MINTO – Mayor George Bridge hailed the arrival of COVID-19 vaccine in the region as a step toward eventually controlling the ongoing pandemic.
In opening remarks at the Jan. 5 Minto council meeting, Bridge noted a shipment containing 975 doses of the Pfizer vaccine arrived earlier that day.
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) began providing its first COVID-19 vaccinations on Jan. 6.
That day Medical Officer of Health Dr. Nicola Mercer said more doses of the Pfizer vaccine are expected in the coming weeks and next week WDGPH will receive 3,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine.
“In the next few weeks we will start seeing them get out to more of the health care workers,” said Bridge, who also chairs the WDGPH board of directors.
He noted the next group to be vaccinated would be staff and residents at area long-term care facilities.
“That will help us stem some of the concerns we’ve got, especially with long-term care. That’s where it seems to be our outbreaks are these days.”
He added, “We’re not doing too bad in Minto, where I think we have four active cases right now. Our neighour has a few more in Wellington North and most of those are, again, from a long-term care situation.
Caressant Care Arthur is dealing with an outbreak involving 46 cases as of Jan. 6.
“So that’s where were going to be concentrating in the next little while,” said Bridge, adding he was “feeling comfortable that we’re at least moving down the path … by the end of September we may be all vaccinated.
“That’s what Justin Trudeau told me today. So I’m believing him all the way to the bank,” said Bridge.
The mayor was referencing a statement from the prime minister earlier in the day in which he repeated a pledge to procure enough doses to vaccinate every adult Canadian who wants a shot by the end of September.
Reaching that goal would require administering roughly 100,000 doses a day national wide.
