North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit outlines its vaccination target

North Bay -

Health officials at the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit are laying out the numbers needed to move the area out of Stage 3 of Ontario’s reopening plan.

According to the health hunt, thousands of people still need to be immunized before the district is ready to move forward with the reopening plan.

In all, 77 per cent of eligible residents have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while two-thirds of the population is fully immunized. The province has said 80 per cent of people must have their first dose and 75 per cent must have their second dose before more restrictions can loosen.

For the North Bay Parry Sound district, more than 3,600 people still need their first dose, while 11,000 people need their second dose to meet the criteria.

“As the demand for the COVID-19 vaccine begins to plateau, we are adjusting the way that we will be offering our clinics,” said Andrea McLellan, the health unit’s director of COVID-19 immunization strategy.

“We have cancelled several clinics due to exceptionally low bookings.”

McLellan said everyone who was scheduled in a clinic that was cancelled has been contacted by phone, email or by direct letter to inform them of the cancellation and they have been offered an alternate date.

The health unit confirmed walk-in appointments will now occur at each clinic moving forward to reach those who are not vaccinated, while pop-up clinics will also start more often.

McLellan confirmed pop-up clinics will take place in Powassan on Aug. 3, River Valley on Aug. 4 from 10 a.m. to noon, and in Verner on Aug. 4 from 2 to 4 p.m.

She said a number of other locations are in the planning phase of holding pop-up clinics.

McLellan said there are still 5,000 people who have their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, but are not currently booked to receive their second shot.