KFL&A Public Health: Act now to get vaccinated for back to school

Now is the time to get your first dose in order to be fully vaccinated in time for back to school in September, says Dr. T. Hugh Guan, Associate Medical Officer of Health for Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington (KFL&A) Public Health. 

With a 21 day wait period between first and second doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, those who are first vaccinated this week or weekend will still have time to receive a second dose before school starts.

This is also the last weekend to access vaccines at Strathcona Paper Centre in Napanee, which will close as a Vaccination centre on Monday, Aug. 2, 2021, and Invista Centre in Kingston, which closes on Sunday, Aug. 1 2021.  Both of these mass vaccination locations are now accepting walk-ins, with Invista accepting evening walk-ins, as well.

“We continue to have lots of vaccine supply locally,” explained Guan. “It’s a good problem to have compared to the months before where there has been more demand than supply.” 

Vaccines can also still be accessed at “pharmacies, Kingston Community Health Center, the Beech Grove site,” said Guan. “There is a Richardson Stadium drive-through/walk-through next Monday, Aug. 2, between 5 p.m. and  8 p.m.  As well, we continue to have more mobile clinics around the community to reach out to harder-to-reach folks, and all of these sites are for those 12 and over, so anyone can walk in, or book an appointment to get their first or their second dose.”

Asked about the vaccine status for children under 12, Guan said much research is being done to ensure a safe and effective program for school-aged children.

“The last time I have checked, the status of these companies have mentioned that they will be submitting data to Health Canada towards the latter half of this year,” he said. “We may be able to expect analysis as well as recommendations of vaccinations for this age group towards the latter half this year, but I do know that studies are underway for youth under age 12.”

COVID-19 numbers for the KFL&A region are very good, all in all, Guan said, and are as follows:

There have been zero new cases this week. 

There is currently one active case in our area and that person is in hospital.

81.6 per cent of people 12 and over have received one dose of a COVID-19vaccine.

70.5 per cent of people 12 and over have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

KFL&A is in the top 25 per cent for vaccinations province-wide.