Sudbury public health urging COVID-19 vaccine booster amid Omicron spread

Sudbury health officials are bracing for the COVID-19 Omicron variant and extra resources are being poured into delivering vaccine boosters as eligibility opens up further.

The dominant COVID-19 variant in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts is currently Delta, which officials say is the cause of the current surge in cases, but there is concern about Omicron's alarming spread in other areas of Ontario.

"The COVID-19 Omicron variant is rapidly becoming the dominant strain with an alarming ability to spread very quickly. Public Health Sudbury & Districts is urgently encouraging all who are eligible to get their COVID-19 vaccine booster (third dose) as soon as possible to (maximize) their protection against severe illness from Omicron," the health unit said in a news release Tuesday afternoon.

"We have not yet detected Omicron but the startling spread elsewhere in Ontario means we have to do all we can to prevent severe disease and protect the health care system capacity. This means getting immunized with a booster dose as soon as possible. It also means strictly following all public health measures, including the enhanced measures in our area," Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, the area's medical officer of health, said in the news release.

Booster doses are available for the following groups that had their second COVID-19 vaccine 168 days ago or more:

• Residents ages 50 and older
• First Nation, Inuit and Metis adults ages 16 and older and other members of their household, including non-Indigenous individuals
• Health care workers ages 16 and older
• Anyone who has received two doses of Astra Zeneca
• Anyone who has received one dose of Janssen, formerly known as Johnson & Johnson
• Vulnerable adults in congregate settings

Residents are also still able to get their first and second shots if they haven't already.

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT

Appointments for the vaccination can be made online or by phone at 705-674-2299.

"With many pharmacies and primary care providers offering COVID-19 vaccination, there are even more options available to receive an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine," the health unit said.

"Eligible individuals are encouraged to contact their local pharmacy or primary care provider for additional information on a booster dose of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Public Health Sudbury & Districts is also working closely with partners to be able to continue to offer vaccination opportunities directly in the homes of homebound individuals."

LOCAL CASES

As of Monday at 4 p.m., there are 331 active COVID-19 infections in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts. Since the pandemic began, 4,374 cases have been confirmed and 4,043 resolved, including 43 COVID-related deaths. Last week, 325 new cases were confirmed and 246 were resolved, including four deaths.

As of Tuesday at noon, 20 COVID-19 patients are at Health Sciences North, with seven in the intensive care unit.

Of the residents eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, 84.4 per cent have received at least one dose and 79.5 per cent are considered fully vaccinated.

Of the 2,070 new COVID-19 cases since June 1, 68 per cent of those involve partially or unvaccinated people, Public Health Sudbury & Districts said in a news release Dec. 9. Of the 70 hospitalizations during that period, 71 per cent were partially or unvaccinated.