Niagara, Brant and Hamilton find success getting extra doses out of COVID-19 vaccine

Niagara Region Public Health has been using every last drop of its Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines — so much so they have always been able to get a sixth dose from the five-dose vials and, half the time, a seventh dose. 

"Getting these extra doses has meant that we've increased the number of persons we've been able to vaccinated by about 28 per cent," Dr. Mustafa Hirji, the region's acting medical officer of health, said. 

"To get those extra doses, they are sometimes literally getting every last drop stuck to the side of the vial into the syringe."

Hirji said it has been vital given how hard the pandemic has hit Niagara.

"With over 250 people in our community having passed away from COVID-19 in the past seven weeks, vaccinating 28 per cent more people at the highest risk makes a big difference," Hirji said.

"We are lucky to have such patient and skilled professionals on our team who are dedicated to making sure we vaccinating as many people as possible."

Flags across the Niagara region are flying at half-mast during February because of how many people have died from the virus. The death rate nearly quadrupled in three months. As of Wednesday, Niagara says there have been 353 lives lost.

Despite the region being one of the worst in Ontario, it was never declared a hotspot, and at one point, vaccines headed to Niagara were redirected elsewhere.

As COVID-19's spread slows, Hirji said he thinks the region has passed its peak. Still, vaccination will be key in ending the pandemic.

As of yesterday, the public health unit said it has administered 7,202 doses. Just three doses have been wasted.

Brant County has extracted 6 doses, but not 7

The county of Brant and Hamilton have also found success getting extra doses.

Ryan Spiteri, spokesperson for the Brant County Health Unit, said the Brant Community Healthcare System has been able to extract a sixth dose from 98 per cent of Pfizer vials.

"They were unsuccessful in their initial efforts to extract a seventh dose from Pfizer vials and have not widely attempted this practice since," he said.

Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, Hamilton's medical officer of health, said getting that extra dose comes down to two things: "A supply of small volume syringes which have been in very tight supply across the country, as well as the experience level of those doing the draw-ups."

"Where we have had the right syringes and people are experienced, we have often been able to withdraw a sixth dose from the vial," she said.

She added Pfizer is changing its guidance document of the vaccine (called a product monograph) and may even be changing how it fills its vials to ensure health units can get extra doses.

Haldimand-Norfolk didn't provide a comment when asked about extra doses.

One new death in Hamilton

Hamilton Public Health Services is reporting four new cases of COVID-19 and one death linked to the virus.

There are currently 351 active cases, while the total number of resolved cases now stands at 8,873.

Hamilton's weekly rate of new cases per 100,000 people continues to fall and is at 49.

The new death — a person in their 70s — takes to 272 the number of people who have died since March, after contracting COVID-19.

There are currently 22 COVID-19 outbreaks in the city. The latest outbreak was declared on Wednesday at the Salvation Army, 94 York Blvd.

Outbreaks at Lawson Ministries Salvation Army, The Wellington Nursing Home in Hamilton and the Bank of Montreal on at 886 Barton Street East are all over.

HPHS prepared for COVID-19 variants

In a statement on Thursday, HPHS said as COVID-19 variants begin to spread across Ontario, it is fully prepared for the eventuality that cases will be confirmed in Hamilton.

HPHS says it has revised its management of all COVID-19 cases and identified close contacts in accordance with the provincial interim guidance issued.  

This guidance includes:

• An increased 'sensitivity' to identifying and designating close contacts of identified cases. This means, that if there is any suspicion of exposure, the contact will be designated as close, and will require a 14-day quarantine following their contact with the case.

• Immediately testing all close contacts, regardless of whether they are symptomatic or not.       

• Testing all close contacts around day 10 of their 14-day quarantine period, regardless of whether they are symptomatic or not.       

• All household members of a close contact of a positive case will be asked to quarantine for 14 days unless it is essential to leave the home.

• If a close contact of a positive case develops symptoms, all of their close contacts will be directed to quarantine until the test result of the close contact returns negative.

Status of vaccine distribution in Hamilton

As of the end of day Feb. 10, a total of 21,195 vaccines had been administered — 6,294 at mobile clinics and 14,901 at the fixed clinic at Hamilton Health Sciences.                   

The fixed-site vaccination clinic is currently vaccinating staff from long-term care and high-risk retirement homes, essential caregivers, and health-care workers from high-risk areas.

Brant

The county of Brant has 17 active cases according to data online. There was one new case in the last 24 hours.

There have been 1,384 cases since March and 12 deaths. There's no one currently hospitalized with COVID-19.

A total of 1,355 cases have been marked as resolved. 

Haldimand-Norfolk

Haldimand and Norfolk Counties are reporting two new cases of COVID-19, with a total of 43 active.

There have been 1,377 cases throughout the pandemic. Of those 1,290 have recovered.

The local public health unit has linked the virus to 39 deaths.

Halton

The number of COVID-19 cases in Halton rose by 37, for a total of 8,912 so far.

Data indicates 409 of those cases are active.

Eight of the new cases were in Burlington, which has seen 2,327 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. There are 77 active cases in the city.

A total of 179 people across the region have died after being infected with the virus, 47 of them in Burlington.

Niagara

Niagara is reporting 21 new cases of COVID-19. The region has seen 8,273 cases over the course of the pandemic, including 508 that are active.

A total of 357 deaths have been linked to the virus over the course of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, 7,408 cases are now marked as resolved.

Six Nations

Six Nations of the Grand River has 57 active COVID-19 cases, according to Ohsweken Public Health.

There have been 221 cases reported over the course of the pandemic and two deaths.

A total of 162 cases have been marked as resolved.

Ontario reports 945 new cases of COVID-19

Ontario logged another 945 cases of COVID-19 this morning, though data problems meant that Toronto Public Health (TPH) underreported its number of newly confirmed infections.

Ontario's network of labs completed 68,812 tests for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and reported a test positivity rate of 2.3 per cent — the lowest it has been since Oct. 17, 2020. 

According to the Ministry of Health, the number of people with COVID-19 that were in hospitals fell by 65, down to 883. Of those, 299 were being treated in intensive care, the first time that figure has fallen below 300 since Dec, 28, 2020.

Public health units also reported another 18 deaths of people with the illness, bringing the province's official death toll to 6,614.