The province will get its first 1950 doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine December 15th.
Chief Medical Officer of Health Doctor Robert Strang says they must carefully prioritize the early doses.
Doctor Strang says the first people vaccinated will be healthcare workers in the Central Zone in COVID-19 Care Units, Regional Care Units, and Intensive Care Units.
“There are some people that are more important to get vaccinated than others and we have to allow them to be at the front of the line.”
Strang says next is nursing home residents, people over 80, then over 75, then over 70, and then broader healthcare workers in spring 2021.
He says they don’t expect general public vaccinations to be completed until fall 2021.
Doctor Strang says until then we must stay on guard.
“As we’re rolling this out it’s also going to be very important that we don’t get too relaxed and just think, ‘oh we’ve got COVID solved,’” he says. “If we do see increased virus activity, there’s no guarantee that we may not get, even if we come through the second wave, that we may not get a third wave.”
Doctor Strang says they will strengthen restriction again if that happens.
He says we’re still months away from a return to normal.
Doctor Strang announced seven new cases Monday: Two in the Western Zone, one in the Northern Zone, and four in the Central Zone, including a school-based case.
He says there are 78 active infections remaining after 19 more recoveries.