Second shipment of Moderna vaccine arrives in Windsor-Essex

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) says it has received enough of theModerna COVID-19 vaccine to administer the final doses at seniors' homes.

WECHU CEO and Chief Nursing Officer Theresa Marentette said the shipment arrivedon Friday.

The health unit expects second doses at long-term care and retirement homesto be complete by end of day on Feb. 18, Marentette said at a media briefing on Monday morning.

The vaccinations come after months of widespread outbreaks at seniors' facilities in the region.Throughout the pandemic,222 residents of seniors' homes died of COVID-19.

But the number of outbreaks has declined in recent days.So far this month, no new outbreaks have been declared, though a dozen remain active.

There are still 376 residentswithin long-term care and retirement homes awaiting a first dose of the vaccine, Marentette said. Anyonewith an active case ofCOVID-19 wasnot eligible to receive the shot on vaccination day.

Marentette said the health unit would be working to vaccinatethose residents. It has also asked Windsor Regional Hospital to vaccinate the remaining workers and essential caregivers with the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine when supplies allow.

"We know that there are more than 1,700 people who would like the vaccine and have not received their first dose at this time," she said.

The new batch of vaccines came despite questions abouthow much of the Moderna vaccine Canada would be receiving in the short-term and when.

The company previously said it would be sending 20 to 25 per cent fewer productto Canada in February than expected.

On Friday, the Canadian Forces general leading the federal vaccine plansaid he didn't know the reason for the delay orwhen exactly more shotswould be coming in February and March.

40 new cases on Monday

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) reported 40new COVID-19 caseson Monday.

Nineteen of the new cases are close contacts of previously confirmed cases, while three cases are outbreak related and four were community acquired. The rest are under investigation.

There are 388active cases in the region, down from a peak of about 2,800 in mid-January. Over the weekend, 40 new cases were announced as well.

Since the pandemic began, there have been 12,374COVID-19 cases recorded in Windsor-Essex and 343deaths, according to WECHU.

There are 51 COVID-19 patients hospital in the region, with 10in the ICU.

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There are 27active outbreaks.

Two outbreaks are active at Windsor Regional Hospital and two outbreaks areactive atHotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare.

Outbreaks areactive at 11workplaces:

• Fourin Leamington's agriculturalsector.
• One in Kingsville's agriculturalsector.
• One in Tecumseh'shealth care and social assistance sector.
• Three in Windsor's manufacturing sector.
• One in Tecumseh's manufacturing sector.
• One in Windsor's public administration sector.

There are 12active outbreaks at long-term care and retirement facilities:

• Franklin Gardens in Leamington, with 33resident cases and 12staff cases.
• Heron Terrace in Windsor, with tworesident cases and twostaff cases.
• Chartwell Leamington,with two resident cases and twostaff cases.
• Regency Park in Windsor, with 22resident cases and 14staff cases.
• Devonshire Retirement Residence in Windsor, with 48resident cases and eightstaff cases.
• Rosewood Erie Glen in Leamington,with 42resident cases and 10staff cases.
• Augustine Villas in Kingsville, with 66resident cases and 20staff cases.
• Sunrise Assisted Living of Windsor, with 15resident cases and 10staff cases.
• Huron Lodge in Windsor, with 48resident cases and 26staff cases.
• Sun Parlor Home in Leamington, with tworesident cases and 14staff cases.
• Berkshire Care Centre in Windsor, with 99resident cases and 62staff cases.
• The Village at St. Clair in Windsor, with 174resident cases and 139staff cases.