Local health officials are promising that, over the next 10 days, all residents of long-term care and retirement homes in Windsor-Essex who already received the first dose of the vaccine will be completely vaccinated.
The Windsor Essex County Health Unit received its second shipment of the Moderna vaccine on Friday. Public health nurses will continue to administer second doses and, according to the health unit, will have visited all homes by the end of the day on February 18.
"Right now we are focusing on giving all second doses to everyone that we gave first doses to. So that includes all three categories in the long-term care and retirement homes, residents, staff and essential caregivers," said CEO and Chief Nursing Officer Theresa Marentette. "With our current supply, we know that we will also be able to provide first and second doses to the remaining outstanding residents."
There are still 376 residents who would like the vaccine who have not received their first dose.
There are about 1,700 staff and essential caregivers who are awaiting their first dose of the vaccine. There is not enough supply of the Moderna vaccine for these individuals to receive their first and second doses. They will be prioritized to receive the Pfizer vaccine, administered by Windsor Regional Hospital, when there is supply available.
There is no word on when the health unit will receive additional supply of the Moderna vaccine.
On Monday, the health unit reported 40 new cases of COVID-19 in Windsor-Essex.
There are now 388 active cases in the community. Among those, 51 are in the hospital receiving treatment and 10 are in the intensive care unit.