day, and after that, potentially even more, once the simulation and logistics and all of the little, small pieces are all worked out."

Crocker Ellacottsaid more vaccine partners are expected to also be coming online soon, offering more opportunities for residents to be vaccinated.

However, exactly when the general public will be able to get the vaccine is still being determined.

"We are hoping that the rollout will happen relatively soon, so that's when the general public will be able to book their own vaccinations,"Crocker Ellacott said.

About 3,700 first dosesand about 1,900 second doseshave been administered in the city so far, the bulletin said; all long-term care residents in Thunder Bay have received both doses of the vaccine.

The Thunder Bay District Health Unit reported 17 new cases, and 170 active casesof COVID-19 in the Thunder Bay district on Thursday.

The rise in cases has prompted the TBRHSC to re-open its COVID-19 unit.

Crocker Ellacottsaid Thursday there were13 patients in the hospital with COVID-19. Nine of those were in the COVID-19 unit, and four were in the ICU.

Crocker Ellacottsaid currently, the hospital is managing active cases in its 13-bed COVID-19 unit, and there is currently no "significant indication" of a surge in cases coming to the hospital.