Vaccine interest remains high in Sudbury district
As COVID-19 restrictions ease across the province, there is still a push for people to get vaccinated with a focus on fourth doses.
Officials at Public Health Sudbury and Districts said Wednesday the vaccine is still one of the best protections against "The COVID-19 vaccine remains one of the best defences against COVID-19 virus and all of its variants,” said Nastassia McNair with the local health unit.
"So what a booster dose does is it restores protection that may have decreased over time. So it’s an added layer of protection like wearing your mask, maintaining physical distancing that can help prevent the spread of COVID-19."
As of April 7, even more people can book the latest booster including those 60 years and older, as well as those who identify as First Nations, Inuit or Metis and are 18 years or older.
"What we’ve been doing lately are (just) as many clinics, but a little bit smaller," said McNair, who said clinics are still being offered daily.
"For example, we were still at Southridge (Mall) today, but we are offering many small opportunities and we have a number of immunizers to allow for walk-in flow and to allow for booked appointments."
She said appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are definitely welcome.
Eligible individuals can book a fourth dose 140 days after their third booster, or with informed consent, can get it as early as 84 days after their last shot.
"So far we’re seeing really good uptake," McNair said.
"In the last few days since that April 7 announcement, we have had over 2,700 bookings. So that’s all bookings for all doses – first, second, third, fourth, pediatric, but a lot of them lately coming in are for that fourth dose. So lots of community interest."
McNair said of the 2,700 bookings, more than 1,500 have been for fourth doses in the district.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A newspaper says video of Prince William and Kate should halt royal rumour mill. That's a tall order
Prince William and his wife Catherine have been filmed at a farm shop near their Windsor home, The Sun newspaper reported -- the first footage of Kate since she had abdominal surgery for an unspecified condition two months ago.
'You ask for your money, they disappear': Ontario man loses $17K to AI crypto scam
A Toronto man is spreading the word of a cryptocurrency scam that lures victims using AI-generated news sites after he lost $17,000 in investments.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Trump says Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and their religion
Former U.S. president Donald Trump on Monday charged that Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and hate 'their religion,' igniting a firestorm of criticism from the White House and Jewish leaders.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Freddie Mercury's home is on the market for first time since 1980 minus his 'exquisite clutter'
Freddie Mercury's sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century -- minus his "exquisite clutter."
'The lost season': Winter comes to a close as Canada's warmest on record
The warmest winter on record could have far-reaching effects on everything from wildfire season to erosion, climatologists say, while offering a preview of what the season could resemble in the not-so-distant future unless steps are taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.