Regional Public Health Unit Ready for the day the COVID19 vaccines arrive

News 100 redBy Pepper Parr

February 18th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The day the COVID19 vaccines arrive, expect the Prime Minister to make an announcement on how well his government is doing ensuring that Canadians are getting the Covid19 virus protection they need.

Dr. Hamidah Meghani at the Regional Public Health unit will move the people who have been hired to give us that needle into position and wait for the province to tell her exactly when the vaccines are going to be in the inoculation centres ready for use.

COVID big pic 2 phase

The administering of the vaccine is a three phase program.

Earlier this month Dr. Meghani and her team met with General Rick Hillier,  former Chief of the Defence Staff , now retired, who is overseeing the distribution of the vaccines that were purchased by the federal government for distribution to the provinces.

The Halton Regional plan was approved – now Meghani and her colleagues are waiting for the word – the vaccines are here.

So – when the vaccines arrive does that mean we all scoot over to the inoculation centre? Not quite.

We learned yesterday that there will be just four inoculation centres in Halton. One will be at the Oakville Trafalgar Hospital that will handle all the front line people – which at this point are those in the medical field.

Regional Council members wanted to know if the people who work in the supermarkets will be considered front line. Dr. Meghani said she did not know, that that has yet to be determined.

We know now that there will be a process to register for a jab of the needle.

The province is in the process of creating a computer application (app) that people will use to register.
Nothing more than that at this point.

The province has not been able to launch that application; it is apparently in trials at this point.  It will be on a program called COVAX.
What has become very clear is that the province is calling all the shots – the Public Health units follow the directions they are given.

Meghani expects to be inoculating people before that provincial app is ready – she has a backup plan in place.

Covid roll out phases

The time line – who is expected to be vaccinated when. Asked when does this all start – Dr. Meghani said – the day after the vaccines arrive.

Where will the inoculation centres be located in each community? Not yet determined. They know where they want them to be – now to work out the details with the municipalities or the school boards.

We did learn that the Region will pick up whatever there are in the way of costs at the local level.

We learned too that the Region has hired 200 nursing people and will be hiring an additional 200 for a total of 400 people in place.
Interviews are taking place in the evenings and on the weekends.

Halton CAO Jane McCaskill mentioned that the Region has spent an additional $1 million and has invested heavily in Information Technology upgrades.

Dr. Meghani said that the Region will have a backup system in place. This woman doesn’t leave very many stones unturned.

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1 comment to Regional Public Health Unit Ready for the day the COVID19 vaccines arrive

  • Diane Knox

    I really hope that a consideration for Vaccination sites NOT be centered at hospitals when they become available for seniors not in residential settings. Many do not drive, are mobility challenged, Do Not have computers!, to book. Joe Brant is impossible to get to during rush hour from certain areas of Burlington…Meanwhile, Bateman HS sits empty, heated, has ample parking ,even a drive circle 3 gyms and is totally accessible. Please do what Hamilton PH and others have done and consider satellite sites for Vaccinations and even testing..