Covid-19 Vaccination in Ontario
COVID-19 Vaccination in Ontario: Our roles & responsibilities
As a Canadian, we continue through the journey of the COVID-19 global pandemic, but there is finally light in terms of vaccines against COVID-19 at the end of the tunnel. The approval and arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine gave us confidence for the new phase in our fight against this SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. There is no doubt that vaccines against COVID-19 are making a remarkable difference in safeguarding people and whole communities against infection and severe illness from SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, in December 2020, with the rollout of COVID-19 vaccine immunization program, there was the starting of the end of this dreadful pandemic. According to reports, Canada is in well position to immunize 100% of the population by end of 2021. Through advance purchasing agreements with seven companies (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Novavax, Janssen, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi/GSK, AstraZeneca, Medicago) developing COVID 19 vaccines, Canada has secured enough doses to provide access to vaccines to all Canadians.
According to reports, on Monday, 14th December 2020 Ontario government officially launched the first phase of the three-phase vaccine implementation plan to keep Ontarians are safe and mark the beginning of the long journey to return life back to normal. The goal of Canada’s COVID-19 immunization response is to enable as many Canadians as possible to be immunized as quickly as possible against COVID-19, while ensuring that high-risk populations are prioritized. The Ontario government has divided the COVID-19 vaccination plan into 3 phases. The below table depicts the details of the Ontario vaccination plan.
As per the Ministry of Health, Ontario, the personal support worker was among the first who received the approved Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, 14th December 2020 kicked off an immunization campaign in Ontario. To get immunization program successfully protect individuals and potentially have an impact on stopping the spread of COVID 19, all Canadians need to choose to take the vaccine and must be confident in the safety and efficacy of the vaccines and understand government decisions on priority populations and sequencing. People with allergies to any of the ingredients (Medicinal ingredient: mRNA and Non-medicinal ingredients:ALC-0315=((4-hydroxybutyl)azanediyl)bis(hexane-6,1-diyl)bis(2-hexyldecanoate), ALC-0159=2-[(polyethylene glycol)-2000]-N,N-ditetradecylacetamide,1,2-Distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, cholesterol, dibasic sodium phosphate dihydrate, monobasic potassium phosphate, potassium chloride, sodium chloride, sucrose, water for injection) in the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID 19 vaccine should not receive this vaccine. Only consultations and recommendations from the health professionals about any serious allergies or other health conditions people with allergies may receive this vaccine.
On 16th September 2021, as per the submitted information in COVaxON, Ontario's vaccination reporting system about the number of vaccine doses administered to the individual in Ontario, the total number of fully vaccinated people are 10,236,143 (69.21%) and those who received at least one dose are 11,047,037 (74.69%). In total, 26,174,971 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to Ontario for administration. As of September 16, 2021, 81.3% of doses delivered to Ontario have been administered.
The latest statistic shows that the number of COVID-19 cases is higher among the unvaccinated people as compared to those who are partially or fully vaccinated. The hospitalization due to COVID-19 is higher in unvaccinated people and requires ICU for treatment. The graphs reveal the fact that the rate per 100,000 (7-day average) of COVID-19 cases by vaccination status are higher in unvaccinated people which is 11.3.
COVID-19 vaccination is protecting individual from getting COVID-19. Receiving vaccine against COVID-19 is one of the best approaches to safeguard to Canadian but then again, we must continue our safeguard against this pandemic by understanding and continuing our part in beginning of this new phase in fighting against the virus.
It is important to understand the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccines, how COVID-19 vaccines work in real-world conditions to help stop this pandemic, the possible side effects, and the importance of continuing to take infection prevention steps.
The COVID-19 vaccine is helping person by creating an antibody response in their body without having to become sick with COVID-19. A COVID-19 vaccine might prevent person from getting COVID-19. Getting vaccinated also might help protect people around you from COVID-19, particularly people at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
Individual need two shots of vaccine to develop immunity against virus. At the first stage of getting first dose of vaccine, COVID- 19 vaccine may have some side effects, which are normal signs that human body is developing immunity against virus. These side effects may affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days. The very common side effects on the arm where you get the shot may be pain and swelling and throughout the rest of your body may be fever, chills, tiredness, and headache. These side effects will resolve on their own and do not pose a risk to health. According to health Canada, if person experience a side effect following immunization, please report it to their healthcare professional. If person need information about how to manage a side effect, please contact their healthcare professional. According to instruction from health Canada to healthcare professionals, if a patient experiences a side effect following immunization, they need to complete the Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) Form appropriate for their province or territory and send it to local Health Unit.
Even after getting first dose of vaccine or fully vaccinated, the individual need to take appropriate precautions and follow the advice provided by the local health authority and cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others, stay at least 6 feet away from others, avoid crowds and wash your hands often.
In addition, at the second stage of vaccination, the person should get the second shot even if he/she has side effects after the first shot unless a vaccination provider or doctor tells the person not to get a second shot. As it is known that it takes time for the human body to develop protection after any vaccination. COVID-19 vaccines that require 2 shots may not protect you until a week or two after your second shot. The researchers found that the vaccine’s protection started to emerge about ten days after the first dose, but it only reached 52 percent efficacy, according to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine. A week after the second dose, the efficacy rises to 95 percent.
As per Ontario government guidelines, until all Ontarian get fully vaccinated and no more COVID-19 cases, we must all continue to follow below public health measures given to us to help stop the spread as well end the COVID-19.
A comprehensive COVID-19 immunization programs in Canada are moving forward to end up of this pandemic. To make it a successful and COVID-19 free world, we should be committed to work collectively and keep up-to-date and perform our parts.
- Dr. Mandavi Kashyap
For figures, numbers and bibliography please see our linkedin blog post.