Statement Regarding Pfizer Vaccine Supply Delays and WRH Vaccination Rollout Plans
25-1-2021
The following statement provides a status update on the Pfizer CVx vaccinations by Windsor Regional Hospital and a response to the government’s announcement regarding delays in further vaccine shipments:
On Saturday, January 16, 2021, Pfizer, without previous warning, announced that expected deliveries for Pfizer CVxwill be reduced by at least half the expected deliveries over a four-week period, starting with the week of January 25. After the Province of Ontario was notified, WRH was directed to pause providing the first dose to individuals as of Monday, January 18 (a week earlier than planned) and focus only on providing second doses. We wanted to try to ensure everyone who had received the first dose would receive a second dose.
Unfortunately, due to further and more severe Pfizer vaccine supply issues, we have now been forced to stop ALL first doses AND delay second doses in accordance with the Government of Ontario directions following the recommendations of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). The Government of Ontario at this time is exclusively focusing on residents from long-term care and retirement homes. In Windsor-Essex, the vaccination of these long-term care and retirement home residents will continue under the direction of the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.
By the end of Monday, January 25th, WRH will have vaccinated ~ 7,091 people with first doses and ~ 2,154 of them with second doses in Phase 1 of the government’s plan.
We are very close to completing Phase 1 of the Ontario government’s vaccination plans. This has resulted in inoculating all but ~10% or less of the LTC/RH staff, congregate care staff, essential caregivers, higher risk local Indigenous populations, and Windsor-Essex hospital staff who wanted the vaccine. Our informal requests have identified approx 20% of any setting (LTC/RH/Congregate and hospital) initially refused/delayed their request for a vaccine.
Once we have more information we can determine when we can resume any first doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
We are working closely with the Province of Ontario on the next steps. Learn more here on the province’s announcement.
PDF version.