'We are seeing some days up to 1,800 patients:' RVH vaccination clinic ramps up
The Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) Immunization Clinic in Barrie, Ont. has tirelessly tried to get COVID-19 shots in the arms of residents.
Stella Johnson oversees the clinic at 29 Sperling Drive and says they have seen a significant increase in the number of eligible people wanting their second dose.
"We are seeing some days up to 1,800 patients per day, and we are now open seven days a week," notes Johnson.
She says appointments are booked until the first week of July.
On Wednesday, the criteria expanded for those eligible to get fully vaccinated. Now, anyone who got their shot before, or on May 30, can book an appointment.
Johnson encourages anyone who has not received their first dose to book it. She says the clinic had 500 first shot doses available for walk-ins on Tuesday, and they nearly met their target. "We got 300 dose-ones done without any appointments, and then we used our standby list to make sure that every dose was used."
"But, there are over 140,000 people across Simcoe Muskoka who still need that first dose," Johnson adds.
Mixing and matching vaccine doses has become common as the province ramps up immunizations, but that has some turning away from their appointments.
In Simcoe Muskoka, Johnson says clinics were mainly administering the Pfizer vaccine because the region was one of the early adopters to open immunization clinics in December.
"Then Moderna joined the scene in March and April, and for a lot of individuals, Pfizer was their first dose, and we don't have Pfizer in the same quantities as we do other brands," she says.
The RVH immunization clinic is running as a multi-mRNA clinic using Pfizer and Moderna available every day, according to Johnson.
As for those working alongside Johnson in the clinic, she says many are family and RVH physicians and nurses, along with those who came out of retirement to lend a hand.
"I think it's nice to hear the stories of more than 12 retired nurses that have come out of retirement only since December to contribute in the effort," says Johnson.
Complete information on how to book an appointment at one of the region's COVID-19 vaccination clinics is available here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Party's over: Coyotes play final game as Arizona franchise before move to Salt Lake City
Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the two years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah.