By Cecilia Nasmith
One new vaccination target emerging in Northumberland County is Ukrainian immigrants, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Natalie Bocking noted at the May meeting of the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit board of health meeting.
This is becoming apparent, as a number of families are being brought over to this community as refugees from the war.
More details will be available at future board meetings, but Dr. Bocking said that clinics for these newcomers have been well received. Much of their focus is on ensuring the children are up to date with their routine childhood immunizations in order that they can attend school, “but also certainly COVID-19 vaccinations as well.”
Dr. Bocking's monthly board update included the COVID picture for the region which, she believes, is on the downhill side of the current wave. While many health units report test positivity rates of 18%, for example, the HKPR rate is down to 10.1% (from a high of 23%).
But we are not at the bottom of the hill, she cautioned. For example, while fewer hospital admissions are due to COVID, there are still a steady stream of admissions – and, in fact, hospital admissions remain at a higher level than in any previous wave.
“What should we still be continuing to do?” she asked.
“The key messages remain the same.”
This includes being up to date on vaccinations and staying home if you are unwell or experiencing symptoms.
“The province has really moved to an individual-risk-assessment approach in terms of masks and attending crowded indoor events. Certainly people at higher risk of developing COVID-19 may need to take more precautions than other individuals.
“Omicron is still circulating. We are still seeing new infections. We are still seeing new hospital admissions.”
Her own recommendation would be to continue wearing masks in indoor crowded spaces and, in fact, to avoid large crowded indoor gatherings altogether if possible.
At this point, only 61.8% of individuals eligible for a first booster have one. And the uptake of those eligible for a second booster is also not what one might have hoped for. Dr. Bocking is hearing two rationales voiced repeatedly.
One is that the vaccine will not prevent COVID, so why bother.
The other is that they might as well wait until fall in hopes that a combined flu-COVID shot might be available.
“I still recommend, if you are eligible for a booster does, get it now,” she stated.
“Yes, the vaccines do not fully protect against infection, but they are very protective and very good at preventing a severe illness – not 100%, but very good, upwards of 85% to 90%.”
Omicron may be a mild infection for many, but for many it's not. And any infection risks the so-called Long COVID we are learning more and more about. The current data suggest vaccines can also play a preventive role here as well.
Health-unit-led clinics continue, with 25 planned for May and 21 in June. The GoVaxx bus will make 10 stops in May and 19 in June.
The school-based clinics for five-to-11-year-olds took place in 51 schools. At a total of 99 clinics, 868 shots were administered.
As well, Dr. Bocking noted that the health unit continues to provide a range of logistical support for the vaccinations available in long-term-care and retirement homes, primary-care clinics, pharmacies, shots administered by EMS personnel and clinics with Alderville First Nation.
While the impact of COVID on the community is well known, Dr. Bocking took a moment to discuss the impact of the sixth wave on the health unit. Even with relaxes provincial requirements, it's a significant workload that still requires some health-unit staff to be redeployed from their regular duties to monitor up to 25 outbreaks at any given time. The anxiety, stress and increased workload are a cycle that has been repeated roughly every three months over the past two years.
Extending her appreciation for this work, she included Corporate Services. With redeployment and supplemental temporary staffing, they have been left to handle such behind-the-scenes work as amending contracts.
