Grey Bruce’s mass vaccine distribution infrastructure is taking shape as Ontario approaches a period when supply is expected to start becoming more available.
The region’s medical officer of health Dr. Ian Arra says preparations are complete on a mass vaccination centre at the P & H Centre in Hanover. The Davidson Centre in Kincardine and Bayshore Community Centre in Owen Sound will also be setup by this week.
Arra notes there is not adequate supply of vaccines now in Grey Bruce to implement the “Hockey Hub” mass vaccination model, but the facilities will be used in smaller operational capacities in the weeks ahead.
“We will be utilizing them on a smaller scale,” Arra explains. “That’s what we anticipate going forward until we have shipments large enough in the near future.”
Arra says Public Health conducted some “dry runs” of the Hockey Hub vaccination model last week, administering first doses to paramedics at the P&H Centre site.
He says the health unit tried different techniques to help optimize the processes the hub will operate under.
“One of the really good results I’ve seen from the trial is, despite the fact it’s a 30 seconds or less vaccination process, the nursing staff were able to establish a rapport with the patient,” Arra says.
According to a release from the Grey Bruce Health Unit, the Hockey Hub model will allow for 4,500 vaccines to be administered in a 10-hour shift of five vaccinators.
“Traditional large volume clinics administer about 1,000 vaccines a day, employing 20 vaccinators. Conventional smaller vaccine clinics administer 400 vaccines a day, in a shift of 8 vaccinators,” the Health Unit statement explains. “The efficiency of the Hockey Hub model is based on using clinical staff for clinical duties only and other staff for any task that is non-clinical.”
With a sufficient supply of vaccines, the expectation is the three Hockey Hubs in Grey and Bruce counties would be able to vaccinate 140,000 people — or around 75 per cent of the region’s population — in about 21 days.
Arra notes it is also a more cost-effective approach. According to the health unit, the Hockey Hub model would cost around $6,000 per thousand vaccines — or around $1.7-million — for 140,000 people. Large volume clinics cost around $26,000 per thousand — or $7.2 million — for 140,000 population, according to the Grey Bruce Health Unit.
“The Hockey Hub is an ideal solution for large scale immunization, not just locally but across Canada,” Arra says.
Beyond the Hockey Hub model, Arra says there are multiple systems of vaccine distribution planned in Grey Bruce.
In addition to administering in traditional spaces at pharmacies or doctors’ offices, Arra says Public Health asked municipalities to map out spaces where immunizations could be conducted. Physicians and pharmacists have been asked to express interest in operating these, which may include community centres or other arenas in Grey and Bruce counties.
“It would not be a hub with the same model, but it would be a bigger, safer space to go through and more people would get the vaccine,” Arra says.
On vaccination progress to date, Arra says all long-term care and high-risk retirement home staff, residents and essential caregivers have received at least a first dose. High-risk healthcare workers in hospital settings, many other staff and residents in retirement homes and some emergency services workers have also received a shot.
Arra notes the Grey Bruce Health Unit plans to start vaccinations of some older adults over the age of 80 this week. Firefighters and police officers will also be administered their first doses this week.
Over the month of March, a release from the health unit explains vaccinations will focus on chronic home care recipients, high-risk community health care workers and indigenous communities.
“There is no need for people to call their family health teams, healthcare providers or the health unit,” Arra says. “We’re already collecting that information and registering people. We will reach out to them.”
According to the Ontario government’s Covid-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan, more than 1.3-million doses are expected to arrive in March, and nearly eight-million more from April through June. And that’s just from Pfizer and Moderna.
Health Canada approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for use last week, and is reportedly in the later stages of the review processes of products from Johnson and Johnson and Novavax.
The head of Ontario’s Covid Vaccine Task Force retired General Rick Hillier said last week Ontario will transition to Phase 2 of the province’s three-phase vaccination plan in March. This phase is expected to continue until July and will cover some 8.7-million people, including older adults, people who live and work in high-risk congregate settings and frontline essential workers.
Dr. Arra says some details of Phase 2 are not as defined at this point, but expects more information will come moving forward.