OWEN SOUND, ONT. -- The Grey Bruce Health Unit has plans for mass immunization, but it's waiting on the COVID-19 vaccine to arrive.
The region's medical officer of health, Dr. Ian Arra, says the widespread adoption of public health recommendations has helped keep the virus in check.
"Our numbers are trending down here, more or less from late November, so from that point of view, we are not on the priority list," he explains.
Still, two field hospitals are currently being converted into mass immunization hubs, with the health unit building in Owen Sound acting as a third.
Chapmans Ice Cream and Bruce Power are supplying two ultra-low temperature freezers that are needed to store the Pfizer vaccine.
The immunization plan prioritizes anyone 65 and over who have heart and lung disease and health-care workers.
"If you vaccinate these two groups, the high-risk group and health-care workers, the danger of the hospital system stalling isn't there anymore," Dr. Arra says.
Residents in long-term care homes would be moved by mass transportation to immunization hubs to be vaccinated.
The region's top doc says they are ready when they get the green light from the province, which he hopes comes in the next couple of weeks.
Dr. Arra says once immunization are completed in Grey Bruce, public health officials could lend assistance to other jurisdictions.
The Grey Bruce Health Unit reported nine new COVID-19 cases Monday, with 46 active confirmed cases.
The region has had a total of 530 lab-confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic.
