The rush to get a second dose of COVID-19 vaccine causing some confusion
The province is starting to speed up second doses, but the changes have caused some confusion for those who have already booked an appointment or want to have it changed.
"It's a confusing time because people are trying to access their second doses as quickly as possible," said pharmacist Lou Celli.
Celli says he is trying his best to steer regulars and newcomers who come to his pharmacy through the process.
"There are many people who have second dose appointments booked through the provincial web platform, or they have second dose appointments at other pharmacies, or perhaps they had the first dose at their physician's office and their physician isn't offering a second dose right now," Celli said. "We just simply don't have enough doses at the pharmacy level to be able to offer those second dose appointments as quickly as we'd like to."
In Bradford West Gwillimbury, some political leaders are pushing for more supply for second doses.
"We've really benefitted from being prioritized for the first doses," said councillor Jonathan Scott.
That prioritization was attached to being the only hotspot in the region, although last week, the COVID-19 incidence rate was higher elsewhere.
Scott says getting the extra vials has helped the town catch up.
"We had been behind the county despite being a hotspot, and we're now either ahead or tied effectively in all age demographics," Scott said.
In Barrie, the city's largest vaccination clinic has a different focus.
"Out of our 7,000 doses each week, we really are continuing to do over 80 per cent of those first doses," said Stella Johnson, Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre operations manager. "We're probably in the double digits for sure and some days up to a hundred. It really depends on how many appointments were booked the previous day and then how many individuals show up."
For those who do manage to get a second shot ahead of schedule, officials are asking them to cancel the appointment, so officials know what kind of numbers to plan for.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Iraq investigates a blast at a base of Iran-allied militias that killed 1. U.S. denies involvement
Iraqi authorities said Saturday that they were investigating an explosion that struck a base belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of Iran-allied militias, killing one person and injuring eight.