As plans are now underway to introduce the new Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA vaccine throughout Canada, Public Health Sudbury & Districts is heading up the distribution and vaccination programs in this part of Northern Ontario.
“With Health Canada’s recent approval of the Pfizer vaccine and several other vaccines undergoing federal review, all three levels of government are preparing for vaccine distribution. Public Health is leading the local collaborative planning that it will take to actually get the vaccine into people’s arms," said a news release from PHSD Friday morning.
With the federal government acquiring the vaccine and the provincial government preparing to send it out across the province, PHSD said the job involves several key players in the city to get the vaccine to the people.
"At a local level, municipalities and key stakeholders are collaborating for the planning and rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. This includes coordinated efforts for the distribution, administration, and public communication of the vaccine. Vaccine storage is also coordinated locally with Health Sciences North as it has been identified by the province as a potential site for the distribution of the Pfizer vaccine," said the PHSD statement.
Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, the medical officer of health for PHSD, said precise details for the program are still in the works.
“Although many aspects of vaccine planning and rollout are still evolving, it is not too early to plan for implementation. We want our communities to benefit from the vaccine the moment it is available locally — to do this we need to be prepared,” said Sutcliffe.
“This is a huge undertaking and it will require the partnership of many in the health system and beyond. The success of the vaccination program will rely on the coordinated actions of many key players.”
So far, PHSD has hosted two meetings — one for Greater Sudbury and one for the outlying district areas — to have health care leaders outline the plans with municipal representatives, Indigenous health representatives, the pharmacy sector and the police.
"Among other topics, early consideration was given to coordinate efforts for vaccine storage, delivery, distribution, and administration, as well as communication and ensuring unique issues of geography, accessibility, and equity are taken into consideration," said the PHSD statement.
PHSD said it is also working closely with the hospital as Health Sciences North has been identified by the province as a potential storage site for the distribution of the vaccine.
“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have engaged closely with our partners at Public Health Sudbury and Districts. This latest phase of the pandemic response is no different and together we will all ensure a proactive local response and a comprehensive plan for our communities,” said Dominic Giroux, President and CEO of Health Sciences North.
“We are fortunate to have close working relationships with provincial partners to help inform our local vaccine planning and rollout. This is a large, coordinated effort and one that can’t be done alone.”
Pfizer is recommending extreme cold storage of the vaccine to extend the shelf life of the substance.
PHSD said part of its mandate is to reduce the spread of disease through the use of vaccines.
"Public Health’s work is informed by a depth of experience with the seasonal influenza vaccine campaign as well as with immunization campaigns in response to the H1N1 pandemic and local cases of meningitis and hepatitis A, among others," said the statement from the health unit.
