Windsor-Essex to receive up to 13,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses weekly by end of March: health unit

The supply of COVID-19 vaccines in Windsor-Essex is expected to grow dramatically this month, according to the region's medical officer of health.

Dr. Wajid Ahmed saidhe's expectingto see deliveriesramp up from close to 4,000 doses weekly to 12,000 or 13,000 weekly.

"So that would triple the supply for our vaccine, and that's why we wanted to make sure we have all these delivery channels up and running for our community," Ahmed said during theWindsor-Essex County Health Unit briefing on Monday.

The second of twovaccine clinics for adults who are 80 and older opened up on Monday in Leamington. About 160 vaccines will be administered per day at theNature Fresh Farms Recreation Centre, Ahmed said.

Between the newestclinic, and the one set up for the 80-plus population last week at the WFCUCentreand the vaccination site at St. Clair Sportsplex,Ahmed expects that about1,000 doses will be administered locally per day.

As well, Windsor-Essexis one of three areas ofthe province that will be participating in a pilot project that willsee vaccines available in some pharmacies.

The health unit is also working on mobile clinics that will be set up to reachpriority populations in someneighbourhoods.

Leading the province

Windsor-Essex's vaccine rollout is already ahead of many other areas of the province, Ahmed said, with 4.74per cent of residentsreceiving one dose of the vaccine so far.

"This is the highest in the province," Ahmedsaid.

The portion of residents that have received both doses is almost 2.73 per cent, he said.

According to WECHU, a total of31,783 vaccine doses have been administered so far, and11,615 people have received both required doses.

The province recently announced updates on its vaccine plan, with a target to immunize all adults 60 and older by early June sooner than initially expected.

In Windsor-Essex, vaccinations are ongoing for high riskhealth-care workers, adults over 80, adult recipients of chronic home care and Indigenous people. Vaccinations for those living and working in seniors' homes, as well as for first responders and the highest risk health-care workers,arecomplete.

Ahmed outlined the next priorities for vaccination in a presentation on Monday. They include adults 75and older and more health-care workers.

51 new cases

The health unit reported 51 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, and overall 262 cases are active.

Of those new cases, 10 are close contacts of confirmed cases, three cases were community acquired, 17 cases are under investigation and 21 are related to outbreaks.

Ahmed could not immediately say which outbreaks the new cases were connected with.

There are 38 people in hospital in the region, with 11in the intensive care unit.

• Windsor school boards a month behind provincial target for asymptomatic testing

There are 13ongoing outbreaks.

They include oneat Windsor Regional Hospital, one at Victoria Manor,and two at shelters serving people experiencing homelessness,the DowntownMission andSalvation Army.

The health unit said COVID-19 variants of concernhave been preliminarily found withinoutbreaks at Victoria Manor and the Downtown Mission.

Fiveworkplaces have active outbreaksincludingone in Kingsville'sconstructionsector, two in Windsor's healthcare and social assistance sector, one in Windsor'smanufacturingsector and one in Windsor's repair and maintenance sector.

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

• Devonshire Retirement Residencein Windsor, with one staff case.
• Dolce Vitain Windsor, with three resident cases.

And there are two school outbreaks one inBellewood Public School and one inMonseigneur Jean Noel.

COVID-19 in Chatham-Kent, Sarnia-Lambton

Chatham-Kent Public Health has 25 active COVID-19 cases Monday, with two institutional outbreaks that are both at the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance.

In a news release Monday, the hospital declared twoCOVID-19 outbreaks, with one on its Dialysis Unit and another onits Laboratory Services.

One staff member and one patient have tested positive in the Dialysis Unit.

Meanwhile, the hospital says that two staff memberstested positiveinLaboratory Services. A patient is also positive after being exposed to one of the COVID-19 positive staff members. The patient was on the inpatient Surgical Unit.

Due to the outbreaks, the hospital says it has restricted visitors and care partners to the in-patient Surgical Unit until further notice. Visitors and care partners to that unit will be allowed only through the psoted exceptions or through the appeals process.

In Sarnia-Lambton, there are 155 active COVID-19 cases andsix outbreaks Monday.