The Municipality of Chatham-Kent has administered their entire first shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“After nearly a year of living a COVID-19 reality, Chatham-Kent caught a glimmer of light at the end of a long tunnel, and celebrated the arrival of its first shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday January 25, 2021,” CK Public Health officials said on their website on Tuesday.
“CK Public Health staff, along with Chatham-Kent EMS and CKHA, went straight to work, and started to put our local vaccine distribution plans into action by beginning to vaccinate our most vulnerable populations: residents of long-term care homes. In a short day and a half, after long hours, big smiles, and tear stained faces, our entire first COVID-19 vaccine shipment has safely made its way into the arms of those who need it most, and in doing so, injected a little hope into our community.”
Jeff Moco, a spokesperson with CK Public Health, told the Sydenham Current that “almost 400 doses” were distributed on Monday to residents.
“The two main sites (on Monday) were Riverview Gardens and Copper Terrace. The remainder of vaccines were distributed to Meadowpark (on Tuesday) afternoon and approximately vaccinated half of their residents.”
Moco added on Tuesday: “In just over a 24-hour period we have exhausted the entire first shipment provided to us (on Monday).”
The first dose in Chatham-Kent was given on Monday at 2:12 p.m. More details, here.
CK Public Health officials say the CK Vaccine Team has been carefully planning for weeks for the arrival of their first shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“As information from the provincial government regarding vaccine supply shifts and changes, our local distribution planning remained agile and ready to respond when the vaccine arrived with little notice, and we sprang right into action,” public health officials say.
“Unlike the Pfizer BioNtech vaccine, the Moderna vaccine that was supplied did not need the extreme freezing practices for storage and transportation, but lots of thawing and prep work to prepare it to be safely, fairly, and quickly distributed to Long-Term Care homes that were ready to receive them.”
CK Public Health officials say Bill Breedon, a resident at Riverview Gardens, rolled up his sleeve and led the way as Chatham-Kent’s first local resident to receive the vaccine for COVID-19.
Casually resting in his bed, and expertly and compassionately vaccinated by CK Public Health Nurse Kris Oulds, Breedon seemed modest about the weight of the moment, CK Public Health officials say.
“For Chatham-Kent, Mr. Breedon’s bravery is a symbol of the courage we can all call upon to walk through these next few months together, and put the health and safety of our entire community as our number one priority,” public health officials say.
Oulds said she was humbled by staff who “were emotional at the magnitude of what we were doing, which was really cool to see.”
“Definitely one of the best days of my nursing career… I am proud to work for CK Public Health,” Oulds added on the CK Public Health website.
In terms of next steps, CK Public Health officials are encouraging the community to “stick with us.
“Much like the COVID-19 experience thus far, things will change and evolve, sometimes with some notice, and sometimes without. CK Public Health and its partners on the #CKVaccineTeam will continue to work with compassionate care to plan for a continued COVID-19 vaccine rollout for Chatham-Kent,” public health officials say.
“The Province of Ontario has set a deadline of vaccinating all Long-Term Care Home residents with a first dose by February 5, 2021, which is an important milestone. Mindful of vaccine supply, and sticking to the provincially developed framework that help us determine who gets the vaccine when – prioritizing our most vulnerable – we will start with Long Term care, and then safely and fairly move from there.”
CK Public Health officials added: “We can do this, Chatham-Kent. We will continue to work with Chatham-Kent EMS and Chatham-Kent Health Alliance in preparing for the next arrival of vaccine and its distribution. Public Health is a practice that we all have a role in. Let’s continue to practice safely and compassionately together.”
More information about the COVID-19 vaccine in Chatham-Kent can be found, here.
If anyone has questions they can connect with CK Public Health at covid19@chatham-kent.ca or call them at 519-355-1071 ext. 1900.
