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
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for 'all parties' to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.