Chair's Message – Vaccination
Are we there yet? Is that the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel or is that a train coming the other way?
As I write this, Ontario is experiencing a stay at home order and strong advice to avoid non-essential travel and limit gatherings. This has helped to stabilize and slow down the COVID-19 case growth but ICU capacity in Ontario hospitals remains stretched and could easily be overwhelmed if there was another surge in cases. The restrictions and increasing vaccinations are touted as the way out of this, and family physicians will play a key role in the solution.
Vaccination rates have picked up and there is good demand for appointments as eligibility for shots expands. Vaccine hesitancy remains a threat and various programs are starting up to counteract this, such as LHSC's “GetVaxxed” campaign.
Family physicians here in London-Middlesex have been active, in cooperation with the Health Unit and the LM Primary care Alliance, to deliver vaccines through office-based pilot sites, house calls for vulnerable patients who can’t get out, and mobile clinics to hot spots and congregate settings not previously targeted. As of early May, pharmacists and primary care providers have delivered 93 per cent of the Astra-Zenica doses allocated to London-Middlesex, a tremendous effort. The next few weeks will see more family medicine and primary care clinics coming on board, and at least one more mass vaccination site, which should continue our drive to maximum vaccination in our area.
Family physicians will continue to play a vital role by personally getting vaccinated, personally promoting vaccine confidence in our patients, and personally contributing to the vaccine roll out in any way possible. If we can stay strong, stay healthy and all pull together, maybe that’s summertime daylight that we see at the end of the tunnel.
As always, I welcome your comments and feedback at swetmore@uwo.ca or Twitter @DOCSJW.
